Baxter study reveals care of patients with undiagnosed Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders cost more than $40,000 per year

 

PHILADELPHIA, Pa., March 15, 2008 – Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX) today presented the results from a study that showed undiagnosed Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders (PID) are associated with a substantial cost and resource use burden within the health care system. The average medical costs attributed to undiagnosed PID patients totaled $42,039 per year and were due to use of outpatient, inpatient, emergency room and pharmaceutical resources. The results were presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) in Philadelphia, PA.

 

PID is a group of genetic disorders in which the immune system fails to produce adequate amounts of antibodies. People living with PID are predisposed to an increased risk of infections.

 

Patrick Bonnet, Pharm.D., M.S. from Baxter’s Medical Outcomes Research and Economics (MORE) group, led research to determine the incidence rates of 11 infections that commonly occur in undiagnosed PID patients and the economic burden associated with the disease. The study found that the average medical cost per patient was $42,039 per year, with outpatient ($22,558) and inpatient ($12,983) costs acting as the main contributors. The study subjects visited a physician an average of 27.2 times per year and were admitted to the hospital an average of 0.7 times per year, with five days being the average inpatient length of stay.

 

“These results further validate published analyses that undiagnosed PID is having a tremendous impact not only on patients who are suffering physically and financially, but also on the overall medical system,” said Hartmut J. Ehrlich, MD, vice president of Global Research and Development for Baxter’s BioScience business. “These study results underscore the importance of driving awareness of the impact of undiagnosed PID, which affects at least 50,000 patients in the United States.”

 

Study Design and Results

 

The objectives of the study were to determine the incidence rates of 11 infections that commonly occur in undiagnosed PID patients, and using that information to estimate the economic burden associated with the disease during the 12-month period preceding diagnosis. The MORE group conducted a retrospective analysis of a managed care database that contained medical, pharmaceutical and enrollment information for enrollees from 2000 to 2005. Using those data, they calculated the incidence rates of infections for the 12-month period preceding the first recorded Immune Globulin Intravenous (IGIV) treatment. For the same time period, the team examined the costs, in the form of outpatient, inpatient and emergency room care as well as treatment with prescription drugs and the resource utilization.

 

The analysis identified 293 individuals who were continuously enrolled in the health insurance program offered by their employer and had at least two distinct records of PID diagnosis and no IGIV use before the first diagnosis. These individuals, 64.8 percent of whom were female, had a mean age of 44.4 years, and 44 percent of them were diagnosed with one of the most common types of PID, Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID). The study subjects were most commonly afflicted with chronic and acute sinusitis, which were diagnosed in 35.8 percent and 33.5 percent of the patients, respectively. In addition, 21.2 percent of the study subjects suffered from acute bronchitis, and 20.5 percent had at least one episode of pneumonia.

 

About Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders

 

Primary immunodeficiency disorders encompass more than 100 diseases caused by an immune system that does not function correctly. According to the Immune Deficiency Foundation, approximately 50,000 persons in the United States have one of the primary immunodeficiency disorders. For many people with primary immunodeficiency, the cause is a lack of antibodies, usually produced to fight infection.

 

About Baxter International Inc.

 

Baxter International Inc., through its subsidiaries, assists healthcare professionals and their patients with the treatment of complex medical conditions, including hemophilia, immune disorders, cancer, infectious diseases, kidney disease, trauma and other conditions. The company applies its expertise in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology to make a meaningful difference in patients' lives.