Resource Utilisation and Healthcare Costs Among Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (NAMD) in Italy: Findings from the Radiance Observational Substudy

Speaker(s)

Romano MR1, Lanzetta P2, Nicolò M3, Ciampichini R4, Castriotta L5, Ansaldi F6, Cipelli R7, Bagatin C7, Heiman F8, Sicari E9, Villa G10, Bianchino L10
1Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Milano, Italy; Eye Center, Humanitas Gavazzeni-Castelli, Bergamo, Italy, 2Department of Ophthalmology, University of Udine, Udine, Italy, 3University Eye Clinic, Ospedale Policlinico San Martino IRCCS, Genoa, Italy, 4SC Servizio Epidemiologia Aziendale, ATS Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy, 5Institute of Hygiene and Evaluative Epidemiology, Friuli Centrale University Health Authority, Udine, Italy, 6A.Li.Sa., Genoa, Italy; Department of Health Sciences, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy, 7IQVIA, Milan, Italy, 8IQVIA, MILANO, Italy, 9Roche S.p.A., Milano, MI, Italy, 10Roche S.p.A., Monza, Italy

Presentation Documents

OBJECTIVES: This analysis was aimed at estimating resource utilization and associated direct costs in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) patients naïve to any intraocular anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatment in Italy.

METHODS: This was part of the larger RADIANCE study, a national multicentre retrospective observational study, where nAMD patients ≥50 years old, initiating anti-VEGF treatment between January 2017 and November 2018 were enrolled. In this first hybrid study on maculopathies in Italy, data collected from patients' charts at 3 investigating centres were deterministically linked at patient level with Claims databases from the associated Local Health Units.

RESULTS: Patients (N=87) were observed for a mean (SD) of 35.5 months (17.8): bevacizumab, ranibizumab and aflibercept were administered to 44.8%, 39.1% and 16.1% of patients, respectively. Mean (SD) number of anti-VEGF injections in the first year was 5.0 (1.7) and 2.3 (2.6) in the second year. Similarly, ophthalmologist visits decreased by 50% between the first and second year. This was mostly due to patients lost to follow-up (49.4%) or deceased (22.9%) during the observation period: 92.0% of patients completed the first year, while 63.2% and 48.3% of patients were still in the study in the second and third year, respectively. Overall, mean (SD) cost per patient over the initial 52-week follow-up period was 3,648€ (2,249€). Anti-VEGF treatments and outpatient visits were the most relevant cost items, with a mean (SD) cost per patient of 1,833€ (1,782€) and 1,617€ (779€), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: These results showed that after the first year of treatment, the disease management was rarely maintained thus potentially impacting the initial investment of healthcare resources. As suboptimal treatments could be associated to worse outcomes, therapies allowing a prolonged treatment interval while maintaining efficacy may be key to optimize the management of nAMD by lowering the burden for patients and caregivers.

Code

EE716

Topic

Economic Evaluation

Disease

No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas, Sensory System Disorders (Ear, Eye, Dental, Skin)