Healthcare resource use and costs of multiple sclerosis patients in Germany before and during fampridine treatment

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Tjalf Ziemssen - , Department of Neurology (Author)
  • Christine Prosser - , Xcenda GmbH (Author)
  • Jennifer Scarlet Haas - , Xcenda GmbH (Author)
  • Andrew Lee - , Biogen (Author)
  • Sebastian Braun - , Xcenda GmbH (Author)
  • Pamela Landsman-Blumberg - , Xcenda, LLC (Author)
  • Angela Kempel - , Biogen (Author)
  • Erika Gleißner - , Biogen (Author)
  • Sarita Patel - , Biogen (Author)
  • Ming Yi Huang - , Biogen (Author)

Abstract

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients often suffer from gait impairment and fampridine is indicated to medically improve walking ability in this population. Patient characteristics, healthcare resource use, and costs of MS patients on fampridine treatment for 12 months in Germany were analyzed. Methods: A retrospective claims database analysis was conducted including MS patients who initiated fampridine treatment (index date) between July 2011 and December 2013. Continuous insurance enrollment during 12 months pre- and post-index date was required, as was at least 1 additional fampridine prescription in the fourth quarter after the index date. Patient characteristics were evaluated and pre- vs post-index MS-related healthcare utilization and costs were compared. Results: A total of 562 patients were included in this study. The mean (standard deviation [SD]) age was 50.5 (9.8) years and 63% were female. In the treatment period, almost every patient had at least 1 MS-related outpatient visit, 24% were hospitalized due to MS, and 79% utilized MS-specific physical therapy in addition to the fampridine treatment. Total MS-related healthcare costs were significantly higher in the fampridine treatment period than in the period prior to fampridine initiation (€17,392 vs €10,960, P < 0.001). While this difference was driven primarily by prescription costs, MS-related inpatient costs were lower during fampridine treatment (€1,333 vs €1,565, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Physical therapy is mainly used concomitant to fampridine treatment. While healthcare costs were higher during fampridine treatment compared to the pre-treatment period, inpatient costs were lower. Further research is necessary to better understand the fampridine influence.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number62
JournalBMC neurology
Volume17
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 27 Mar 2017
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 28347283
ORCID /0000-0001-8799-8202/work/171553407

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Claims data, Fampridine, Germany, Multiple sclerosis