Description of the Characteristics of Multiple Sclerosis Patients in the Region of Valencia (Spain) Who Requested Treatment with Disease-Modifying Drugs during the 2005-2014 Decade.
More than 3,000 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients were treated with disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) in the Region of Valencia during 2005-2014. We aimed at describing the demographic and clinical characteristics of MS patients who requested treatment with DMDs, variations in their use, and the factors associated with change to second-line therapies during this decade.



A retrospective cohort study with information from Subcomité Especializado de Medicamentos de Alto Impacto Sanitario y/o Económico registers. A statistical analysis was run in 2 phases: descriptive analysis of the sample using classical statistical methods, and of DMD trend by a chi-square test for linear trends; analytic analysis to examine the factors associated with change to second-line treatment (logistic regression model).



We selected 2,205 patients (mean age 32.12, SD 9.64; 70% females, and 86.6% remising-remitting MS (RRMS)); 1,012 patients were attended to in highly specialized MS units (45.8%); 525 in monographic units (23.8%); and 668 in general units (30.2%). DMD prescriptions increased, and glatiramer acetate was more widespread at the end of the period (35.4%).



Variability in access to different treatments was slight. The younger the patient, the higher the risk of first-line RRMS treatment failing in female gender and first treatment with interferon.
Preventive Medicine and Public Health Department, Catholic University San Vicente Mx00E1;rtir, Valencia, Spain.
Sara
S
Ribes García
Fernando
F
Gómez-Pajares
Carmen
C
Albelda Puig
José Luis
JL
García Herrera
Bonaventura
B
Casanova Estruch
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000068717:Glatiramer Acetate; D016899:Interferon-beta