Allergy immunotherapy: Reduced health care costs in adults and children with allergic rhinitis - 30/03/13
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Abstract |
Background |
Research demonstrates significant health care cost savings conferred by allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) to US children with allergic rhinitis (AR).
Objective |
We sought to examine whether AIT-related cost benefits conferred to US children with AR similarly extend to adults.
Methods |
A retrospective (1997-2009) Florida Medicaid claims analysis compared mean 18-month health care costs of patients with newly diagnosed AR who received de novo AIT and were continuously enrolled for 18 months or more versus matched control subjects not receiving AIT. Analyses were conducted for the total sample and separately for adults (age ≥18 years) and children (age <18 years).
Results |
Matched were 4,967 patients receiving AIT (1,319 adults and 3,648 children) and 19,278 control subjects (4,815 adults and 14,463 children). AIT-treated enrollees incurred 38% ($6,637 vs $10,644, P < .0001) lower mean 18-month total health care costs than matched control subjects, with significant savings observed within 3 months of AIT initiation. Compared with control subjects, significantly lower 18-month mean health care costs were demonstrated overall (38%; $6,637 for patients receiving AIT vs $10,644 for control subjects, P < .0001), and for both AIT-treated adults (30%; $10,457 AIT vs $14,854 controls, P < .0001) and children (42%; $5,253 AIT vs $9,118 controls, P < .0001). The magnitude of 18-month health care cost savings realized by AIT-treated adults and children did not significantly differ ($4,397 vs $3,965, P = .435).
Conclusions |
Patients with newly diagnosed AR initiating AIT incurred significantly lower health care costs than matched control subjects beginning 3 months after AIT initiation and continuing throughout the 18-month follow-up period. The significant cost benefits achieved by children with AR diagnoses who initiated AIT were also observed for adults with AR diagnoses who initiated AIT.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Key words : Allergic rhinitis, allergy immunotherapy, allergy immunotherapy, costs, health care use, Medicaid, matched cohort, retrospective, administrative claims
Abbreviations used : AIT, AR, CCI, GEE, ICD-9
Plan
Support for this research was provided by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. |
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Disclosure of potential conflict of interest: C. S. Hankin, A. Bronstone, and Z. Wang have been supported by one or more grants from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and have consultancy arrangements with Teva Pharmaceuticals and ALK-Abelló. L. Cox has consultancy arrangements with Teva Pharmaceuticals, Genentech, Stallergenes, Baxter Pharmaceuticals, and Ista and has received one or more grants from or has one or more grants pending with Stallergenes. |
Vol 131 - N° 4
P. 1084-1091 - avril 2013 Retour au numéroBienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
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