A study comparing two flu therapies, Xofluza (baloxavir) and Tamiflu (oseltamivir), found reduced hospitalization risks and fewer emergency department visits among outpatients taking Xofluza.
The research, published Dec. 3 in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, assessed clinical outcomes of flu patients who took either Xofluza or Tamiflu between 2016 and 2023.
The FDA approved Tamiflu in 1999 and Xofluza in 2018. The newer medication performed better in all-cause hospitalization and ED visits, according to the study. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality.
One month after treatment, 1.6% of patients receiving Tamiflu were hospitalized, compared to 0.6% of patients taking Xofluza. After three months, the difference was 3.7% and 0.6%, respectively, for hospitalizations. By six months, the all-cause hospitalization rate for Tamiflu was 5.3% and 0.8% for Xofluza.
The Tamiflu group averaged 1.8% for ED visits within one month, 4.4% at three months and 7.2% at six months. The Xofluza cohort, by comparison, averaged 1.5%, 3.5% and 5%, respectively.
“The clinical implications of our findings are noteworthy,” the researchers wrote in conclusion. “Reductions in hospitalization and ED visits suggest that baloxavir may alleviate healthcare system burden during influenza seasons.”
