New Novo Nordisk Data Demonstrate Caregiver Burden and Prevalence of Pain in People Living With Hemophilia

TORONTO, June 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Novo Nordisk presented new data detailing the impact hemophilia has on both caregivers and those living with the disease. Results from 2 separate studies presented at the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) 2015 Congress in Toronto, Canada, showed many caregivers experience significant emotional stress and concern over the financial burden of treatment, and indicated a high prevalence of pain among people living with hemophilia. These findings provide insights into the quality of life associated with hemophilia and add to the body of knowledge uncovered in the company's Hemophilia Experiences, Results, and Opportunities (HERO) study, the largest-ever multinational, comprehensive study that aimed to increase understanding of psychosocial issues impacting people with hemophilia.

"These wide-ranging data uncover the tremendous burden hemophilia has on both patients and caregivers and reinforces the importance of an individualized treatment approach for this chronic disease," said David Cooper, MD, Senior Director, Medical Affairs, Novo Nordisk.

HEMOCAB™ Scale Pilot Test
Results from a pilot test of the "HEMOphilia associated CAregiver Burden" scale (HEMOCAB™) found that among the domains surveyed, emotional stress, financial burden, perception of child, and impact on the caregivers themselves were reported to be the most burdensome. The findings cite 74% of caregivers frequently feeling afraid that their child might get injured when they are not around to provide help. Additionally, 73% of caregivers expressed feelings of sadness about informing a child of what he/she can and cannot do due to his/her illness. Fifty-three percent of caregivers reported the cost of treating a child with hemophilia impacts family life. Importantly, the study found that caregiver burden is greatest among individuals caring for a child who has/had inhibitory antibodies against clotting factor replacement.¹

The HEMOCAB™ questionnaire was provided to US caregivers of children with hemophilia with and without inhibitors younger than 22 years of age, with the objective to conduct a pilot test consisting of 13 domains to identify burdens associated with decreasing health-related quality of life. Forty caregivers were recruited, a majority of whom had a child with hemophilia A without inhibitors.¹

P-FiQ Study
Findings from initial analyses of the Pain, Functional Impairment and Quality of Life
(P-FiQ) study substantiated the high prevalence of pain in adults with hemophilia, with the majority of participants (85.2%) having reported they experienced acute and/or chronic (persistent) pain over the past 6 months.² Data demonstrated pain and functional impairment were ubiquitous and impacted patients' daily activities, especially mobility and quality of life.³ The investigators validated patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments through these data, noting the reliability of the methodology and highlighting its capacity to consistently evaluate pain and functional impairments.⁴

The P-FiQ study was provided to adult male patients with hemophilia (mild to severe) with a history of joint pain or bleeding to assess pain and functional impairment through 5 PRO instruments to provide insight to individualizing treatment plans. During routine visits over the course of a year, participants completed a pain history and 5 PROs. Of the 381 patients enrolled from October 2013 to October 2014, 164 completed the retest. Ongoing analysis of the complete study population will include individual question responses and assessment of different domains.^2-4

"Pain and discomfort are significant challenges for people with hemophilia. These results emphasize the importance of providing comprehensive care and support beyond traditional therapy to people living with bleeding disorders," said Michael Recht, MD, PhD, Oregon Health Sciences University.

"We are committed to further research to better understand the unique and ongoing challenges patients and their loved ones face in managing the disease," said Natalia Holot, MD, Executive Director, Medical Affairs, Novo Nordisk.

About Hemophilia
Hemophilia is a rare blood clotting disorder. Internal bleeding into the joints, muscles, and other tissues can cause severe pain, joint damage, and disability. The worldwide incidence of hemophilia A is approximately 1 case per 5,000 males, approximately 30% of whom have no family history.⁵ Hemophilia B occurs in 1 case per 30,000 males.⁵ Globally, it is estimated that about 176,000 people have hemophilia⁶; in the United States, it is estimated that 20,000 people have this disorder.⁷

About Novo Nordisk
Headquartered in Denmark, Novo Nordisk is a global healthcare company with more than 90 years of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. The company also has leading positions within hemophilia care, growth hormone therapy, and hormone replacement therapy. Novo Nordisk employs approximately 41,500 employees in 75 countries and markets its products in more than 180 countries. For more information, visit novonordisk.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or YouTube.

References                                 

1. von Mackensen S, Wisniewski T, Urgo JC, et al. Pilot test of the first hemophilia-specific burden scale for caregivers of children with hemophilia in the United States—the HEMOphilia associated CAregiver Burden scale (HEMOCAB™). Poster presented at: International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) 2015 Congress; June 20-25, 2015; Toronto, Canada.
2. Buckner T, Witkop M, Wang M, et al. Prevalence, description, and management of pain in adult people with hemophilia (PWH): initial lessons from the Pain, Functional Impairment and Quality of Life (P-FiQ) study. Poster presented at: International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) 2015 Congress; June 20-25, 2015; Toronto, Canada.
3. Kempton C, Recht M, Neff A, et al. Impact of pain and functional impairment in US adult people with hemophilia (PWH): results from retest population in the Pain, Functional Impairment and Quality of Life (P-FiQ) study. Poster presented at: International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) 2015 Congress; June 20-25, 2015; Toronto, Canada.
4. Wang M, Neff A, Shapiro A, et al. Reliability of patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments in United States adult people with hemophilia (PWH): the Pain, Functional Impairment and Quality of Life (P-FiQ) study. Poster presented at: International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) 2015 Congress; June 20-25, 2015; Toronto, Canada.
5. Pruthi RK. Hemophilia: a practical approach to genetic testing. Mayo Clin Proc. 2005;80(11):1485-1499.
6. World Federation of Hemophilia. Report on the Annual Global Survey 2012. Published by World Federation of Hemophilia: Montreal, Canada; 2013.
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data & Statistics: In the United States. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hemophilia/data.html. Updated August 26, 2014. Accessed May 29, 2015.

HEMOCAB™ is a trademark of Novo Nordisk Health Care AG. 
Novo Nordisk is a registered trademark of Novo Nordisk A/S.

SOURCE Novo Nordisk

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