Relationship Between Claims Data and the Preferences and Trends Survey: An Analysis of Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Medication Choice for Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Abstract

Purpose: To compare published self-reported practice patterns among retina specialists with published claims data representing actual practice patterns for the use of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) medications in the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the United States. Methods: We compared physician self-reported preference for anti-VEGF medications to treat AMD in the American Society of Retina Specialists’ Preferences and Trends (PAT) survey with a previously published study using claims data from 2006 to 2015 from OptumLabs Data Warehouse as a data source. A Pearson χ2 test compared the relative proportions of drug use between the 2 groups, with <.05 indicating statistical significance. Results: From 2006 to 2015, the PAT surveys had approximately 3548 respondents to questions on which anti-VEGF medication was used for the treatment of AMD. Over the study period, 62.3% (2211/3548) of respondents preferred bevacizumab, 30.4% (1078/3548) ranibizumab, and 7.3% (259/3548) aflibercept in the treatment of AMD. Claims data on anti-VEGF use for AMD noted 59.7% (359 267/601 917) of injections were for bevacizumab, 23.8% (143 200/601 917) were for ranibizumab, and 16.5% (99 450/601 917) were for aflibercept. The difference in the relative use of bevacizumab, ranibizumab, and aflibercept use was not significant between the data sets ( P = .1991). Conclusions: The PAT survey responses appear to reflect actual physician practices based upon claims data and demonstrate the prevalence of bevacizumab as the prevailing treatment for AMD.