Real-World Practice Study by AstraZeneca and Veradigm - LAMA LABA COPD Treatment Study
Real-World Practice Study by AstraZeneca and Veradigm: Clinical Characteristics and Healthcare Resource Use in COPD Patients treated with LAMA and LABA.
Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) who were starting therapy with a long acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA)/long-acting β2 agonist (LABA) fixed-dose combination (FDC) were typically elderly and overweight, with a high prevalence of cardiovascular comorbidities, including hypertension and hyperlipidemia, according to a real-world study conducted by AstraZeneca and Veradigm®.1
Before starting LAMA LABA FDC therapy, patients were most commonly prescribed a short-acting bronchodilator administered via pressurized metered-dose inhalers. Over a 12-month period, costs before LAMA LABA FDC therapy averaged over $4,000; inpatient hospital visits and exacerbations were the greatest contributors to overall costs.
Published in the International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, this retrospective observational study is the first to describe demographic and clinical characteristics, prior treatment patterns, inhaler type, and utilization of healthcare resources in a US patient cohort having initiated LAMA LABA FDC treatment. The de-identified patient data were sourced from an integrated dataset linking electronic health records (EHRs) and an insurance claims database.
The authors suggest that future studies leveraging EHRs linked to claims could evaluate the impact of starting LAMA LABA FDC therapy on utilization of healthcare resources.
COPD, a leading cause of disability worldwide, describes a group of lung diseases that includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Initial therapy with bronchodilators administered using a variety of inhaler devices is recommended based on symptom burden and exacerbation risk. Treatment escalation to LAMA LABA FDC therapy is recommended when patients experience persistent breathlessness or risk of exacerbation despite maintenance treatment.2
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References:
1Ding B, Kallenbach L, Slipski L, et al. Patient characteristics and healthcare resource utilization among patients with COPD new to LAMA LABA fixed-dose combination treatment in US-based real-world practice. Int J Chronic Ob Pulmonary Dis 2020;15:775-786. doi: 10.2147/COPD.S238408.
2Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease. Global strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2020 report); 2020.