Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine patient/caregiver preference for key attributes of treatments for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). BACKGROUND: In the rapidly evolving SMA treatment landscape, it is critically important to understand how attributes of potential treatments may impact patient/caregiver choices.DESIGN/METHODS: A discrete choice experiment survey was developed based on qualitative interviews. Patients with SMA (18 years) and caregivers of patients were recruited through a U.S. patient organization. Respondents made choices in each of 12 sets of hypothetical treatments. The relative importance of five treatment characteristics was compared (measured by regression coefficients [RC] of conditional logit models): (1) improvement or stabilization of motor function, (2) improvement or stabilization of breathing function, (3) indication for all ages or pediatric patients only, (4) route of administration (repeated intrathecal [IT] injections, one-time intravenous [IV] infusion, daily oral delivery) and (5) potential harm (mild, moderate, serious/life threatening).RESULTS: Patient ages ranged from less than 1 to 67 years (n=101, 65 self-reported and 36 caregiver-reported) and 64 were female. Total SMA subtypes included: type 1 (n=21), type 2 (n=48), type 3 (n=29), other (n=3). Prior spinal surgery was reported in 47 patients. Nusinersen and onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi use were reported in 59 and 10 patients, respectively. Improvement in motor and breathing function was highly valued (RC: 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.47–0.83 and RC: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.60–0.98, respectively). Oral medication and one-time infusion were strongly preferred over repeated IT injections (RC: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.60–0.98 and RC: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.30–0.73, respectively). Patients least preferred an age-restricted label/approved use ( 2 years of age) (RC: -1.28, 95% CI: -1.47 to -1.09). Cross-attributes trade-off decision suggested a lower willingness for a high-risk therapy despite additional efficacy gain. For some patients, there may be willingness to trade off additional gains in efficacy for a change in route of administration from repeated intrathecal administration to oral medication.CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in motor/breathing function, broad indication, oral or one-time infusion, and minimal risk were preferred treatment attributes. Treatment decisions should be made in clinical context and be tailored to patient needs.
PP3 VALUATION OF SF-6DV2 HEALTH STATES USING TIME TRADE-OFF AND DISCRETE CHOICE EXPERIMENT WITH DURATION APPROACHES IN CHINA