Maureen Dubreuil, MD is a rheumatologist and Instructor of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) whose research is focused on spondyloarthritis (SpA), an inflammatory arthritis that can cause fusion of the spine, leading to limitation in spinal mobility with resultant substantial disability. Her long-term goal s to identify management strategies that maximize SpA patients' satisfaction, function and quality of life, while minimizing adverse outcomes and costs. Dr. Dubreuil's proposed research will assess SpA treatment from the perspectives of patient preference and cost-effectiveness on a societal level. This work will i) improve treatment decision-making in SpA through greater understanding of the value that SpA patients place on symptom control and medication side effects, and ii) establish the cost-effectiveness of available SpA treatments in the US. The work will include SpA patient focus groups to determine factors that impact medication choice, and discrete choice experiments to quantify and prioritize treatment attributes of greatest importance to SpA patients. A cost-effectiveness analysis will compare treatment strategies, incorporating American SpA patient-derived values. The proposed research will advance the understanding of SpA treatment costs and benefits from both the American patient and societal perspectives, and will impact both shared decision-making and treatment policy. The research and training plan will take place primarily in the Clinical Epidemiology Unit at BUSM, a highly productive NIH-funded section that has trained many successful patient-oriented researchers. Co-primary mentors, Tuhina Neogi, MD, PhD, and Elena Losina, PhD, MSc, will guide Dr. Dubreuil's work based on their experience in conjoint analysis and epidemiology, and in cost-effectiveness, respectively. The training plan includes specific coursework and workshops in patient-reported outcomes and advanced cost effectiveness modeling, and participation in regular study calls with a group engaged in cost-effectiveness research. Dr. Dubreuil's professional development will be enhanced through regular Faculty Development and Clinical Research seminars, as well as consistent meetings with the co-primary mentors and advisors. The proposed research and career development plan will provide Dr. Dubreuil with the experience and skills necessary to become a successful independent clinical researcher in rheumatology with a focus in SpA.

Public Health Relevance

Spondyloarthritis is a form of arthritis that often affects the spine, causing inflammation and bone fusion, with substantial disability. This project will examine what factors are most important to American patients in choosing to start or continue different types of medication and how the different treatment options improve patients' quality of life compared to the costs to society. Furthermore, these studies will allow the applicant to obtain the training necessary to become an independent clinical investigator in patent-oriented research focused on improving the lives of millions of Americans suffering from spondyloarthritis.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Type
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23)
Project #
5K23AR069127-03
Application #
9478550
Study Section
Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Special Grants Review Committee (AMS)
Program Officer
Witter, James
Project Start
2016-05-01
Project End
2021-04-30
Budget Start
2018-05-01
Budget End
2019-04-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2018
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Boston University
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
604483045
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
Jinno, Sadao; Lu, Na; Jafarzadeh, S Reza et al. (2018) Trends in Hospitalizations for Serious Infections in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis in the US Between 1993 and 2013. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 70:652-658
Dubreuil, Maureen; Louie-Gao, Qiong; Peloquin, Christine E et al. (2018) Risk of myocardial infarction with use of selected non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in patients with spondyloarthritis and osteoarthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 77:1137-1142
Dubreuil, Maureen; Sieper, Joachim (2018) Editorial: Inflammatory Back Pain and Axial Spondyloarthritis: Lessons for Clinical Practice and Epidemiologic Research. Arthritis Rheumatol 70:981-983
Oza, Amar; Lu, Na; Schoenfeld, Sara R et al. (2017) Survival benefit of statin use in ankylosing spondylitis: a general population-based cohort study. Ann Rheum Dis 76:1737-1742
Dubreuil, Maureen; Deodhar, Atul A (2017) Axial spondyloarthritis classification criteria: the debate continues. Curr Opin Rheumatol 29:317-322
Deodhar, Atul A; Kumthekar, Anand; Dubreuil, Maureen (2017) Minimal disease activity in axial spondyloarthritis: the need of the hour and a proposal for development. Curr Opin Rheumatol 29:293-297