Prescriber Phenotypes: Variability in Topical Rosacea Treatment Patterns Among United States Dermatologists

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Pharmacology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Previous research described aggregate prescribing for rosacea, but individual physician prescribing patterns remained uncharacterized.
• Understanding individual prescribing behavior is crucial for optimizing rosacea treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze current topical rosacea drug selection by examining individual dermatologist prescribing patterns.
• To identify distinct prescriber phenotypes for papulopapular rosacea agents.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 2021 Medicare Part-D data to assess topical papulopapular rosacea agent utilization.
• Employed K-means cluster analysis to categorize prescribers into phenotypes based on drug proportions.

Main Results:

• Identified four distinct prescriber phenotypes for topical rosacea agents.
• Metronidazole was the most favored agent, often co-prescribed in other clusters.
• Patient age, risk scores, and group practice settings predicted prescriber phenotype.

Conclusions:

• Prescribing patterns for topical papulopapular rosacea treatments are nonuniform among U.S. dermatologists.
• Individual dermatologists tend to utilize a restricted set of agents, contrasting with aggregate data showing broader utilization.