PREDICTORS OF NEBULIZED ARFORMOTEROL USE: A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS AMONG MEDICARE BENEFICIARIES WITH CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate predictors of nebulized long-acting beta2 agonist (LABA) Arformoterol (Brovana®) use among Medicare beneficiaries with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used Medicare administrative data from 2010-2014 to identify beneficiaries with >2 COPD outpatient visits 30 days apart or ≥1 COPD-related hospitalization(s) using ICD-9 codes (i.e., 491. xx, 492.xx, and 496). Inclusion criteria required beneficiaries to have ≥1 COPD medication claim(s) and continuous enrollment in Medicare parts A, B, and D. After excluding deaths, beneficiaries who initiated Brovana R (study group, n=ll,886) were compared to those without Brovana k use (control group, n=450,178) to examine predictors of Brovana R use. Logistic regression analyses were employed to examine predictors of Brovana k use. Odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals, and p-values were computed. RESULTS: In this analysis, 91% were Caucasian (91%), 60% were female, and 36% were dual-eligibles. Mean age was similar among Brovana ft users (72.2 ±10.1 years) and controls (72.3 ±10.2 years). Beneficiaries were more likely to receive Brovana it if they were using LAMAs (OR=1.1, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.2), inhaled SABAs (OR=1.1, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.2), systemic corticosteroids (OR=1.5, 95% CI: 1.4, 1.6), or methylxanthines (OR=1.4,95% CI: 1.3,1.5). Brovana u users were more likely to have a COPD-related hospitalization (OR=1.3, 95% CI: 1.2, 1.4), an outpatient pulmonologist visit (OR=1.4, 95% CI: 1.3, 1.5), ≥1 exacerbation(s) (OR=1.3, 95% CI: 1.3,1.4), or oxygen dependence (OR=2.0, 95% CI: 1.9, 2.1) in the year prior to initiating Brovana (all p's