SLE-related medication utilisation*
| 6-month preindex period (n=1879) | 6-month postindex period (n=1879) | P value† | |
| SLE-related medications, n (%) | |||
| Any medication | 1610 (85.7) | 1612 (85.8) | 0.926 |
| Antimalarials | 1251 (66.6) | 1175 (62.5) | 0.010 |
| Immunosuppressive agents | 1111 (59.1) | 962 (51.2) | <0.001 |
| Rituximab | 21 (1.1) | 23 (1.2) | 0.762 |
| NSAID | 713 (37.9) | 687 (36.6) | 0.380 |
| Corticosteroids | 1504 (80.0) | 1497 (79.7) | 0.776 |
| Injectable/intravenous | 680 (36.2) | 802 (42.7) | <0.001 |
| Oral | 1312 (69.8) | 1200 (63.9) | <0.001 |
| Oral corticosteroid | |||
| Cumulative overall dose, mean (SD) | 119.9 (259.4) | 72.6 (167.8) | <0.001 |
| Daily dose, mean (SD) | 27.0 (78.5) | 23.8 (84.7) | 0.178 |
| Categories (among patients receiving known dose of oral corticosteroids), n (%) | |||
| ≤7.5 mg/day | 231 (15.5) | 310 (25.9) | <0.001 |
| >7.5 to ≤15 mg/day | 486 (32.6) | 389 (32.5) | |
| >15 mg/day | 775 (51.9) | 498 (41.6) |
*Patients with SLE identified via the IBM MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database (2010–2015) with ≥1 belimumab intravenous infusion during 2011–2015.
†P values represent a comparison between findings in the 6-month preindex period and those in the 6-month postindex period.
NSAID, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.