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Abstract: PUB303

Outpatient Treatment Patterns of Hyperkalemia in the United States: The Design and Initial Findings from ZORA, an Observational Study

Session Information

Category: CKD (Non-Dialysis)

  • 2101 CKD (Non-Dialysis): Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Prevention

Authors

  • Lesén, Eva, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
  • Agiro, Abiy, AstraZeneca US, Wilmington, Delaware, United States
  • Allum, Alaster, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
  • Hedberg, Jonatan, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
  • Khezrian, Mina, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
  • Järbrink, Krister, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
Background

Hyperkalemia (HK) is a potentially life-threatening disorder due to alterations in cardiac conduction, which may result in arrhythmias and sudden death. Potassium binders is a key pillar in the outpatient treatment of HK, but conventional binders, including sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS), are generally poorly tolerated, lack palatability and have limited long-term efficacy – with suboptimal use as a consequence. New potassium binders (patiromer and sodium zirconium cyclosilicate [SZC]) with a more beneficial tolerability profile have become available, but contemporary real-world evidence on outpatient treatment patterns including these new therapeutic options is scarce.

Purpose: To describe the characteristics and treatment patterns among patients with outpatient potassium binder treatment in the US.

Methods

This is an observational study including patients who filled an outpatient prescription for SPS, patiromer or SZC between 1 Jan 2018 and 30 Jun 2020, as identified in HealthVerity claims data linked with Quest Diagnostics laboratory data. Patient characteristics and binder treatment patterns will be described using standard descriptive statistics and survival analysis.

Results

The data set includes a random sample of 20,000 patients with a filled prescription for SPS, and approximately 20,000 patients with a filled prescription for a new binder (patiromer or SZC), over a data capture period of 30 months for patiromer and 12 months for SZC. Analyses on patient characteristics (such as demographics, HK severity, comorbidities, treatment history etc.) and their associations with outpatient treatment choice, as well as binder treatment patterns and trends over time, are ongoing and will be presented.

Conclusion

This study will identify important insights into the characteristics and binder treatment patterns among US patients with HK, and provide useful guidance to improve adherence to guidelines and optimize patient care.

Funding

  • Commercial Support – AstraZeneca