OBJECTIVES: PMBCL is a rare mature B-cell neoplasm (2-4% of non-Hodgkin lymphomas), with sparse data about healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and treatment costs. In October 2015, PMBCL was administratively differentiated from diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with the advent of ICD-10-CM PMBCL-specific codes. This retrospective study characterized these patients.

METHODS: Using Optum’s Clinformatics^™ Data Mart Databases (01/01/2013–03/31/2018), patients with a first PMBCL ICD-10-CM diagnosis (with or without an antecedent ICD-10-CM diagnosis of DLBCL/other lymphoma, which may have been assigned before PMBCL confirmation) after October 1^st, 2015 (index date) and no ICD-9-CM diagnosis code for unspecified PMBCL or DLBCL, were identified as incident patients. Those with PMBCL ICD-10-CM and unspecified ICD-9-CM diagnosis for PMBCL/DLBCL before October 2015 (index date) were identified as prevalent patients. PMBCL diagnoses on ≥2 medical visits (IP or OP) and ≥12 months of continuous enrollment pre-index date (baseline period) were required. Patients with prior diagnoses of Hodgkin, follicular lymphoma, or multiple myeloma were excluded. Characteristics evaluated included baseline comorbidities, HRU, and costs.

RESULTS: Among 148 PMBCL patients (118 incident; 30 prevalent), median age was 66 years in both groups (39-44 years for commercially-insured); ~60% were female. Incident and prevalent patients had mean Charlson comorbidity index scores of 2.2 and 1.7, respectively. Most common baseline Elixhauser comorbidities included hypertension (49.2%), chronic pulmonary disease (28.0%), and diabetes (24.6%) in incident patients and hypertension (60.0%), chronic pulmonary disease (23.3%), diabetes (23.3%), and valvular disease (23.3%) in prevalent patients. Frequent baseline psychiatric conditions included sleep-wake disorders (21.2%) in incident patients and depressive disorders (16.7%) in prevalent patients. Mean±SD number of baseline hospitalizations was 0.31±0.69 and 0.17±0.46 for incident and prevalent patients, respectively. Total mean±SD baseline healthcare costs were $22,907±30,361 for incident patients and $22,538±37,262 for prevalent patients.

CONCLUSIONS: This analysis showed patients at diagnosis of PMBCL in the US had substantial clinical and economic burden.