Impact of semaglutide 2.4 mg on healthcare resource utilization and medical costs in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in the United States (SHINE-ASCVD).

Abstract

Background: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Semaglutide 2.4 mg (Wegovy) has demonstrated improved outcomes in patients with overweight or obesity (ov/ob) and ASCVD, but its impact on medical costs and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) remains unknown.

Aims: To compare all-cause medical costs and HCRU among patients with ov/ob and ASCVD treated with semaglutide 2.4 mg versus semaglutide-untreated controls.

Materials and methods: This observational cohort study utilized Komodo's Healthcare Map and included patients with ov/ob and ≥1 diagnosis of ASCVD during the baseline period with ≥12 months of insurance coverage before and after the index date. Patients in the semaglutide 2.4 mg cohort initiated treatment after 4 June 2021 and stayed adherent. Semaglutide-untreated controls were randomly selected and 1:4 propensity score matched based on baseline demographics, clinical characteristics, medical costs, and HCRU. Medical costs and HCRU were compared using generalized linear models.

Results: 770 semaglutide 2.4 mg-treated patients and 3,080 controls were included. In the year following treatment initiation, semaglutide 2.4 mg was associated with 22% lower mean medical costs versus controls (-$4,639 per patient per year [PPPY]; cost ratio = 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.67, 0.89). This difference is mainly due to lower inpatient costs with semaglutide 2.4 mg, which were 65% lower than controls (-$3,593; cost ratio = 0.35 [95% CI 0.21, 0.49]), along with a 48% lower inpatient visit rate (0.08 vs. 0.15; rate ratio = 0.52 [95% CI 0.34, 0.70]).

Limitations: Limitations inherent to retrospective claims analyses apply to this study.

Conclusions: This real-world analysis shows significantly lower annual medical costs and HCRU with semaglutide 2.4 mg versus no semaglutide 2.4 mg treatment in patients with ov/ob and ASCVD. Improving outcomes with semaglutide 2.4 mg combined with lower costs and HCRU may help slow the growing burden of ASCVD in this population.