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. 2024 Mar 8:16:133-147.
doi: 10.2147/CEOR.S445495. eCollection 2024.

Medical Costs Associated with High/Moderate/Low Likelihood of Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency: A Healthcare Claims Database Analysis

Kevin C J Yuen  1 , Lewis S Blevins  2 , David R Clemmons  3 , Mads Faurby  4 , Andrew R Hoffman  5 , Nicky Kelepouris  6 , Janice M Kerr  7 , Jens Magelund Tarp  4 , Maria Fleseriu  8
Affiliations

Medical Costs Associated with High/Moderate/Low Likelihood of Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency: A Healthcare Claims Database Analysis

Kevin C J Yuen et al. Clinicoecon Outcomes Res. .

Abstract

Purpose: Adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) is often underdiagnosed and undertreated, leading to costly comorbidities. Previously, we developed an algorithm to identify individuals in a commercially insured US population with high, moderate, or low likelihood of having AGHD. Here, we estimate and compare direct medical costs by likelihood level.

Patients and methods: Retrospective, observational analysis using the Truven Health MarketScan database to analyze direct medical costs relating to inpatient and outpatient claims, outpatient prescription claims, medication usage, clinical utilization records, and healthcare expenditures. Patients were categorized into groups based on algorithmically determined likelihoods of AGHD. Likelihood groups were further stratified by age and sex. Trajectories of annual costs (USD) by likelihood level were also investigated.

Results: The study cohort comprised 135 million US adults (aged ≥18 years). Individuals ranked as high-likelihood AGHD had a greater burden of comorbid illness, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, than those ranked moderate- or low-likelihood. Those in the high-likelihood group had greater mean total direct medical monthly costs ($1844.51 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1841.24;1847.78]) than those in the moderate- ($945.65 [95% CI: 945.26;946.04]) and low-likelihood groups ($459.10 [95% CI: 458.95;459.25]). Outpatient visits accounted for the majority of costs overall, although cost per visit was substantially lower than for inpatient services. Costs tended to increase with age and peaked around the time that individuals were assigned a level of AGHD likelihood. Total direct medical costs in individuals with a high likelihood of AGHD exceeded those for individuals with moderate or low likelihood.

Conclusion: Understanding the trajectory of healthcare costs in AGHD may help rationalize allocation of healthcare resources.

Keywords: AGHD; Truven Health MarketScan database; cost of comorbidities; cost of disease; likelihood of AGHD; medical costs.

Plain language summary

Growth hormone is an important substance found in the body. Adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) is the reduced production of growth hormone unrelated to the normal reduction seen with aging. Untreated AGHD can result in the development of other conditions, known as comorbidities, which can be expensive to manage. Previously, 135 million privately insured people in the US, aged 18–64 years, were categorized into groups by their likelihood (high, medium, or low) of having AGHD. This study compared the estimated direct medical costs (eg hospital care and medication) across the different likelihood levels. People with a high likelihood of AGHD had more comorbidities than people with a medium/low likelihood, and an average total direct medical monthly cost of $1844.51, nearly twice as much as those with a medium likelihood ($945.65), and four times as much as those with a low likelihood ($459.10). These costs tended to increase with age, with the highest costs associated with people aged 50–59 years and 60–64 years. Outpatient costs (for treatments not requiring an overnight hospital stay) accounted for the greatest proportion of total medical costs, ahead of inpatient costs (for treatments requiring an overnight hospital stay) and medication costs. These findings suggest that diagnosing and treating AGHD earlier may help to reduce medical costs over time. Increased testing and treatment will cause an initial increase in the use of healthcare resources, but could improve overall cost effectiveness by reducing the long-term impact of the disease and avoiding unnecessary healthcare use.

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Conflict of interest statement

KCJY has received research grants to the Barrow Neurological Institute from Ascendis, Crinetics, Corcept, Sparrow Pharmaceuticals, and Amryt; served as occasional advisory board member for Novo Nordisk, Ascendis, Ipsen, Amryt, Recordati, Xeris and Crinetics; served as occasional speaker for Novo Nordisk and Recordati. LSB and JMK have nothing to disclose. DRC has acted as a consultant for Novo Nordisk. MFa and JMT are employees and stockholders of Novo Nordisk. ARH has acted as consultant for Ascendis and Novo Nordisk. NK is an employee of Novo Nordisk; and holds stocks in Novo Nordisk and Pfizer. MFl has received research support for her institution from Ascendis; received occasional consulting honoraria from Ascendis, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer, and is part of the Pituitary Society Board of Directors.

Figures

None
Graphical abstract
Figure 1
Figure 1
Mean monthly direct medical costs for people in the groups identified as having a high, moderate, or low likelihood of AGHD. Data are presented as the average cost over the analysis period in USD ($) per patient per month for each level of likelihood as follows: (a) Total medical costs, (b) Inpatient and outpatient costs, (c) Medications, and (d) Costs per healthcare element expressed as a percentage of the total direct medical costs (error bars/values in parentheses indicate 95% confidence intervals).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Annual mean cost trajectory for each level of likelihood of AGHD. Data per year are presented for high- and moderate-likelihood groups for the period of 10 years before (−10 years) and after (+10 years) year 0, and for the low-likelihood group over 10 years from the index date for (a) Total direct medical costs in the previous year, (b) Inpatient and outpatient visit costs in the previous year, and (c) Medication-related costs in the previous year.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Cost and health visits over time by level of AGHD likelihood. Data per year are presented for high- and moderate-likelihood groups for the period of 10 years before (−10 years) and after (+10 years) year 0, and for the low-likelihood group over 10 years from the index date for (a) The percentage of each likelihood group having a visit at some time in the previous year, (b) The average number of visits per patient in the previous year in each likelihood group and (c) The cost (USD, $) of each visit per patient per year.
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