Abstract
Objective: To characterize COPD patients newly prescribed a long acting bronchodilator (LABD) and assess treatment changes over 24 months.
Methods: A cohort of COPD patients aged ≥40yrs and newly prescribed a LABD between 1/1/2007 and 12/31/2009 was identified from Truven Marketscan Commercial database and followed for 24 months. New LABD prescriptions (no LABD in 12 months prior) included long acting beta-agonists (LABA), and/or long acting muscarinics (LAMA). Patients who had used an inhaled corticosteroid containing product (current or in the past 12 months) were excluded. Characteristics of patients newly prescribed LABD were examined. Treatment switching, augmentation, adherence (medication possession ratio [MPR]) and persistence (proportion of days covered [PDC]) were examined in the 24 months following initial prescription.
Results: Among the 3268 patients newly prescribed LABD monotherapy, the mean age was 55.8 yrs and 46% were male. 92.5%, 5.9%, 1.6% were prescribed LAMA, LABA and LAMA/LABA respectively. Treatment switching, augmentation, adherence and persistence over the 24 month period for patients initially prescribed LAMA monotherapy are presented in Table 1.
Conclusion: In this US healthcare claims-based COPD cohort, adherence to LAMA therapy was low; many patients discontinued treatment. One out of four patients newly prescribed LAMA added or switched therapy, suggesting additional therapy may be required to achieve optimal disease control.
- © 2013 ERS