CHICAGO, March 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Genetic tests
can help physicians more accurately diagnose and treat disease, but
now there is evidence that these tests can also influence behavior
-- motivating patients who are told of their test results to
regularly take and stay on medications to treat high
cholesterol. The results of the Additional KIF6 Risk Offers
Better Adherence to Statins (AKROBATS) study was presented today by
investigators from the Medco Research Institute™,
a subsidiary of Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MHS) and Quest
Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), the world's leading diagnostic testing
company, at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual
Scientific Session & Expo.
(Logo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100609/MEDCOLOGO )
The study found that patients who were provided written
information about their kinesin-like protein 6 (KIF6) gene
test improved their overall adherence to statin therapy over six
months, the study's primary end point, by 13 percent compared to
those that had not received the gene test.
"Medication adherence is an extremely important global issue in
patient care, and in particular for evidence-based therapies that
help to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk and cost burden of
cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke," said
Dr. Scott Charland, senior director
from the Medco Research Institute (MRI) and study principal
investigator. "This is the first prospective study to show
that genetic testing, and subsequently providing patients their
test results, has clinical utility through improving adherence to a
specific drug therapy -- a finding that could open-up a whole new
way of thinking about the benefits of pharmacogenetic testing."
Study Details
The study examined medication adherence of 1,294 patients
that were newly prescribed statins. A laboratory-developed
gene test to measure KIF6 carrier status was provided to 647
patients while 647 patients in the control group did not receive a
genetic test. The two groups were matched for age, gender,
prescription distribution channel, and the number of chronic
medications used. After controlling for other patient
characteristics known to affect adherence (such as co-morbidities
and socioeconomic status), tested patients who were informed of
their test result had significantly higher overall adherence to
their statin treatment as measured by the proportion of days with
medication on hand over a six-month period, the study's primary end
point (77 percent of days covered versus 68 percent).
Furthermore, tested patients were almost two times more likely (99
percent) to be categorized as adherent as measured by patients who
had statin medication on hand 80 percent or more of the time. They
were also 83 percent more likely to be persistent, meaning they
stayed on their statin therapy for the full six
months. AKROBATS is registered on www.clinicaltrials.gov
(NCT01068834).
"We focused on statins in this study because of the tens of
millions of patients prescribed these medications in the US every
year, the drug spend, the known low degree of adherence and
persistence to them, and the modest impact of most adherence
interventions to date," said Dr. Eric
Stanek, MRI vice president, and senior author on the
study. "Given the well-established relationship between
increasing statin adherence and reduced cardiovascular events and
overall costs, as well as improved workplace productivity, it's
exciting to begin thinking about genetic testing or other
personalized medicine approaches as useful new tools to empower and
motivate patients to increase adherence and persistence."
About Medco Research Institute
Medco Research Institute® is an evidence-based research
organization focused solely on novel research, analytics and new
discoveries that close the gap between scientific discovery and
medical practice for improved patient outcomes and lower overall
healthcare costs. More information about the Medco Research
Institute's peer-reviewed research can be found at
www.medcoresearch.com.
About Quest Diagnostics and Berkeley HeartLab
Quest Diagnostics, the world's leading diagnostic testing
company, offers genetic and non-genetic testing through Berkeley
HeartLab, the company's business unit specializing in advanced
cardiovascular disease testing. Berkeley HeartLab offers the
4myheart program, an educational program for patients that provides
personalized care, including for medication adherence, to help
patients improve their cardiac health. Quest Diagnostics offers a
laboratory-developed test for the KIF6 gene variant through
Berkeley HeartLab. For more information, visit
www.QuestDiagnostics.com or www.4myheart.com.
About Medco
Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MHS) is pioneering
The world's most advanced pharmacy® and its clinical
research and innovations are part of Medco, making medicine
smarter™ for millions of Americans.
With more than 20,000 employees worldwide dedicated to improving
patient health and reducing costs for a wide range of public and
private sector clients, and 2011 revenues of $70 billion, Medco ranks 34th on the 2011 Fortune
500 list and is named among the world's most innovative, most
admired and most trustworthy companies.
For more information, go to http://www.medcohealth.com.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that
term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may
cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the
statements. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and
actual results may differ materially from those projected. We
undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking
statement, whether as a result of new information, future events,
or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this press release
should be evaluated together with the risks and uncertainties that
affect our business, particularly those mentioned in the Risk
Factors section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
SOURCE Medco Health Solutions, Inc.