Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)-Related Healthcare Utilization and Costs After Discharge From a Hospitalization or Emergency Department Visit on a Regimen of Fluticasone Propionate-Salmeterol Combination Versus Other Maintenance Therapies

GlaxoSmithKline5,677 enrolled

Overview

This was a retrospective cross-sectional database study using administrative data (study period: 1/1/2003 through 7/31/2008). Managed care enrollees (aged \>40 years) having at least one Hospitalization with primary or secondary diagnosis of COPD (ICD code 491.xx, 492.xx and 496.xx) or at least one Emergency Room (ER) visit with primary diagnosis of COPD (index event) during the study period was the target population. All subjects were required to have one year of pre-index period baseline data. COPD events of interest were ER, Hospital and physician visits followed by oral corticosteroids (OCS) or antibiotics (Ab) within 7 days. Other censoring events were treatment switch; loss of enrollment; \>60-day gap between medication fills; or end of study period. This study is a non descriptive hypothesis testing study. Key study hypotheses are listed below. Specifically the study hypotheses for the primary outcome being tested were: Ho: There is no difference in risk of COPD-related hospitalization between FSC and OMT Ha: There is a difference in risk of COPD-related hospitalization between FSC and OMT Hypothesis for the key secondary outcome of COPD-related costs that was tested was: Ho: There is no difference in COPD-related costs between FSC and OMT Ha: There is a difference in COPD-related costs between FSC and OMT

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

5,677

Conditions

Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 40 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * At least one hospitalization with a primary or secondary diagnosis of COPD or at least one ER visit with a primary diagnosis of COPD * Initiatiation (prescription) of FSC or non-FSC (i.e. TIO, ICS, LABA, IPR) during peri-index period * At least 40 years of age * Continuous eligibility in the pre-index, peri-index, and follow-up periods Exclusion Criteria * Presence of exclusionary comorbid conditions during pre-index, peri-index, and follow-up periods: respiratory cancer, cystic fibrosis, fibrosis due to TB, and bronchiectasis, pneumonociosis, pulmonary fibrosis, pulmonary tuberculosis, sarcoidosis * Controller medication use during peri-index period * COPD-related hospitalization, ER visit, or physician visit plus OCS/Abx within 3 days of visit during the peri-index period

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Number of Participants Having a Hospitalization or Emergency Room (ER) Visit Related to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Represented Per 100 Person-years

The number of participants (par.) with a COPD-related hospitalization/ ER visit was computed during follow-up (FU) and was standardized by dividing by the total days of FU in each cohort since par. had different lengths of FU. The number of par. per 100 person-years was computed as: numerator = total number of par. with a COPD-related hospitalization/ER visit; denominator = sum of the time of FU in years across all par./100. The index date is defined as the date of discharge from a hospitalization/ER visit for COPD that had a maintenance medication dispensed within 60 days post-discharge.

Time frame: Maximum of 1 year after index date (Jan 1, 2004 through May 30, 2008)

Secondary Outcomes

Number of Participants Having a COPD-related Event Related to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Represented Per 100 Person-years

The number of participants having a COPD-related event was computed during the follow-up and was standardized by dividing by the total days of follow-up in each cohort since patients had different lengths of follow-up. Four types of COPD events were defined: COPD-related hospitalization, emergency room (ER) visit, physician visit with a prescription (Rx) for oral corticosteroid or antibiotic within 3 days of the visit, or combined occurrence of any of the aforementioned three types.

Time frame: Maximum of 1 year after index date (Jan 1, 2004 through May 30, 2008)

Mean Monthly COPD-related Costs Per Participant

Cost categories included medical, pharmacy, and total calculated as the sum of medical and pharmacy. Costs were computed during a variable follow-up period and were standardized on a per-month basis. COPD-related medical costs were computed using claims with a primary diagnosis of COPD, and COPD-related pharmacy costs were computed using the paid amounts of pharmacy claims for prescription medication used for COPD.

Time frame: Maximum of 1 year after index date (Jan 1, 2004 through May 30, 2008)