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WTH? "Almost two-thirds of people newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the United States, identified through a national database, were not prescribed disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) over an average of more than two years of follow-up, a real-world study of nearly 5,700 patients found." And early treatment is most critical with this disease. I don't get it. -D
Treatment patterns and comorbid burden of patients newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the United StatesBMC Neurology volume 20, Article number: 296 (2020) Cite this article
Abstract
Background
The treatment landscape for multiple sclerosis (MS) is quickly evolving. Understanding real-world treatment patterns of patients is necessary to identifying potential gaps in care.
Methods
Patients with incident MS were identified from a large national claims database during 1/1/2014–6/30/2019. Patients had ≥2 diagnoses for MS or an inpatient hospitalization with a primary diagnosis of MS. Patients were required to have enrollment in the database ≥1 year prior to and ≥ 1 year following their first MS diagnosis. Treatment sequences were captured for all available disease modifying therapies (DMTs) during all available follow-up. Presence of comorbid conditions were captured during the one year prior to and following (and including) the index date; absolute change in prevalence from the pre- to post-index periods was calculated.
Results
We identified 5691 patients with incident MS. Common comorbidities included physical symptoms (e.g., pain, weakness, fatigue), mental health conditions (anxiety, depression), and cardiovascular/metabolic conditions (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity). Just 1994 (35.0%) of patients received a DMT at any time during follow-up. Of those receiving a DMT, 28.2% went on to receive a second line of therapy, 5.8% received a third, and just 0.9% went on to a fourth line. Use of more than one DMT concomitantly occurred in just 1.8% of all treated patients. Glatiramer and dimethyl fumarate were by far the most common first-line treatments received accounting for nearly 62% of patients receiving a DMT.
Conclusion
Approximately two-thirds of patients newly diagnosed with MS did not receive a DMT and the disease is accompanied by a significant comorbid burden.
FULL ARTICLE (FREE)
https://bmcneurol.biomedcentral.com/...83-020-01882-2
Treatment patterns and comorbid burden of patients newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the United StatesBMC Neurology volume 20, Article number: 296 (2020) Cite this article
Abstract
Background
The treatment landscape for multiple sclerosis (MS) is quickly evolving. Understanding real-world treatment patterns of patients is necessary to identifying potential gaps in care.
Methods
Patients with incident MS were identified from a large national claims database during 1/1/2014–6/30/2019. Patients had ≥2 diagnoses for MS or an inpatient hospitalization with a primary diagnosis of MS. Patients were required to have enrollment in the database ≥1 year prior to and ≥ 1 year following their first MS diagnosis. Treatment sequences were captured for all available disease modifying therapies (DMTs) during all available follow-up. Presence of comorbid conditions were captured during the one year prior to and following (and including) the index date; absolute change in prevalence from the pre- to post-index periods was calculated.
Results
We identified 5691 patients with incident MS. Common comorbidities included physical symptoms (e.g., pain, weakness, fatigue), mental health conditions (anxiety, depression), and cardiovascular/metabolic conditions (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity). Just 1994 (35.0%) of patients received a DMT at any time during follow-up. Of those receiving a DMT, 28.2% went on to receive a second line of therapy, 5.8% received a third, and just 0.9% went on to a fourth line. Use of more than one DMT concomitantly occurred in just 1.8% of all treated patients. Glatiramer and dimethyl fumarate were by far the most common first-line treatments received accounting for nearly 62% of patients receiving a DMT.
Conclusion
Approximately two-thirds of patients newly diagnosed with MS did not receive a DMT and the disease is accompanied by a significant comorbid burden.
FULL ARTICLE (FREE)
https://bmcneurol.biomedcentral.com/...83-020-01882-2
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