Table 2.
Characteristics of patients with MS with 12-month outcomes receiving Acthar prescriptions compared to those receiving PMP or intravenous IVIG within 30 days of exacerbation
| Characteristics | Acthar Rxa
n = 213 (49%) |
PMP or IVIGb
n = 226 (51%) |
P valuec |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years), mean ± SD (range) | 43.6 ± 10 (18–63) | 43.0 ± 11 (10–63) | 0.57 |
| Female | 168 (79%) | 184 (81%) | 0.50 |
| Type of health plan | 0.83 | ||
| Comprehensive | 7 (3.5%) | 6 (3%) | |
| Exclusive/preferred provider organization | 136 (67%) | 150 (67%) | |
| Health maintenance organization | 28 (14%) | 31 (14%) | |
| Point of service | 18 (8.9%) | 25 (11%) | |
| Consumer-directed/high-deductible | 14 (6.9%) | 11 (5%) | |
| Missing | 10 (4.6%) | 3 (1%) | |
| Charlson Comorbidity Index | 0.19 | ||
| 0 | 131 (62%) | 130 (58%) | |
| 1 | 42 (20%) | 49 (22%) | |
| 2 | 24 (11%) | 18 (8%) | |
| 3+ | 16 (7.5%) | 29 (13%) | |
| Comorbidity groups | |||
| Myocardial infarction | 2 (0.9%) | 1 (0.4%) | 0.62 |
| Congestive heart failure | 2 (0.9%) | 2 (0.9%) | 1.0 |
| Peripheral vascular disease | 8 (3.7%) | 6 (2.7%) | 0.55 |
| Cerebrovascular disease | 18 (8.5%) | 27 (12%) | 0.23 |
| Dementia | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | NA |
| Chronic pulmonary disease | 39 (18%) | 36 (16%) | 0.51 |
| Rheumatoid diseases | 12 (5.5%) | 17 (8%) | 0.38 |
| Peptic ulcer disease | 3 (1.4%) | 5 (2.2%) | 0.72 |
| Chronic liver disease | 1 (0.5%) | 1 (0.4%) | 1.0 |
| Diabetes without complications | 16 (7.3%) | 31 (14%) | 0.03 |
| Diabetes with complications | 2 (0.9%) | 5 (2.2%) | 0.45 |
| Hemiplegia | 13 (6.1%) | 10 (4.4%) | 0.43 |
| Renal disease | 3 (1.4%) | 5 (2.2%) | 0.73 |
| Non-metastatic cancer | 4 (1.9%) | 13 (5.8%) | 0.05 |
| Sequelae of chronic liver disease | 0 (0.0%) | 1 (0.4%) | 1.0 |
| Metastatic cancer | 1 (0.5%) | 0 (0.0%) | 0.49 |
| AIDS | 0 (0.0%) | 0 (0.0%) | NA |
| Geographic region | |||
| Northeast | 47 (22%) | 48 (22%) | 0.10 |
| North Central | 44 (20%) | 44 (20%) | |
| South | 90 (42%) | 93 (43%) | |
| West | 28 (13%) | 30 (14%) | |
| Missing | 4 (1.8%) | 1 (0.4%) | |
| Year of second MS exacerbation | |||
| 2007 | 0 | 14 (6%) | <0.0001 |
| 2008 | 2 (0.9%) | 51 (23%) | |
| 2009 | 14 (6.4%) | 55 (24%) | |
| 2010 | 36 (16%) | 49 (22%) | |
| 2011 | 76 (36%) | 36 (16%) | |
| 2012 | 85 (40%) | 21 (9%) | |
| Prior 6 months healthcare utilization, mean ± SD (range) | |||
| Outpatient services | 8.6 ± 7.0 (0–45) | 12 ± 8 (0–36) | <0.0001 |
| Hospitalizations | 0.05 ± 0.3 (0–3) | 0.3 ± 0.5 (0–3) | <0.0001 |
| Medications | 11.7 ± 9.2 (0–60) | 8.2 ± 8.8 (0–78) | <0.0001 |
Values are given as n (%) unless otherwise stated
IVIG intravenous immunoglobulin, MS multiple sclerosis, PMP plasmapheresis, Rx prescription, SD standard deviation
aThree patients who received Acthar prescriptions also received IVIG within 30 days and 1 also received PMP within 30 days
bBy definition, patients who received treatment with PMP or IVIG could not have received Acthar prescriptions
cChi-square test used for categorical variables; t test used for continuous variables