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  • Title: Real-world patient characteristics, treatment patterns and costs in relapsing multiple sclerosis patients treated with glatiramer acetate, dimethyl fumarate or teriflunomide in Germany.
    Author: Ziemssen T, Kurzeja A, Muresan B, Haas JS, Alexander J, Driessen MT.
    Journal: Neurodegener Dis Manag; 2022 Apr; 12(2):93-107. PubMed ID: 34931528.
    Abstract:
    Aim: To evaluate adherence, healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and costs for glatiramer acetate (GA; injectable), dimethyl fumarate (oral) and teriflunomide (oral) in relapsing multiple sclerosis. Patients & methods: Retrospective analyses of a claims database. Results: Teriflunomide patients were older with more co-morbidities and fewer relapses versus GA and dimethyl fumarate. GA patients were mostly disease-modifying therapies (DMTs)-treatment naive. Treatment adherence was 61-70%. All DMTs reduced HRU versus pre-index. Costs were comparable across cohorts. High adherence reduced hospitalizations and several costs versus low adherers. Conclusion: Adherence rates were high and comparable with all DMTs. Similar (and high) reductions in HRU and costs occurred with all DMTs. High adherence improved economic outcomes versus low adherence. Thus, investing in adherence improvement is beneficial to improve outcomes in relapsing multiple sclerosis. Drugs used for relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) include, among others, glatiramer acetate (injection), dimethyl fumarate (tablet) and teriflunomide (tablet). We compared treatment adherence (based on drug claims), healthcare use and costs for these drugs. Treatment adherence and healthcare use was similar for these three drugs. The need to be in hospital was lower with these drugs compared with not using them. No differences in treatment costs were seen between these drugs. Adherence reduced the need for hospital stays and lowered some costs compared with patients who were classified as adherent. RMS patients should be encouraged to take their RMS medication as prescribed. Improving treatment adherence will have a positive effect on RMS, and a good impact on healthcare use and costs.
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