Frequency, predictors, and economic impact of upward dose adjustment of infliximab in managed care patients with rheumatoid arthritis

• Published in: Journal of managed care pharmacy 2005-06, Vol.11 (5), p.383-393
• Main Authors: Ollendorf, Daniel A, Massarotti, Elena, Birbara, Charles, Burgess, Somali Misra
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Antibodies, Monoclonal - administration & dosage; Antibodies, Monoclonal - economics; Antibodies, Monoclonal - therapeutic use; Antirheumatic Agents - administration & dosage; Antirheumatic Agents - economics; Antirheumatic Agents - therapeutic use; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - drug therapy; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - economics; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Therapy, Combination; Drug Utilization Review - statistics & numerical data; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Infliximab; Infusions, Parenteral; Male; Managed Care Programs - organization & administration; Managed Care Programs - statistics & numerical data; Methotrexate - therapeutic use; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Proportional Hazards Models; Survival Analysis; Time Factors
• ISSN: 1083-4087; 1944-706X
• DOI: 10.18553/jmcp.2005.11.5.383

To examine dosing patterns and costs among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients newly treated with infliximab in a large national health care claims database. Using data from a proprietary database of pharmacy and medical claims for 75 U.S. health plans, RA patients newly treated with infliximab between June 2000 and June 2002 were selected and assigned an .index date. based on the first infusion. A pretreatment period of 6 months was created; patients were also followed for a minimum of 6 months after the initial infusion. Follow-up was allowed to vary beyond this minimum 6 months in order to preserve all available patient data. A maintenance number of infliximab vials was determined as of the second infusion; patients with 1 subsequent increase in vials used or 2 intervals between infusions of