DISEASE BURDEN OF AUTOIMMUNE INFLAMMATORY RHEUMATIC DISEASES IN SOUTH KOREA

Abstract

Background Little is known about the epidemiology and disease burden of autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) in South Korea.

Objectives To investigate the prevalence and direct medical cost of AIRDs in South Korea.

Methods The prevalence of AIRDs including seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), vasculitides, and other connective tissue diseases was calculated, and their trends between 2012 and 2016 were observed using nationwide claims database and the Rare Intractable Disease registration program. Direct medical costs of each AIRD in 2016 were estimated on the basis of claims charged for specific ICD-10 diagnostic codes.

Results Among the all AIRDs, seropositive RA was most prevalent in Korea with prevalence of 188.5/100,000 persons in 2016, followed by AS (58.7/100,000), SLE (38.0/100,000), Behçet disease (29.2/100,000), Sjögren syndrome (23.5/100,000), and systemic sclerosis (7.1/100,000). Relatively low prevalence was observed in inflammatory myositis (4.5/100,000), polymyalgia rheumatica (4.1/100,000), psoriatic arthritis (PsA, 2.5/100,000), and each vasculitis (0.6~3.1/100,000). Prevalence of most AIRDs had been increased from 2012 to 2016, while their sex and age distribution were not changed significantly. Total direct medical costs in 2016 of overall AIRDs were $263,136,087, which were mostly composed of direct medical expenditures for seropositive RA, AS, and SLE. For the direct medical cost per person, microscopic polyangiitis ($6,223.3) was the highest, followed by PsA ($3,603.7), Wegener granulomatosis ($3,002.6), dermatomyositis ($2,643.1), and AS ($2,603.9).

Conclusions Most prevalent AIRD in Korea was seropositive RA, followed by AS, Sjogren’s syndrome, SLE, Behcet’s disease, and systemic sclerosis. Direct medical cost per person was high in microscopic polyangiitis, PsA, Wegener granulomatosis, dermatomyositis, and AS.