Analysis of Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Patterns in the US (1998–2004)
Author Information
Author(s): Avasarala Jagannadha R, O'Donovan Cormac A, Roach Steve E, Camacho Fabian, Feldman Steven R
Primary Institution: Kansas Neurological Consultants
Hypothesis
What are the prescribing patterns of immunomodulatory agents in outpatient settings for multiple sclerosis patients in the US?
Conclusion
There is a need for strategies to improve the use of immunomodulatory agents in managing multiple sclerosis in outpatient settings.
Supporting Evidence
- An estimated 6.7 million multiple sclerosis patient visits occurred between 1998–2004.
- Neurologists accounted for 50.7% of MS patient visits.
- 62% of established MS patients visiting neurologists were not using immunomodulatory agents.
Takeaway
The study looked at how many people with multiple sclerosis were getting certain treatments in the US, and found that many weren't getting the help they needed.
Methodology
Retrospective analysis of NAMCS data focusing on MS patient visits and treatment patterns.
Potential Biases
Potential biases include the exclusion of certain patient demographics and reliance on physician-reported data.
Limitations
The reasons for low immunomodulatory agent utilization rates were not clear, and the data may not represent all MS patients due to sampling methods.
Participant Demographics
The majority of patients were women (77.6%) and Caucasian (90.4%), with a higher visit rate in metropolitan areas.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.5113
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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