HEALTHCARE COSTS AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH NEWLY DIAGNOSED MASH OR SUSPECTED MASH WITH HIGH FIB-4 SCORE IN U.S. ADULTS
Author(s)
Tariku J. Beyene, PhD1, Chia-Chen Teng, MSc2, Mark Brunk-Grady, MSc2, Taylor Korth, BSc2, Eric Stanek, PharmD2, Brendan Clark, PharmD3, Bonnie MK Donato, PhD4, Meena B. Bansal, MD5;
1Carelon Research, HEOR, Wilmington, DE, USA, 2Carelon Research, Wilmington, DE, USA, 3Boehringer Ingelheim, Cheshire, CT, USA, 4Boehringer Ingelheim, Ridgefield, CT, USA, 5Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
1Carelon Research, HEOR, Wilmington, DE, USA, 2Carelon Research, Wilmington, DE, USA, 3Boehringer Ingelheim, Cheshire, CT, USA, 4Boehringer Ingelheim, Ridgefield, CT, USA, 5Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
OBJECTIVES: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) prevalence is rising, yet many patients remain undiagnosed. Timely screening and diagnosis are crucial to minimize the clinical and economic burden of MASH. We aimed to characterize this burden in patients with newly diagnosed MASH and suspected MASH based on Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score.
METHODS: A non-interventional cohort study utilized Healthcare Integrated Research Database claims data to examine newly diagnosed and suspected MASH cohorts from January 2020-October 2024. Diagnosed MASH patients had ≥1 inpatient or ≥2 outpatient claims with MASH diagnosis (ICD-10 K75.81). Suspected MASH patients had FIB-4 >2.67 and ≥1 diagnosis of prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, or obesity. Index date was the first MASH diagnosis or FIB-4>2.67. All were age ≥18, with ≥12 months of enrollment prior to index; alcohol-related disorders or other liver diseases were excluded. Clinical (hepatic, cardio-renal, and mortality) and cost outcomes were assessed from index date until death, disenrollment, or study end.
RESULTS: We identified 20,069 diagnosed MASH patients (0.4% prevalence; mean age 54 years; 55% female; 5.8% with compensated and 7.5% decompensated cirrhosis) and 144,589 suspected MASH (3.8% prevalence; mean age 69 years; 49% female). Mean follow-up was 1.7 years. Mean annualized total (medical + pharmacy) follow-up costs were $45,499, $118,633, and $55,041 in non-cirrhotic, cirrhotic, and suspected MASH, respectively. Among diagnosed MASH patients, annualized incidence of cirrhosis was 5.5%, liver failure 2.2%, cardiovascular disease 4.6%, advanced chronic kidney disease 2.2%, and mortality 2.3%. In suspected MASH, annualized incidence was 1.8%, 0.6%, 5.8%, 4.0%, and 7.3%, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Both diagnosed and suspected MASH patients incur a significant economic and clinical burden. The 9.5-fold higher prevalence of suspected MASH, and the compounding effect of cirrhosis at MASH diagnosis, highlights the potential value of screening lab data for FIB-4 scores to promote earlier MASH diagnosis and treatment.
METHODS: A non-interventional cohort study utilized Healthcare Integrated Research Database claims data to examine newly diagnosed and suspected MASH cohorts from January 2020-October 2024. Diagnosed MASH patients had ≥1 inpatient or ≥2 outpatient claims with MASH diagnosis (ICD-10 K75.81). Suspected MASH patients had FIB-4 >2.67 and ≥1 diagnosis of prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, or obesity. Index date was the first MASH diagnosis or FIB-4>2.67. All were age ≥18, with ≥12 months of enrollment prior to index; alcohol-related disorders or other liver diseases were excluded. Clinical (hepatic, cardio-renal, and mortality) and cost outcomes were assessed from index date until death, disenrollment, or study end.
RESULTS: We identified 20,069 diagnosed MASH patients (0.4% prevalence; mean age 54 years; 55% female; 5.8% with compensated and 7.5% decompensated cirrhosis) and 144,589 suspected MASH (3.8% prevalence; mean age 69 years; 49% female). Mean follow-up was 1.7 years. Mean annualized total (medical + pharmacy) follow-up costs were $45,499, $118,633, and $55,041 in non-cirrhotic, cirrhotic, and suspected MASH, respectively. Among diagnosed MASH patients, annualized incidence of cirrhosis was 5.5%, liver failure 2.2%, cardiovascular disease 4.6%, advanced chronic kidney disease 2.2%, and mortality 2.3%. In suspected MASH, annualized incidence was 1.8%, 0.6%, 5.8%, 4.0%, and 7.3%, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Both diagnosed and suspected MASH patients incur a significant economic and clinical burden. The 9.5-fold higher prevalence of suspected MASH, and the compounding effect of cirrhosis at MASH diagnosis, highlights the potential value of screening lab data for FIB-4 scores to promote earlier MASH diagnosis and treatment.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-05, ISPOR 2026, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue S6
Code
CO13
Topic
Clinical Outcomes
Topic Subcategory
Relating Intermediate to Long-term Outcomes
Disease
SDC: Cardiovascular Disorders (including MI, Stroke, Circulatory), SDC: Diabetes/Endocrine/Metabolic Disorders (including obesity), SDC: Gastrointestinal Disorders