Uterine fibroid treatment patterns in a population of insured women.
OBJECTIVE
To profile women treated for uterine leiomyomas who are covered by commercial insurance from large, self-insured employers in the United States.


METHODS
Retrospective, observational study.


METHODS
Inpatient, outpatient, and prescription drug experience of women with employer-sponsored insurance in the United States.


METHODS
Data were obtained from the MarketScan insurance databases for 1999 through 2004 and weighted to represent the population of women with employer-sponsored health insurance in the United States.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
The proportion of women with clinically significant leiomyomas was determined in each year, based on inpatient and outpatient medical claims with diagnostic codes indicating leiomyoma. Patient characteristics, comorbidities, prescription drug treatments, and surgical interventions were profiled in 2004.


RESULTS
Approximately 1% of women had clinically significant leiomyomas. Comorbid genital or menstrual conditions were common and much more prevalent for women with leiomyomas. Of women with leiomyomas, 18.4% received no surgical or prescription drug treatment, whereas 16.8% received only surgical treatment, 22.4% received only prescription drug treatment, and 42.4% received both. Hysterectomy was the most common surgical treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Generalizing from this sample, we estimate that 443,445 women with employer-sponsored insurance in the United States had clinically significant leiomyomas in 2004.
Lee
David W
DW
GE Healthcare, Health Economics and Outcomes Research, Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA.
Gibson
Teresa B
TB
Carls
Ginger S
GS
Ozminkowski
Ronald J
RJ
Wang
Shaohung
S
Stewart
Elizabeth A
EA
D000328:Adult; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016387:Women's Health / Q000191:economics