A155 REAL-WORLD USE OF CORTIMENT IN ULCERATIVE COLITIS: A POPULATION-BASED STUDY

Abstract

Abstract Background Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a relapsing and remitting disease with variable severity. BudesonideMMX (Cortiment®) was approved by Health Canada for the treatment of mild to moderate UC in July 2016. It offers the advantage of extensive first pass hepatic metabolism resulting in decreased systemic corticosteroid toxicity. Most public drug plans in Canada do not cover it, limiting its use to private insurance and self-pay. Aims To characterize the UC patients who use Cortiment® and explore prescribing patterns and short-term outcomes. Methods Population-based administrative data identified patients who were covered by the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan and dispensed Cortiment® from August 1, 2016 to December 31, 2017. Analyses identified: age, sex, rural/urban status, Material [MDI] and Social Deprivation Indices [SDI], UC-related medications 6-months before and 10-weeks following Cortiment® dispensing, and disease exacerbation indicators (new dispense of corticosteroids, hospitalization with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as most responsible diagnosis, or IBD-related surgery). Results We identified 427 UC patients dispensed Cortiment®. The median age was 47 years (25th %: 35; 75th %: 59) and 57.4% were females. Most individuals (91.3%, n=390) resided in an urban setting, as compared to approximately 73% of all UC cases. Distribution of patients across SDI was consistent while the MDI had a higher proportion in the more well-off categories. 77.5% had a UC-related drug therapy in the 6 months prior to Cortiment® dispensing and 71.7% had a UC-related drug dispensed in the 10-weeks following. Approximately, 30% had a disease exacerbation indicators in the 10 weeks following dispensing: 24.8% new corticosteroid, 3.7% UC-related hospitalization, and <2.3% UC-related surgery. Conclusions Despite lack of public drug coverage, Cortiment® was dispensed across socioeconomic classes. The high dispensing within urban sites suggests that rural UC patients may have less access to Cortiment®. While a quarter of Cortiment® dispensings had a new concurrent dispensing of prednisone, <5% of these patients were admitted to hospital for a flare of UC. Funding Agencies Ferring Pharmaceuticals