Living with Ulcerative Colitis Study (LUCY) in England: a retrospective study evaluating healthcare resource utilisation and direct healthcare costs of postoperative care in ulcerative colitis.

OBJECTIVE: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a lifelong, relapsing-remitting disease. Patients non-responsive to pharmacological treatment may require a colectomy. We estimated pre-colectomy and post-colectomy healthcare resource utilisation (HCRU) and costs in England. DESIGN/METHOD: A retrospective, longitudinal cohort study indexing adult patients with UC undergoing colectomy (2009-2015), using linked Clinical Practice Research Datalink/Hospital Episode Statistics data, was conducted. HCRU, healthcare costs and pharmacological treatments were evaluated during 12 months prior to and including colectomy (baseline) and 24 months post-colectomy (follow-up; F-U), comparing baseline/F-U, emergency/elective colectomy and subtotal/full colectomy using descriptive statistics and paired/unpaired tests. RESULTS: 249 patients from 26 165 identified were analysed including 145 (58%) elective and 184 (74%) full colectomies. Number/cost of general practitioner consultations increased post-colectomy (p<0.001), and then decreased at 13-24 months (p<0.05). From baseline to F-U, the number of outpatient visits, number/cost of hospitalisations and total direct healthcare costs decreased (all p<0.01). Postoperative HCRU was similar between elective and emergency colectomies, except for the costs of colectomy-related hospitalisations and medication, which were lower in the elective group (p<0.05). Postoperative costs were higher for subtotal versus full colectomies (p<0.001). At 1-12 month F-U, 30%, 19% and 5% of patients received aminosalicylates, steroids and immunosuppressants, respectively. CONCLUSION: HCRU/costs increased for primary care in the first year post-colectomy but decreased for secondary care, and varied according to the colectomy type. Ongoing and potentially unnecessary pharmacological therapy was seen in up to 30% of patients. These findings can inform patients and decision-makers of potential benefits and burdens of colectomy in UC.

Health-related outcomes, health care resource utilization, and costs of multiple sclerosis in Japan compared with US and five EU countries.

PURPOSE: Multiple sclerosis (MS) imposes a huge burden on patients. This study examined the relationship between MS and health-related and economic burden in Japan; secondarily, health status was compared across patients with MS in Japan, US, and five European Union (5EU) countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and UK). METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using self-reported data from 2009 to 2014 Japan National Health and Wellness Survey (n=145,759). Health status, work productivity loss, activity impairment, health care resource utilization, and annual costs associated with MS (n=85) were compared with controls without MS (n=145,674). Propensity score matching and multivariable linear regressions determined the effect of MS after controlling for confounders. Health status in Japan was also compared with that of 5EU (n=62) and US (n=67) patients with MS. RESULTS: Patients with MS in Japan reported significantly worse health status via mental component summary score (MCS; 40.1 vs 45.8) and physical component summary score (PCS; 41.4 vs 51.2) and health state utility scores (0.63 vs 0.74; all P<0.001). They also reported more absenteeism (12.0% vs 3.7%), presenteeism (33.8% vs 19.8%), overall work impairment (40.9% vs 21.6%), and activity impairment (43.6% vs 24.0%), with higher indirect costs (¥2,040,672/US $20,102 vs ¥1,076,306/US$10,603) than controls (all P<0.001). Patients with MS reported higher resource use, including provider visits (8.0 vs 4.7), emergency room visits (0.03 vs 0.1), and hospitalizations (2.7 vs 0.69) in the past 6 months, with higher direct costs (¥3,670,906/US$36,162 vs ¥986,099/US$9,714) than controls (all P<0.001). Finally, Japanese patients with MS reported lower MCSs and higher PCSs than their US and 5EU counterparts. CONCLUSION: MS in Japan is associated with poor health status and high work productivity loss, resource use, and costs, underscoring the need for improved treatment, especially vis-à-vis mental health, when comparing Japanese patients with their 5EU and US counterparts.

Caregiver burden, productivity loss, and indirect costs associated with caring for patients with poststroke spasticity.

OBJECTIVE: Many stroke survivors experience poststroke spasticity and the related inability to perform basic activities, which necessitates patient management and treatment, and exerts a considerable burden on the informal caregiver. The current study aims to estimate burden, productivity loss, and indirect costs for caregivers of stroke survivors with spasticity. METHODS: Internet survey data were collected from 153 caregivers of stroke survivors with spasticity including caregiving time and difficulty (Oberst Caregiver Burden Scale), Work Productivity and Activity Impairment measures, and caregiver and patient characteristics. Fractional logit models examined predictors of work-related restriction, and work losses were monetized (2012 median US wages). RESULTS: Mean Oberst Caregiver Burden Scale time and difficulty scores were 46.1 and 32.4, respectively. Employed caregivers (n=71) had overall work restriction (32%), absenteeism (9%), and presenteeism (27%). Caregiver characteristics, lack of nursing home coverage, and stroke survivors' disability predicted all work restriction outcomes. The mean total lost-productivity cost per employed caregiver was US$835 per month (>$10,000 per year; 72% attributable to presenteeism). CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate the substantial burden of caring for stroke survivors with spasticity illustrating the societal and economic impact of stroke that extends beyond the stroke survivor.