Continuation of Systemic Treatments and Outcomes for Patients with Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease in the USA

Abstract

Aim: To compare secondary systemic treatment (SST) continuation and associated resource use and costs in chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD) patients in the USA. Materials & methods: This was a retrospective study using Truven Health MarketScan database (2009–2016). cGvHD patients were classified as continuers or discontinuers if treated with SST for ≥180 days without or with a treatment gap (≥45 days), respectively. Results: Among 464 cGvHD patients with SST, mTOR inhibitors, extracorporeal photopheresis and imatinib were most frequently used. A total of 172 patients were SST continuers and 292 were discontinuers. Extracorporeal photopheresis treated patients were the highest continuers, followed by imatinib and mTOR inhibitors. SST continuers had lower monthly hospitalization costs versus discontinuers. Conclusion: This real-world analysis demonstrates high SST continuation rates in cGvHD patients are associated with lower resource utilization and cost.

Keywords::

• cGvHD
• graft-versus-host disease
• healthcare resource use
• real-world data
• secondary systemic treatment
• treatment continuation

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/imt-2020-0310

Author Contributions

All authors participated in the study design, data collection and analysis, manuscript drafting and decision to submit the manuscript for publication. All authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This study was sponsored by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals. N Joshi, L Luo and X Gao are full-time employees of Pharmerit International, which received consulting fees for conducting this analysis. X Huang and N Shamseddine are full-time employees at Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, manufacturer of Therakos. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

The authors thank Catherine Mirvis of Pharmerit International for her assistance in writing the manuscript; this support was funded by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals.

Additional information

Funding

This study was sponsored by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals. N Joshi, L Luo and X Gao are full-time employees of Pharmerit International, which received consulting fees for conducting this analysis. X Huang and N Shamseddine are full-time employees at Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, manufacturer of Therakos. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. The authors thank Catherine Mirvis of Pharmerit International for her assistance in writing the manuscript; this support was funded by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals.