ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

  • Meetings
    • ACR Convergence 2024
    • ACR Convergence 2023
    • 2023 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • ACR Convergence 2022
    • ACR Convergence 2021
    • ACR Convergence 2020
    • 2020 ACR/ARP PRSYM
    • 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting
    • 2018-2009 Meetings
    • Download Abstracts
  • Keyword Index
  • Advanced Search
  • Your Favorites
    • Favorites
    • Login
    • View and print all favorites
    • Clear all your favorites
  • ACR Meetings

Abstract Number: 2995

Healthcare Cost of Potential Glucocorticoid-Associated Adverse Events in Patients with Giant Cell Arteritis

Jennie H. Best1, Amanda Kong2, David Smith2, Ibrahim Abbass1 and Margaret Michalska1, 1Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, 2IBM Watson Health, Bethesda, MD

Meeting: 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Keywords: Adverse events, Economics, giant cell arteritis, glucocorticoids and health care cost

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print
Session Information

Date: Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Title: 6W027 ACR/ARHP Abstract: Health Services Research II: Economic & Clinical Implications (2994–2999)

Session Type: ACR/ARHP Combined Abstract Session

Session Time: 11:00AM-12:30PM

Background/Purpose: To quantify the healthcare expenditures associated with oral glucocorticoids-related-adverse events (OGCs-AEs), among patients in the US with giant cell arteritis (GCA) using claims data from MarketScan® Commercial and Medicare Supplemental Databases.

Methods: Patients age ≥50 years with GCA and at least one OGC prescription fill, during 1/1/2009-6/30/2014 (first OGC claim after GCA diagnosis date = index date) were selected. Cumulative dose of OGCs was measured during the 1-year post-index period. Patients were stratified in four cohorts (>0 to ≤2,607 mg, >2,607 to ≤4,800 mg, >4,800 to ≤7,200 mg, >7,200 mg) based on the distribution of OGC exposure. Incidence of potential AEs and AE-related direct healthcare costs (2016 USD) were also assessed during the 1-year post-index period. A generalized linear model with log link and gamma distribution was used to evaluate the association between the log of cumulative dose of OGCs and AE-related direct healthcare costs, adjusting for baseline characteristics.

Results: The 1,602 GCA patients (mean age 73, 69% females) had mean cumulative OGC dose post-index of 5,806 mg (median=4,800 mg), with most exposure occurring in the first 6 months. The proportion of patients with any potential OGCs-AEs was 36.5% overall (n=584) and increased as cumulative dose increased (30.7%-45.3% across quartiles). Unadjusted mean AE costs for patients with an AE was $12,818 (median=$1,844). In the multivariable model, increasing OGC dose was associated with increasing AE-related healthcare costs (cost ratio=1.38 [95% CI 1.16-1.64) per 1 unit increase in log(cumulative OGC dose), p<0.001). Mean (median) predicted AE costs for the dosing quartiles were: $4,389 ($2,749) for >0 to ≤2,607 mg, $5,176 ($3,009) for >2,607 to ≤4,800 mg, $5,576 ($3,633) for >4,800 to ≤7,200 mg, $6,609 ($4,447) for >7,200 mg.

Conclusion: Rates of OGCs-AEs tended to increase with an increase in cumulative OGC dose, which resulted in increased healthcare costs. These results highlight the need for efficacious therapies that reduce the exposure and potential risks associated with OGCs.


Disclosure: J. H. Best, Genentech, Inc., 3; A. Kong, IBM Watson Health, 3; D. Smith, IBM Watson Health, 3; I. Abbass, Genentech, Inc., 3; M. Michalska, Genentech, Inc., 3.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Best JH, Kong A, Smith D, Abbass I, Michalska M. Healthcare Cost of Potential Glucocorticoid-Associated Adverse Events in Patients with Giant Cell Arteritis [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2018; 70 (suppl 9). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/healthcare-cost-of-potential-glucocorticoid-associated-adverse-events-in-patients-with-giant-cell-arteritis/. Accessed .
  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

« Back to 2018 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/healthcare-cost-of-potential-glucocorticoid-associated-adverse-events-in-patients-with-giant-cell-arteritis/

Advanced Search

Your Favorites

You can save and print a list of your favorite abstracts during your browser session by clicking the “Favorite” button at the bottom of any abstract. View your favorites »

All abstracts accepted to ACR Convergence are under media embargo once the ACR has notified presenters of their abstract’s acceptance. They may be presented at other meetings or published as manuscripts after this time but should not be discussed in non-scholarly venues or outlets. The following embargo policies are strictly enforced by the ACR.

Accepted abstracts are made available to the public online in advance of the meeting and are published in a special online supplement of our scientific journal, Arthritis & Rheumatology. Information contained in those abstracts may not be released until the abstracts appear online. In an exception to the media embargo, academic institutions, private organizations, and companies with products whose value may be influenced by information contained in an abstract may issue a press release to coincide with the availability of an ACR abstract on the ACR website. However, the ACR continues to require that information that goes beyond that contained in the abstract (e.g., discussion of the abstract done as part of editorial news coverage) is under media embargo until 10:00 AM ET on November 14, 2024. Journalists with access to embargoed information cannot release articles or editorial news coverage before this time. Editorial news coverage is considered original articles/videos developed by employed journalists to report facts, commentary, and subject matter expert quotes in a narrative form using a variety of sources (e.g., research, announcements, press releases, events, etc.).

Violation of this policy may result in the abstract being withdrawn from the meeting and other measures deemed appropriate. Authors are responsible for notifying colleagues, institutions, communications firms, and all other stakeholders related to the development or promotion of the abstract about this policy. If you have questions about the ACR abstract embargo policy, please contact ACR abstracts staff at [email protected].

Wiley

  • Online Journal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Permissions Policies
  • Cookie Preferences

© Copyright 2025 American College of Rheumatology