RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Real-world treatment patterns, healthcare resource utilisation and costs in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus treated with belimumab: a retrospective analysis of claims data in the USA JF Lupus Science & Medicine JO Lupus Sci Med FD Lupus Foundation of America SP e000357 DO 10.1136/lupus-2019-000357 VO 7 IS 1 A1 Christopher F Bell A1 Julie Priest A1 Marni Stott-Miller A1 Hong Kan A1 Justyna Amelio A1 Xue Song A1 Brendan Limone A1 Virginia Noxon A1 Karen H Costenbader YR 2020 UL http://lupus.bmj.com/content/7/1/e000357.abstract AB Objective To examine the effects of belimumab initiation on healthcare resource utilisation (HCRU) and costs in SLE.Methods This retrospective observational cohort study used healthcare administrative claims data from the IBM MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database to identify patients with SLE billing codes who received ≥1 intravenous belimumab infusion between March 2011 and December 2015. The first belimumab administration was the ‘index date’. During the 6-month postindex period, nine belimumab infusions were recommended: three during the initiation period and six during the maintenance period. HCRU and cost data for inpatient admissions, emergency department visits, physician office visits, hospital-based outpatient visits, laboratory services, other outpatient services and outpatient pharmacy prescriptions were compared in the 6-month pre/postindex periods.Results Of the 1879 patients with SLE included, 43% received ≥3 intravenous initiation administrations. An average of 5.3 (SD: 2.4) of the nine recommended belimumab administrations were received within 6 months. In the 6-month preindex versus postindex periods, significant reductions were noted for inpatient hospitalisations (18% vs 9%, p<0.001; mean visits: 0.3 vs 0.14, p<0.001) and emergency department visits (40% vs 24%, p<0.001; mean visits; 3.53 vs 1.96, p<0.001). Mean total costs were higher in the 6-month postindex versus preindex period ($41 426 vs $29 270; p<0.001).Conclusions In this study of real-world intravenous belimumab for SLE, adherence to recommended infusion schedules was low. Outpatient healthcare and associated costs were higher in the 6 months after belimumab was initiated, although inpatient costs were lower. Reasons for non-adherence with belimumab and implications should be investigated.