Healthcare Resource Utilization 12 Months Following Initiation of Olanzapine/Samidorphan: Real-World Assessment of Patients With Bipolar I Disorder

INTRODUCTION: The combination of olanzapine and samidorphan (OLZ/SAM) provides the antipsychotic efficacy of olanzapine while mitigating olanzapine-associated weight gain. OLZ/SAM treatment was associated with significant reductions in acute healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) in a previous 6-month pre/post study. This study examined HCRU among patients with bipolar I disorder (BD-I) in the 12 months before and after OLZ/SAM initiation.
METHODS: Administrative claims data from October 18, 2020, to December 31, 2023, from the Komodo Healthcare Map were analyzed retrospectively. Adults with BD-I and continuous enrollment ≥12 months before (baseline) and after (follow-up) OLZ/SAM initiation were eligible. Inpatient (IP) admissions, emergency department (ED) and outpatient (OP) visits, and average number of IP days/patient were compared between baseline and follow-up. A secondary analysis was conducted in patients receiving OLZ/SAM for the full 12-month follow-up.
RESULTS: Patients (n=1004; mean age: 39 years; female: 69%) were on average persistent for 173.7 days. Proportions of patients with ≥1 all-cause, mental health (MH)-related, and BD-I-related IP admissions and ED visits significantly decreased between baseline and follow-up (all P < 0.001). Mean numbers of all-cause, MH-related, and BD-I-related IP days/patient decreased significantly (all P < 0.001). Proportions of patients with OP visits were similar during baseline and follow-up. Larger reductions in IP admissions and ED visits were observed in patients receiving OLZ/SAM for the entire 12-month follow-up period (both P < 0.001; n=300).
CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with BD-I, OLZ/SAM initiation results in clinically meaningful reductions in disease burden, as evidenced by reductions in hospital-based HCRU. Longer OLZ/SAM treatment retention was associated with improved effectiveness.