Treatment Patterns in Patients with Uterine Fibroids With and Without a Diagnosis of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding: Results from a Large U.S. Claims Database

BACKGROUND: This retrospective database analysis describes clinical characteristics and treatment patterns of U.S. women with a diagnosis for uterine fibroids (UF), both with and without heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two cohorts aged 18–50 years with an incident UF diagnosis, comprising women with and without claims for HMB (UF-HMB and UF-only), were identified from the IQVIA PharMetrics(®) Plus database (January 1, 2010–December 31, 2019). The index date was the first UF claim following diagnosis; treatment patterns were documented for postindex years 1 and 2 and the full duration of postindex follow-up. Also identified were claims for symptoms or signs potentially associated with UF. Outcomes were the proportion of patients treated with pharmacologic therapies of interest and gynecologic procedures. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with postdiagnosis hysterectomy and hormonal therapy. RESULTS: A total of 66,313 (71.8%) women were included in the UF-HMB cohort (mean age [standard deviation]) 42.6 [5.4] years), and 26,068 (28.2%) in the UF-only cohort (41.8 [6.3]). Median follow-up was ∼4 years. Pain was the most common symptom (42.7% in patients with UF-HMB and 36.6% with UF-only); also common were abnormal bleeding (15.6%, 11.5%) and fatigue (22.2%, 15.5%). Within 1 year of UF diagnosis, 28.8% and 49.2% of women with UF-HMB and UF-only, respectively, had no claims for relevant pharmacologic or surgical treatment. In logistic regression, multiple factors were associated with a higher likelihood of receiving hysterectomy or hormonal therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with UF-HMB were more likely to receive UF treatment, either surgical or pharmacologic, than women with UF-only. Apart from HMB, pain was the most commonly documented symptom of UF.