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Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Prescribing Patterns in Multiple Myeloma
While the total number of new therapy starts in multiple myeloma (MM) decreased during COVID-19, the rate of new starts for both intravenous (IV) and oral therapies in MM significantly increased, according to study findings presented at the 2022 ASCO Quality Care Symposium.
Patient visits for treatment have reduced in many areas of oncology due to COVID-19. The standard treatment for MM includes both IV and oral therapies.
In this study, Dipti Shah, PharmD (CVS Health, Northbrook, IL; CVS Health, Lincoln, RI), and colleagues aimed to “assess the impact COVID-19 had on IV and oral medication prescribing patterns pre and during the COVID-19 pandemic among MM patients.”
This retrospective review included 1,754 adult patients insured by a large commercial and Medicare health plan in the United States who started a new IV or oral MM agent between the pre-COVID-19 period (March 1–August 31, 2019) to a COVID-19 period (March 1–August 31, 2020).
Participants were identified through medical and pharmacy claims. Dr Shah and colleagues calculated new therapy starts per newly diagnosed patient, which this study defined as “the number of patients starting a new IV or oral medication for MM divided by the total number of patients with a first indication date of MM within the study timeframe.” A Chi-square test was used to compare rates. The team considered P-values ≤ .05 to be statistically significant.
Among participants, no significant differences in demographic characteristics pre COVID-19 and during COVID-19 between the two groups with respect to age (67.05 vs 66.64; P = .45), gender (P = .80), insurance plan type (P = .17), geographical region (P = .26), and medication (P = .59) were observed. Results from the assessment showed that both the number of patients with newly diagnosed MM and the total number of new therapy starts decreased by 22% and 11%, respectively, during COVID-19. The rates of IV (11%; P = .03) and oral (51%; P = .03) medication significantly increased when looking at new therapy starts per newly diagnosed patient.
“While the total count of new therapy starts, a proxy for new diagnoses, decreased during COVID-19, the rate of new starts for both IV and oral therapies for patients diagnosed with MM significantly increased,” concluded Dr Shah and colleagues, adding, “These increased start rates may be explained by a remarkable 22% drop in the total number of newly diagnosed MM patients during COVID-19.”
Source
Shah D, McAuliff K, Pittos E, et al. COVID-19 impact on multiple myeloma prescribing patterns. Presented at: the 2022 ASCO Quality Care Symposium; September 30- October 1, 2022; Chicago, IL, and virtual; Abstract 123.
