XXXX immunotherapy prescribing trends for grass pollen-induced @entity2023 in Germany: a retrospective cohort analysis.

@entity1 @entity566 @entity2023
BACKGROUND: @entity566 immunotherapy is an effective treatment for @entity1 with @entity2023 whose symptoms are unresolved with pharmacotherapy. @entity566 immunotherapy for grass pollen-induced @entity2023 is available in three modalities: subcutaneous immunotherapy and sublingual immunotherapy as a tablet or drop. This study aimed to understand trends in @entity566 immunotherapy prescribing and practice patterns for grass @entity566 in adult and paediatric @entity1 in Germany. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using IMS Disease Analyzer in Germany. @entity1 with an @entity566 immunotherapy prescription for grass pollen (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical [ATC] classification code V01AA02) from September 2005 to December 2012 were included in the study. General Practitioners (GPs), dermatologists, Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)-specialists, paediatricians and pneumologists were included as the @entity566 immunotherapy prescribing physicians in the study. Descriptive analyses were conducted on @entity1 characteristics at index and prescribing physician specialty; a test for trend was conducted for timing of initiation of first @entity566 immunotherapy prescription in each annual prescribing season. RESULTS: Eighteen thousand eight hundred fifty eligible @entity1 were identified during the study period. The majority of @entity1 received subcutaneous immunotherapy; however, the proportion of @entity1 receiving sublingual immunotherapy tablets increased from 8  % in 2006/2007 to 29  % in 2011/2012 (p   <   0.001). Initiation of subcutaneous immunotherapy and Oralair   generally peaked during each prescribing year in two seasons (September-October and January) while GRAZAX   prescriptions peaked in autumn (September-October). ENT-specialists and dermatologists were the largest @entity566 immunotherapy prescribers in adults, while paediatricians and ENT-specialists were the largest prescribers of @entity566 immunotherapy in paediatric @entity1 . CONCLUSIONS: Subcutaneous immunotherapy remained the dominant @entity566 immunotherapy modality for grass pollen-induced @entity2023 in Germany for adult and paediatric @entity1 ; however, there was a marked increase in proportion of @entity1 receiving sublingual immunotherapy tablets from 2006/2007 to 2011/2012, after their introduction to the market in 2006. ENT-specialists, dermatologists and paediatricians were responsible for the majority of prescribing. The predominance of particular modalities within certain physician specialties likely reflects different treatment goals or needs.
