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Factors influencing the shift of patients from one proton pump inhibitor to another: the effect of direct-to-consumer advertising

Hansen RA, Shaheen NJ, Schommer JC

Clinical therapeutics, 2005

396,500 participants

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Switching from one proton pump inhibitor (PPI) to another is common, and may be related to factors other than efficacy and tolerability.

OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this study were to describe the incidence of therapeutic switching among PPI users, quantify direct ambulatory medical costs of switching, and characterize the relationship between product switching and variables hypothesized to influence a switch (eg, direct-to-consumer [DTC] advertising, structure of insurance coverage, disease diagnosis).

METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of health plans using 1998 data. The subjects were employees and dependents with employer-sponsored health insurance contributing to the Medstat Market-Scan administrative dataset. Using a commercially available database to quantify DTC advertising by marketing area, market-specific expenditures were matched to eligible subjects. Among PPI users, we identified those who switched from one product to another (switchers) and compared their utilization and spending with nonswitchers. We then evaluated the relationship between drug use and variables hypothesized to affect switching: DTC advertising, insurance characteristics, patient diagnosis, diagnostic procedures, comorbidities, age, and sex.

RESULTS: The analysis used data for 396,500 individuals from 47 unique markets that were geographically well distributed, with population density similar to that of the United States overall. The sample was also comparable with US…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 396,500 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

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