A real-world comparison of relapse rates, healthcare costs and resource use among patients with multiple sclerosis newly initiating subcutaneous interferon beta-1a versus oral disease-modifying drugs

BackgroundAdministrative-claims data enable comparative effectiveness assessment using large numbers of patients treated in real-world settings.ObjectiveTo evaluate real-world relapses, healthcare costs and resource use in patients with MS newly initiating subcutaneous interferon beta-1a (sc IFNβ-1a) v. oral disease-modifying drugs (DMDs: dimethyl fumarate, fingolimod, teriflunomide).MethodsPatients from an administrative claims database (1 Jan 2012–31 Dec 2015) were selected if they: were 18–63 years old; had an MS diagnosis; had newly initiated sc IFNβ-1a, dimethyl fumarate, fingolimod, or teriflunomide (first claim = index); had no evidence of DMD 12-months pre-index; and had 12-month eligibility pre- and post-index. Relapse was defined as an MS-related inpatient stay, emergency room visit, or outpatient visit with a corticosteroid prescription ± 7 days. Outcomes were evaluated using logistic regression and generalized linear models.ResultsA total of 4475 patients met inclusion criteria: 21.9% sc IFNβ-...