ALGS patients have nearly 1 medical visit per week

The healthcare resource utilization (HRU) of patients with Alagille syndrome (ALGS) is substantial, regardless of insurance type, according to a presentation at The Liver Meeting 2021.

In this retrospective study, commercial and Medicaid claims data from October 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019, for patients with ALGS (defined as patients with ≥1 claim with diagnosis code Q44.7 and no history of ICD-10 code Q44.2) who were <18 years of age and had ≥6 months of insurance eligibility, analyzed to determine HRU per patient per year (PPPY).

Overall, 171 Commercial patients with a mean age of 8 years and 215 Medicaid patients with a mean age of 7.5 years were included.

A baseline diagnosis of congenital heart disease was reported in 37% and 34% of Commercial and Medicaid patients, respectively, and a cholestasis-related condition was present in 63% and 74% of patients, respectively.

Claims data showed that Commercial patients averaged 23.4 medical visits per year and Medicaid patients averaged 42.8 visits.

For Commercial and Medicaid patients there was an average of 16.3 and 18.7, respectively, outpatient visits annually. These included 0.4 and 0.4 IP admissions and 4.9 and 20.2 home care visits, respectively.

Most outpatient visits consisted of lab work and imagining, accounting for 42% of Commercial patient visits and 33% of Medicaid patients visits.

During the study period, 17% and 25% of Commercial and Medicaid patients, respectively, had an inpatient visit.

Reference
Ebel N. Healthcare Resource Utilization in Patients with Alagille Syndrome. Presented at: The Liver Meeting 2021.