title: Association of RSV-related hospitalization and non-compliance with palivizumab among commercially insured infants: a retrospective claims analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Palivizumab has been shown to decrease the incidence of hospitalization due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in infants at risk of severe RSV disease. We examined the association between compliance with palivizumab dosing throughout the RSV season and risk of RSV-related hospitalization in clinical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects who were born and discharged from the hospital before the RSV season and received ≥1 palivizumab dose during their first RSV season were identified from a large US commercial health insurance database between 01/01/03 and 12/31/09. Subjects were deemed compliant if they received ≥5 palivizumab doses without gaps (>35 days) and their first dose was received by November 30. RSV-related hospitalizations were identified using ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes and examined over 2 observation periods: post-index dose and RSV season. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to evaluate the association between non-compliance and RSV-related hospitalization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 5,003 subjects who received palivizumab, 62% were deemed non-compliant. Non-compliant subjects had significantly higher unadjusted rates of RSV-related hospitalizations compared to compliant subjects during both observation periods (post-index: 6.1 vs. 2.8 per 100 infant seasons, p < 0.001; RSV season: 5.9% vs. 2.3%; p < 0.001). In multivariate analyses, non-compliance was significantly associated with higher risk of RSV-related hospitalization (HR = 2.01; p < 0.001). Of the 225 RSV-related hospitalizations observed during the RSV season, 61 (27%) occurred before the first dose of palivizumab.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subjects who did not receive monthly dosing of palivizumab throughout the RSV season had significantly higher rates of RSV-related hospitalizations. The RSV-related hospitalizations prior to the first dose of palivizumab suggest some dosing was started too late.
authors.forename: Dan L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Kellie J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Jerry G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Seare
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pinsky
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frogel
mesh_terms: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D059033:For-Profit Insurance Plans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007345:Insurance Claim Review; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D000069455:Palivizumab; D018357:Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000069455:Palivizumab