Etanercept treatment patterns in managed-care patients with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the actual dosing of etanercept in US commercially insured patients with psoriatic disease, to estimate treatment cost.


METHODS
This study evaluated medical and pharmacy claims in a US commercial claims database from November 1, 2003 through June 30, 2008. Biologic-naïve patients diagnosed with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, or both, who filled prescriptions for etanercept and were enrolled for ≥ 6 months before the first claim and 1 year after, were included. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn's disease, or ulcerative colitis during the study period were excluded.


RESULTS
Among 2,359 patients, diagnoses included psoriasis (n = 1,810), psoriatic arthritis (n = 212), and both diseases (n = 337). Psoriasis patients used a mean 98% (standard deviation [SD] 28%) and psoriatic arthritis patients used 107% (SD 31%) of label-recommended etanercept doses.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, patients with psoriatic disease used 98-104% of the expected etanercept dose, depending on whether the expected dose for patients with both diagnoses was the psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis dose. This study does not evaluate effectiveness or clinicians' intent and may not be representative of other populations. Nevertheless, average usage was as expected for all cohorts, providing a basis for cost estimation.
Thayer
Sarah
S
i3 Innovus, San Francisco, California, USA.
Watson
Crystal
C
Song
Rui
R
Globe
Denise R
DR
Harrison
David J
DJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000188:drug therapy; D004363:Drug Utilization; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007345:Insurance Claim Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D000068800:Etanercept