PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS, TREATMENT PATTERNS AND HEALTHCARE RESOURCE UTILIZATION IN NEUROMYELITIS OPTICA SPECTRUM DISORDER (NMOSD) PATIENTS IN THE NETHERLANDS
Author(s)
Naomi Reimes, MSc1, Pauline Kiss, PhD1, Johan Bernardus de Raad, MSc, PharmD2, Jelena Pavlovic, PhD1, Margreet Plantenga, MSc2, Istvan Majer, PhD3, Moushmi Singh, MSc4.
1PHARMO Institute for Drug Outcomes Research, Utrecht, Netherlands, 2Amgen, Breda, Netherlands, 3Amgen (Europe) GmbH, Rotkreuz, Switzerland, 4Amgen, Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom.
1PHARMO Institute for Drug Outcomes Research, Utrecht, Netherlands, 2Amgen, Breda, Netherlands, 3Amgen (Europe) GmbH, Rotkreuz, Switzerland, 4Amgen, Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom.
OBJECTIVES: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a rare autoimmune disease affecting the optic nerves and spinal cord. Real-world evidence on the disease burden of NMOSD patients in the Netherlands is limited.
METHODS: This retrospective study used linked longitudinal real-world outpatient pharmacy and hospital data from the Dutch PHARMO Data Network. Patients were included if, between 01 January 2017 and 31 December 2023, they had either (1) ≥1 NMOSD diagnosis and used ≥1 NMOSD-related medication; (2) ≥1 transverse myelitis diagnosis, ≥1 optic neuritis diagnosis, and used ≥1 NMOSD-related medication; (3) ≥2 NMOSD diagnoses ≥90 days apart. The index date was defined as the first qualifying event. Patients with sarcoidosis, multiple sclerosis or use of related medications or immune checkpoint inhibitors were excluded. A 12-month baseline and 6-month follow up period were required for inclusion. Demographic and clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, all-cause and NMOSD-related healthcare resource utilization were described.
RESULTS: 48 patients were included (mean age 46 years; 73% female), corresponding to a prevalence of 0.66 per 100,000 persons. Most common comorbidities were autoimmune encephalitis (15%) and neuropathic pain (8%). Of 48 patients, 32 received first-line treatment (1L), most commonly azathioprine and rituximab; 17 received second-line treatment (2L), most commonly azathioprine, rituximab and mycophenolate mofetil. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) duration of treatment was 403 days (257-828) and 181 days (85-388) for 1L and 2L, respectively. The mean (standard deviation [SD]) length of all-cause hospitalization was 12.7 (17.7) days per patient-year, including 7.4 (9.2) NMOSD-related days. The mean (SD) number of medications dispensed per patient-year was 15.0 (13.6), of which 5.5 (6.7) were NMOSD-related.
CONCLUSIONS: In this real-world cohort, patients with NMOSD in the Netherlands experienced considerable healthcare resource utilization, including hospitalizations and ongoing pharmacologic treatment. These findings highlight the burden of NMOSD and underscore the need for optimized disease management strategies.
METHODS: This retrospective study used linked longitudinal real-world outpatient pharmacy and hospital data from the Dutch PHARMO Data Network. Patients were included if, between 01 January 2017 and 31 December 2023, they had either (1) ≥1 NMOSD diagnosis and used ≥1 NMOSD-related medication; (2) ≥1 transverse myelitis diagnosis, ≥1 optic neuritis diagnosis, and used ≥1 NMOSD-related medication; (3) ≥2 NMOSD diagnoses ≥90 days apart. The index date was defined as the first qualifying event. Patients with sarcoidosis, multiple sclerosis or use of related medications or immune checkpoint inhibitors were excluded. A 12-month baseline and 6-month follow up period were required for inclusion. Demographic and clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, all-cause and NMOSD-related healthcare resource utilization were described.
RESULTS: 48 patients were included (mean age 46 years; 73% female), corresponding to a prevalence of 0.66 per 100,000 persons. Most common comorbidities were autoimmune encephalitis (15%) and neuropathic pain (8%). Of 48 patients, 32 received first-line treatment (1L), most commonly azathioprine and rituximab; 17 received second-line treatment (2L), most commonly azathioprine, rituximab and mycophenolate mofetil. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) duration of treatment was 403 days (257-828) and 181 days (85-388) for 1L and 2L, respectively. The mean (standard deviation [SD]) length of all-cause hospitalization was 12.7 (17.7) days per patient-year, including 7.4 (9.2) NMOSD-related days. The mean (SD) number of medications dispensed per patient-year was 15.0 (13.6), of which 5.5 (6.7) were NMOSD-related.
CONCLUSIONS: In this real-world cohort, patients with NMOSD in the Netherlands experienced considerable healthcare resource utilization, including hospitalizations and ongoing pharmacologic treatment. These findings highlight the burden of NMOSD and underscore the need for optimized disease management strategies.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
RWD14
Topic
Epidemiology & Public Health, Patient-Centered Research, Real World Data & Information Systems
Topic Subcategory
Distributed Data & Research Networks
Disease
Neurological Disorders, No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas