Contributions
Abstract: EP1724
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Therapy - Others
Introduction: Making therapeutic decisions in multiple sclerosis (MS) is becoming increasingly difficult due to a more complicated risk-benefit spectrum of new agents.
Medical conferences may play an important role in the ongoing education of healthcare professionals. However, limited information is available on the impact of annual ECTRIMS Congress on the management of patients with MS.
Objective: To assess the influence of attendance to the last ECTRIMS Congress on therapeutic decisions and management errors by applying principles from behavioral economics.
Methods: A web-based, cross-sectional study was conducted comprising neurologists with expertise in MS care throughout Spain. Participants answered questions regarding the management of 20 case-scenarios commonly encountered in clinical practice and completed 3 surveys and 4 experimental paradigms based on behavioral economics. We assessed treatment escalation when therapeutic goals were unmet (e.g. progressive cognitive decline, disease progression). Management errors (ME) were tested with tolerability and safety scenarios (e.g. management of gastrointestinal events, lymphopenia, or elevated liver enzymes). Multivariable analysis was adjusted for age, level of expertise, practice setting and patient volume, and reported as OR; 95%CI.
Results: Ninety-six participants completed the study. Mean age was 39.5 ± 8.5 years; 53% were female. Two-thirds primarily focused their practice on MS care (n = 64; 66.7%). Mean years in practice was 14, commonly assessing 20 ± 15 MS patients per week. Fifty-six (58.3%) attended to the latest ECTRIMS. Lack of treatment escalation was detected in at least one case-scenario in 68.8% of participants. One third of neurologists made at least one ME, whereas 18.8% made two ME out of three case-scenarios. Attendance to ECTRIMS was associated with an increase likelihood of treatment escalation in presence of progressive cognitive decline (OR 2.44; 95% CI 1.06-5.82) and lower number of management errors (OR 0.26; 95%CI 0.07-0.98).
Conclusions: Attending to ECTRIMS Congress was associated with a positive impact on the medical management of patients with MS irrespective of participant's demography, level of expertise, and practice setting.
Disclosure: The study was sponsored by the Sociedad Española de Neurologia (SEN) and funded by Roche Farma Spain. GS is supported by the Heart and Stroke Foundation Distinguished Clinician-Scientist and Mid-Career Awards. XM reports personal fees for consultancy
and speaking from Actelion, Bayer, Biogen, Celgene, Hoffmann-La Roche, Merck, Novartis, Oryzon Genomics, Sanofi Genzyme, and Teva. JM is an employee of Roche Farma Spain. APS and MT: nothing to disclose.
Abstract: EP1724
Type: Poster Sessions
Abstract Category: Therapy - Others
Introduction: Making therapeutic decisions in multiple sclerosis (MS) is becoming increasingly difficult due to a more complicated risk-benefit spectrum of new agents.
Medical conferences may play an important role in the ongoing education of healthcare professionals. However, limited information is available on the impact of annual ECTRIMS Congress on the management of patients with MS.
Objective: To assess the influence of attendance to the last ECTRIMS Congress on therapeutic decisions and management errors by applying principles from behavioral economics.
Methods: A web-based, cross-sectional study was conducted comprising neurologists with expertise in MS care throughout Spain. Participants answered questions regarding the management of 20 case-scenarios commonly encountered in clinical practice and completed 3 surveys and 4 experimental paradigms based on behavioral economics. We assessed treatment escalation when therapeutic goals were unmet (e.g. progressive cognitive decline, disease progression). Management errors (ME) were tested with tolerability and safety scenarios (e.g. management of gastrointestinal events, lymphopenia, or elevated liver enzymes). Multivariable analysis was adjusted for age, level of expertise, practice setting and patient volume, and reported as OR; 95%CI.
Results: Ninety-six participants completed the study. Mean age was 39.5 ± 8.5 years; 53% were female. Two-thirds primarily focused their practice on MS care (n = 64; 66.7%). Mean years in practice was 14, commonly assessing 20 ± 15 MS patients per week. Fifty-six (58.3%) attended to the latest ECTRIMS. Lack of treatment escalation was detected in at least one case-scenario in 68.8% of participants. One third of neurologists made at least one ME, whereas 18.8% made two ME out of three case-scenarios. Attendance to ECTRIMS was associated with an increase likelihood of treatment escalation in presence of progressive cognitive decline (OR 2.44; 95% CI 1.06-5.82) and lower number of management errors (OR 0.26; 95%CI 0.07-0.98).
Conclusions: Attending to ECTRIMS Congress was associated with a positive impact on the medical management of patients with MS irrespective of participant's demography, level of expertise, and practice setting.
Disclosure: The study was sponsored by the Sociedad Española de Neurologia (SEN) and funded by Roche Farma Spain. GS is supported by the Heart and Stroke Foundation Distinguished Clinician-Scientist and Mid-Career Awards. XM reports personal fees for consultancy
and speaking from Actelion, Bayer, Biogen, Celgene, Hoffmann-La Roche, Merck, Novartis, Oryzon Genomics, Sanofi Genzyme, and Teva. JM is an employee of Roche Farma Spain. APS and MT: nothing to disclose.