A retrospective analysis to examine factors associated with mortality in Medicare beneficiaries newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma

AbstractObjective: Population-based data on mortality and associated factors in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) are limited. We examined the association between all-cause mortality and demographic and clinical characteristics in newly diagnosed MM patients treated with guideline-recommended chemotherapeutic agents.Research design and methods: This retrospective cohort analysis used Medicare 20% data to create a cohort of adult (aged ≥18 years) newly diagnosed MM patients who received chemotherapy 2008–2011 and had no MM diagnosis in the 12 months before the disease index date. Patients were followed from treatment initiation through the earliest of death, loss of insurance coverage, or study end (December 2011). Modified Charlson Comorbidity Index scores and MM-related comorbid conditions (anemia, hypercalcemia, skeletal-related events) were identified in the 6 month pre-index-date period. All-cause mortality and associated factors were examined using multivariable Cox proportional hazard models.Resul...