Survival Outcomes in US Medicare Patients with Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis by Rate of Baseline Exacerbations

Introduction: There are limited real-world data on outcomes in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFBE). This study assessed clinical characteristics and survival in patients with NCFBE by baseline exacerbation rate.

Methods: Patients with bronchiectasis (≥ 1 inpatient or ≥ 2 outpatient claims with a bronchiectasis diagnosis code, or one outpatient claim with bronchiectasis code and a chest computed tomography scan) were from the 100% Medicare Fee-for-Service database (Jan 2014-Dec 2020). Patients had continuous enrollment ≥ 12 months pre-index (baseline) and post-index (follow-up), with index a random bronchiectasis claim preceded by ≥ 12 months bronchiectasis history. Patients with cystic fibrosis were excluded. Patients were stratified by exacerbations during baseline (0, 1, or ≥ 2). Follow-up exacerbation rate and all-cause mortality were assessed. Controls were identified using a multistep direct matching approach. Time to death from index was estimated by Kaplan-Meier analyses.

Results: Exacerbation analysis included 92,529 patients with NCFBE and 92,529 matched controls. Exacerbations were common (43% had ≥ 1 exacerbation), with patients with more baseline exacerbations more likely to have ≥ 2 exacerbations during follow-up (11.4%, 24.2%, and 46.8% of patients with 0, 1, and ≥ 2 baseline exacerbations, respectively). Survival analysis included 110,298 patients with NCFBE and 110,298 controls. Time to death was shorter in patients with more baseline exacerbations (P < 0.0001). Five-year survival was 55.3%, 62.6%, and 65.4% for patients with ≥ 2, 1, and 0 baseline exacerbations, respectively, compared with 64.1% for controls.

Conclusions: In these patients with NCFBE, exacerbations were common. History of exacerbations was associated with future exacerbations and increased all-cause mortality.