INTRODUCTION: Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is recommended as first-line therapy for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), a debilitating immune-mediated neuropathy. The clinical profile of patients with CIDP newly initiating IVIG is not well characterized.
OBJECTIVE: This retrospective claims-based cohort study aimed to identify and describe characteristics of US patients with CIDP initiating IVIG treatment.
METHODS: Adult IVIG-naïve patients with CIDP from 2008–2018 were identified via diagnosis coding using the IBM MarketScan Research Databases (full cohort). Characteristics of new IVIG users were described overall and by initial IVIG product.
RESULTS: New IVIG users (n=3975, mean age 57 years) had similar demographics compared with the full cohort (n=32,090, mean age 57 years). Almost all (99%) new IVIG users started treatment in an ambulatory setting, and 41% had prior nonimmunoglobulin CIDP treatments (35% high-dose corticosteroids). New IVIG users had greater comorbidity/symptom burden (weakness and/or difficulty walking [61% vs 35%], neuropathic/chronic pain [80% vs 64%], diabetes [33% vs 29%], hypertension [62% vs 52%], hypothyroidism [21% vs 18%], rheumatoid arthritis [19% vs 14%], and other autoimmune disorders [7% vs 3%]) and were more likely to have had diagnostic/laboratory testing than the full cohort. Clinical and demographic characteristics were similar across patient groups initiating specific IVIG products.
SUMMARY/CONCLUSION: Patients with CIDP initiating IVIG have a heavy burden of symptoms, comorbidities, and diagnostic/laboratory testing. The characteristics of US patients initiating different IVIG products are well balanced, suggesting that IVIG products are generally used interchangeably.
