Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis-kidney failure may have clinical, economic burdens
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Key takeaways:
- Treatment for 72.1% of patients involved in-center hemodialysis, and 7.3% had transplants.
- Overall, 69.9% of Medicare patients visited the emergency room, with mean monthly health care costs of $6,752.
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis-attributed kidney failure may be linked with significant clinical and economic burdens, according to a recently published study.
“The prevalence and incidence of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS)-associated kidney failure have risen dramatically over the past 3 decades, but vary across geographic and ethnic populations,” Mark E. Bensink, PhD, of Travere Therapeutics Inc., wrote along with colleagues.
The researchers added, “Although a detailed understanding of the epidemiology and treatment landscape of FSGS-attributed kidney failure is crucial to meeting unmet medical needs of this patient population, there is a lack of real-world evidence in the U.S.”
Clinical outcomes
Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study that analyzed 25,699 patients with FSGS-attributed kidney failure from 2008 to 2018 using data from the U.S. Renal Data System. Investigators examined the epidemiology, characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients at the time of registration, and calculated prevalence and incidence rates of FSGS-attributed kidney failure per 1,000,000 U.S. persons. Researchers included prevalence and incidence, clinical and demographic characteristics, time to kidney transplant and/or death, health care utilization and costs as main outcome measures.
In a subgroup analysis, researchers examined the health care resource utilization and costs among patients with 1 year of Medicare part A and B coverage post-index, including (Medicare coverage subgroup; n=6,340) or excluding (1-year Medicare coverage subgroup; n=5,575) patients who died.
Investigators found mean annual period prevalence and incidence rates of FSGS-attributed kidney failure were 87.6 and 7.5 per 1,000,000 U.S. persons, respectively. Initial treatment for 72.1% of patients involved in-center hemodialysis, while 7.3% of patients received kidney transplants. Researchers found patients had a 1-year and 5-year kidney transplant rate of 15% and 34%, respectively, when accounting for competing risk for death.
Resource utilization, costs
In terms of health care resource utilization and costs, 76.6% of patients in the Medicare coverage subgroup and 74.2% of patients in the 1-year Medicare coverage subgroup required inpatient admission. Meanwhile, 69.9% of patients in the Medicare coverage subgroup visited the emergency room compared with 67.3% of patients in the 1-year Medicare coverage subgroup. Mean monthly health care cost was $6,752 in the Medicare coverage subgroup and $5,575 in the 1-year Medicare coverage subgroup in the year post-index.
“FSGS-attributed kidney failure is associated with a substantial clinical and economic burden to patients and health care systems, as well as a steeply rising prevalence,” the authors wrote. “There is a high unmet need for treatments that delay progression to kidney failure in order to minimize or prevent the need for dialysis and transplantation, lower the economic burden and reduce the risk of death and morbidity among this population.”
Collapse
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts