OBJECTIVES: Myelofibrosis (MF) is a rare blood cancer causing progressive anemia. This study examined impacts of anemia and red blood cell transfusions on healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) in patients with MF in France.

METHODS: This retrospective claims study using the French ‘Système National des Données de Santé’ database identified patients diagnosed with MF between 01/01/2013 and 31/12/2021. HCRU was analyzed in two subgroups defined by patient transfusion need within 12 months post-MF diagnosis: 1) ‘transfusion dependent/requiring’ (TD/TR; ³3 transfusions in any 12-week period, or ³1 transfusion at any time, respectively) or 2) ‘transfusion independent’ (TI; no transfusions) in patients surviving without acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

RESULTS: Among 3667 MF patients, 742 died and 68 developed AML within 12 months post-MF diagnosis; 1025 (median age: 74 years, 60% males) and 1832 (median age: 69 years, 54% males) were included in the TD/TR and TI cohorts, respectively. Among the TD/TR cohort, the mean transfusion rate was 10.0 per-person-per-year (PPPY) during a mean follow-up of 2.0 years from MF diagnosis versus 1.1 transfusion PPPY in the TI cohort during a mean 3.6-year follow-up. Anemia drug treatment was prescribed in 52% of the TD/TR cohort versus 34% of the TI cohort. During follow-up, hospitalization rate was ~4 times higher in the TD/TR versus the TI cohort (mean 15.4 versus 3.8 events PPPY). Rates of emergency room (ER) visits and intensive care unit (ICU) stays were also ~3 times higher (mean 1.4 versus 0.5 ER visits; 0.9 versus 0.3 ICU stays PPPY) and outpatient visits more common with TD/TR (mean 7.6 versus 6.6 events PPPY). Total average annual cost in the TD/TR cohort was almost double that in the TI cohort (€96,399 versus €51,832 PPPY).

CONCLUSIONS: This real-world analysis highlighted substantially higher HCRU burden in French patients with MF who were TD/TR rather than TI.