Comorbidity in US patients with multiple sclerosis.

Objective: To assess the trends in the prevalence of comorbidities in US patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and the association of demographic characteristics with the presence of comorbidities.

Study design: A retrospective analysis was conducted from a sample of 5 million patients from the IMS Health Real World Data Adjudicated Claims - US database.

Methods: Comorbidity in patients with MS was assessed by year (2006-2014), and logistic regression models evaluated the association of age, sex, and region with select comorbidities.

Results: The most common comorbidities from 2006 to 2014 were hyperlipidemia and hypertension (25.9%-29.7% of patients within an individual year), followed by gastrointestinal disease (18.4%-21.2% of patients) and thyroid disease (12.9%-17.1% of patients). The proportion with a claim for hyperlipidemia increased from 2006 to 2009, was stable from 2009 to 2011, and then declined from 2011 to 2014. The proportion with a claim for hypertension generally increased from 2006 to 2013, then declined from 2013 to 2014. The proportion with a claim for gastrointestinal disease, thyroid disease, and anxiety generally increased from 2006 to 2014. Claims for comorbidities were statistically significantly more likely among older age groups ( p <0.05), with the exception of anxiety and alcohol abuse, which were statistically significantly less likely among older age groups. Claims for gastrointestinal disease (OR=0.75), thyroid disease (OR=0.36), chronic lung disease (OR=0.76), arthritis (OR=0.71), anxiety (OR=0.63), and depression (OR=0.69) were statistically significantly less likely among males versus females (all p <0.05). Claims for hyperlipidemia (OR=1.39), hypertension (OR=1.25), diabetes (OR=1.31), and alcohol abuse (OR=2.41) were significantly more likely among males ( p <0.05). Many comorbidity claims were statistically significantly more likely in the Northeast and South compared with the Midwest and West.

Conclusion: This study provides select comorbidity claims estimates in US patients with MS, and thus highlights the importance of comprehensive patient care approaches.