SHIFT SEEN IN RENAL ANEMIA PRACTICE PATTERNS

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SHIFT SEEN IN RENAL ANEMIA PRACTICE PATTERNS

13 hours ago

EXTON, Pa.—In the U.S. the market for erythropoietic stimulating agents (ESAs) has undergone significant shifting over the past several years as new clinical data, updated product labeling and a new reimbursement system in dialysis have all changed the market landscape.

In the latest annual updates of BioTrends’ ChartTrends: Chronic Kidney Disease and ChartTrends: Dialysis, this impact is measured and compared to prior years in terms of treatment prevalence for ESAs and i.v. iron, mean monthly dosing trends and an analysis of relevant laboratory values including hemoglobin, TSAT, ferritin and eGFR.

In the dialysis market, ESA treatment patterns shifted more considerably in the period immediately following the implementation of the Prospective Payment System (aka Dialysis Bundle) and appear to have stabilized somewhat in early 2012. However, decreases in ESA treatment prevalence, mean monthly Epogen dose and mean hemoglobin levels all declined compared to the prior period. Subcutaneous administration of ESAs among hemodialysis patients was similar to rates in 2011, but up significantly since 2010, although this varies significantly by the type of dialysis unit in which the patient is treated. There were no significant differences in treatment prevalence for i.v. iron and the maintenance dose for Venofer (iron sucrose injection) was stable compared to 2011 rates with most patients on a once weekly dose interval.

http://www.renalbusiness.com/news/2012/04/shift-seen-in-renal-anemia-practice-patterns.aspx