A Gap Analyi Approach to Ae Patient Peritence with Glaucoma Medication Original Reearch Article

Purpoe To develop an alternative method for analyi of patient peritence with precribed medication uing the protaglandin cla of intraocular preure (IOP)-lowering drug a a model. Deign A retropective tudy of precription refill pattern. Method Patient with a pharmacy claim for a 2.5 ml bottle of latanoprot, travoprot, or bimatoprot between eptember 1, 2002 and December 31, 2002 were identified from a retail pharmacy databae and were followed up for 12 month. Three eparate analye defined gap in therapy a pan in exce of 45, 60, or 120 day without a refill for the ame medication. Patient were categorized by the number of gap in therapy and the cumulative length of gap. A Kaplan-Meier analyi wa conducted uing a 120-day allowable refill period. Reult For refill period of 45, 60, and 120 day, 10.6%, 28.6%, and 77.5% of patient, repectively, had no gap in therapy, and 32.6%, 53.4%, and 86.5%, repectively, had 30 day or fewer off therapy annually. According to the 45-day threhold analyi, 50.7% of patient had three or more gap v 18.5% in the 60-day analyi and none in the 120-day analyi. The Kaplan-Meier curve how 88.6% and 76.1% of patient were peritent for 120 day and one year, repectively. Concluion Compared with Kaplan-Meier urvival curve, the gap analyi approach may better parallel clinical experience with patient peritence, in which patient top and retart medication for a variety of reaon over time. Thi method alo may help to identify avenue for invetigation of lack of peritency among many patient.