Pruritus and fatigue, common symptoms associated with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), contribute to the economic burden of this patient population. These findings were presented as part of a study at the AASLD Liver Meeting.
A retrospective cohort study used IQVIA PharMetrics® Plus data from 2016 to 2022 to identify patients with PBC with concurrent pruritus (n=760) or fatigue (n=1,839). The study team matched patients 1:1 to controls with PBC who did not have pruritus or fatigue.
Mean age at index was approximately 56 years for both the pruritus and fatigue groups, and most patients (>88%) were women. Some patients took obeticholic acid at baseline (4% to 12% across cohorts).
At baseline, patients with pruritus and fatigue had a higher comorbidity burden than matched controls (mean Charlson comorbidity index, 3.0 vs 2.5 for pruritus and 3.2 vs 2.6 for fatigue).
Total healthcare costs were significantly higher in patients with pruritus or fatigue than in the matched control cohorts, with a mean cost difference of $40,536 for pruritus and $42,515 for fatigue (P<.001 for both). The increased costs were largely the result of inpatient care, with a mean cost difference of $24,571 for pruritus and $25,746 for fatigue (P<.001 for both). The annualized number of inpatient visits was significantly higher in those with pruritus and fatigue than in the controls.
“The findings highlight the importance of considering symptoms and comorbidities when managing patients with PBC, as recommended by treatment guidelines,” the authors concluded.
Reference
Shamseddine N, Yang H, Zhang S, Chen J, Kumar S. Economic burden of patients with primary biliary cholangitis and experiencing fatigue or pruritus in the United States. Abstract 4358. Presented at the 2024 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases’ 75th Liver Meeting; November. 15–19, 2024; San Diego.
