Resource Burden Grows With Progression to Intermediate Parkinson Disease

The clinical and economic burden of patients with intermediate-stage Parkinson disease (PD) is significantly higher compared with those in early stages of the disease, according to findings presented at AMCP Nexus 2022.

“PD has a well-outlined global burden on the health care system,” wrote researchers. “The impact of those at more intermediate stages is often overlooked, despite the likelihood of an increasing burden early on, before institutionalization occurs.”

The study analyzed neurologist-reported data for 1251 US patients with PD in 2021 and 2022. Among them, 47% had early-stage, 40% had intermediate-stage, and 12% severe-stage PD as classified by the Hoehn & Yahr scale.

Compared with early PD, patients with intermediate PD had significantly more levodopa prescriptions (researchers reported an incidence rate ratio [IRR] of 5.57), emergency department visits (IRR 3.80), and rehab admissions (IRR 6.83).

Also higher with intermediate- compared with early-stage PD were the number of physicians and consulting neurologists involved in a patient’s care (IRR 1.14) and number of caregiving hours (IRR 12.22), according to authors of the poster. 

“A significant resource burden is placed on US health care systems by patients treated for intermediate stages of Parkinson’s disease,” wrote researchers. “Development of more innovative interventions which affect patients at this stage would likely help to significantly reduce the burden placed on health care and its consequent associated costs.”

Reference:
Ciepielewska M, Hagan M, Jones E, Gillespie A, Walker C, Le Brocq L. Assessing the clinical and economic burden experienced by patients with intermediate Parkinson’s disease: results from a real-world study. J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2022;28(10-a suppl):S1-S137. doi:10.18553/jmcp.2022.28.10-a.s1