Tag Archives: disparities

Delayed Commentary

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I was a little disappointed (aka first world problem) that this commentary appeared in the February print edition of The Journal of Pediatrics about 4 months after the publication of the analyzed study. This blog commented on this study in October: Disparities Are Abundant in Pediatrics -4 Studies on IBD, SUID, Specialty Referrals and in the NICU re: J Smith et al. J Pediatr 2023; 260: 113522.

DJ Spencer. J Pediatr 2024; DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2023.113839. Open Access! Understanding Health Outcomes in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Contributing Factors that Aren’t so Black and White

“In this issue of The Journal, Smith et al report the results of an historical cohort analysis of 519 children and adolescents with newly diagnosed IBD (2013-2020)… Smith et al ask the question of whether the greater rate of complicated disease in Black patients is related more to delayed diagnosis or access to therapy rather than inherent race-based differences in response to treatment.”

Key points:

  • “In this study, Smith et al importantly identified no difference in initiating standard medical therapies based on race. Specifically, they report no difference in initial corticosteroid usage, time to initiation of maintenance therapy, or time to initiate antitumor necrosis factor therapy. In patients receiving biologics, both Black and White patients received similar loading doses and frequency of therapeutic drug monitoring.”
  • “Despite comparable disease presentation and approach to medical therapy in this study cohort, Black patients strikingly remained only one-half as likely to reach corticosteroid-free remission at 12 months compared with White patients (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.3-0.9).”
  • ” Black patients were less likely to be seen in gastroenterology specialty clinic for follow-up, more likely to present to the emergency department, and more likely to be hospitalized.”
  • “This study described poorer outcomes in Black patients despite similar treatments. However, the authors fail to arrive at a definitive answer as to why this is the case.”

My take: Black patients, even when offered similar IBD treatment, clearly experience inferior outcomes. While access and social determinants of health are important, there may be biological/phenotypic factors (eg. more aggressive disease) that are involved as well. More studies are needed. This editorial is a helpful review -the timing of the editorial in the print edition many months later, though, is a head-scratcher.

Unrelated topic: CDC COVID-19 Recommendation

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced new isolation guidance for Covid-19 this week. At the start of the pandemic, people were recommended to stay home for 10 days after testing positive. At the height of the Omicron wave, that was revised to 5 days. This week, isolation time was revised to 24 hours without a fever and symptoms improving, which is similar to the recommendations for other illnesses.

St Johns Honeymoon Beach

Related blog posts:

Adalimumab Biosimilars on the Horizon (Finally) Plus Two Studies

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GoodRx Health (Jan 3, 2023): Humira Biosimilar Boom: 8 Meds Launching in 2023 There are more than 17 billion reasons why there are 8 new adalimumab (Humira) biosimilars coming to the market.

Excerpts:

1. Amjevita

Amjevita (adalimumab-atto) will be available in prefilled autoinjector pens (40 mg) and prefilled syringes (20 mg, 40 mg). Amjevita products will come in low-concentration forms, but they will be citrate-free. It’s expected to launch on January 31, 2023.

2. Cyltezo

Cyltezo (adalimumab-adbm) became the first biosimilar to be designated as interchangeable with Humira. Interchangeable biosimilars go through additional studies to determine whether you can switch back and forth between the biosimilar and the original product without issues. Biosimilars without this designation haven’t gone through these same studies. 

Cyltezo will only be available in a prefilled syringe and will come in two doses: 20 mg and 40 mg. Both are low-concentration forms and citrate-free. Cyltezo is expected to launch in the U.S. as early as July 1, 2023.

3. Hyrimoz

Hyrimoz (adalimumab-adaz): a 40 mg dose will be available in both a pen and a syringe. A 10 mg syringe will also be available. Both are low-concentration forms. These products contain citric acid, which is closely related to citrate. Citric acid can also make injections more painful. A citrate-free high-concentration form of Hyrimoz is currently under FDA review. Hyrimoz is expected to launch in the U.S. on September 30, 2023.

4. Hadlima

Hadlima (adalimumab-bwwd) will be available in both an autoinjector and a syringe in a 40 mg dose. And it will come in both low- and high-concentration forms. The high-concentration form will be citrate-free. Hadlima is expected to launch in the U.S. on or after July 1, 2023.

5. Abrilada

Abrilada (adalimumab-afzb) will be available in a prefilled pen (40 mg) and in a syringe (10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg). All Abrilada products will be low-concentration forms and citrate-free. Abrilada’s manufacturer has applied for interchangeable status with Humira. Abrilada is expected to launch in the U.S. as early as July 1, 2023.

6. Hulio

Hulio (adalimumab-fkjp) will be available in a prefilled pen (40 mg) and in a syringe (20 mg and 40 mg). All forms are low-concentration and citrate-free. Hulio is expected to launch in the U.S. on or after July 1, 2023.

7. Yusimry

Yusimry (adalimumab-aqvh) will only be available in a 40 mg prefilled syringe. It will be in a low-concentration form and citrate-free. Yusimry is expected to launch in the U.S. on or after July 1, 2023.

8. Idacio

Idacio (adalimumab-aacf) will be available in a 40 mg dose in both a pen and a syringe. Both forms will be low-concentration and citrate-free. Idacio is expected to launch in the U.S. as early as July 1, 2023.

My take: In high school, one of math teachers used to call me Hochman sub-1 and my twin brother Hochman sub-2. Perhaps, we can start designating biosimilars in a similar fashion?

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Two other important studies I wanted to cite -both studies have Benjamin Gold, one of my better-known partners, as one of the authors:

  • KA Chien, C Thomas, V Cooley, T Weinstein, KF Murray, L Muir, C Hayes, BD Gold, LM Gerber, CG Sauer, G Tomer. JPGN 2023; 76: 25-32. Physician Burnout in Pediatric Gastroenterology In this survey with 408 responses (23% response rate), the authors found 29% reported high risk for emotional exhaustion, 18% reported high risk for depersonalization, and 33% reported overall burnout.
  • VC Cohran, BD Gold, DJ Spencer, CR Cole. JPGN 2022; 75: 689-691. Health Care Disparities in Gastroenterology: The Pediatric Gastroenterology Perspective This commentary reviewed survey results highlighting healthcare disparities which have been identified in IBD, NALFD, and liver transplantation. The authors outline some of the steps that NASPGHAN has taken as well as some of the work that is needed.