Work

Uncovering the spectrum of healthcare resource utilization and costs across moderate to severe asthma: high-cost subgroups and impact of biologics

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Objectives The healthcare burden of moderate asthma is not as well studied as severe asthma. This study used 2019 US claims data to characterize patients in Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) steps 3 to 5 (moderate to severe) during the first 90 days of 2019.Methods Patient characteristics, healthcare resource utilization and costs were described for all patients and GINA groups. Patients in GINA 3 accounting for the top 10% and 20% of asthma-related total costs were also analyzed.Results In the overall asthma population (N = 337 015), mean asthma-related healthcare cost per patient was $12 560; for GINA 3, 4 and 5, costs were $10 265, $12 923, and $22 601, respectively. For the GINA 3 top 10% and 20% cost subgroups, these expenditures were higher than for GINA 5 ($54 549 and $94 386, respectively), driven by outpatient and inpatient costs. The high-cost GINA 3 subgroups were older, more often female and had a higher comorbidity burden versus GINA 4 or 5. An exploratory analysis suggested that biologic initiation significantly increased costs in patients initially in GINA 3 (p < 0.0001), but significantly reduced costs in GINA 3 top 10% and 20% cost subgroups (both p < 0.01).Conclusion Results indicate patients receiving GINA 3 treatment can have a high disease burden and may benefit from treatment with a biologic.

Source: Journal of Asthma

DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2024.2441882

Authors: Jeremiah Hwee, Qinggong Fu, Victoria S. Benson, Justin Kwiatek, Rafael Alfonso-Cristancho

Institutions: GlaxoSmithKline (Canada), GlaxoSmithKline (United States), GlaxoSmithKline (United Kingdom)

Language: English

Topic: Asthma and respiratory diseases

Subfield: Physiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: GlaxoSmithKline foundation