Better outcomes observed for Dravet patients who continue Fintepla
Children, adults treated for 6 months saw fewer seizures, fewer hospital visits
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Most children and adults living with Dravet syndrome in the U.S. who remain on Fintepla (fenfluramine) for at least six months have fewer seizures and fewer hospital and emergency visits during that time, a study finds.
The study, “Healthcare resource utilization and persistence in children and adults with Dravet syndrome receiving fenfluramine: a retrospective analysis using United States claims data,” was published in Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy.
Dravet syndrome is a severe form of epilepsy that begins in childhood and continues into adulthood, causing frequent seizures, among other symptoms. Fintepla is an add-on medication approved to reduce seizure frequency in Dravet syndrome. It works by causing the release of serotonin in the brain to reduce the likelihood of seizures. Serotonin is used by nerve cells to communicate with neighboring cells.
Better outcomes
The study drew on health insurance claims from the Komodo Health claims database, and researchers reviewed children and adults with Dravet with continuous medical records for at least six months before and after starting Fintepla. The study included 425 patients, of whom 190 were receiving Fintepla alone. Most (84%) continued Fintepla for at least six months, alone or as an add-on to Diacomit (stiripentol) or Epidiolex (cannabidiol).
“A large proportion of children and adults receiving [Fintepla] continue with treatment for at least [six] months in a real-world setting,” the researchers wrote.
The majority of patients (94%) were using anti-seizure medications in the six months before starting Fintepla. Among the 355 patients who continued Fintepla for at least six months, 160 did not receive Diacomit or Epidiolex. For those who continued Fintepla, the use of rescue anti-seizure medications was reduced by 15%, but for those on Fintepla alone, it fell by 28%.
After starting Fintepla, the number of visits to the neurology department decreased by 22% and 34%, respectively, and visits to the emergency room due to seizures decreased by 44% and 64%. Hospital admissions related to seizures decreased by 31% and 53%, and outpatient visits related to seizures decreased by 19% and 25%, respectively.
Most patients with Dravet stayed on Fintepla for at least six months, and this continued use was linked with fewer seizures requiring medical care. While these findings are promising, more research is needed to confirm long-term benefits and understand how well Fintepla works in different groups over time.
“Treatment persistence has been a useful metric to understand treatment use in real-world clinical practice,” the researchers wrote. While the study did not include a matched group of patients who didn’t start treatment with Fintepla, “treatment persistence indicates that children and adults with [Dravet syndrome] tend to continue with [Fintepla],” and this is linked to lower use of healthcare resources.
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