To evaluate the impact of fistula on healthcare costs and resource utilization in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). A retrospective analysis, using the PharMetrics database, of patients with a diagnosis of CD (ICD-9 code 555.x) from January 1, 2000 through June 30, 2005 was conducted. Patients had to be continuously enrolled for 6 months pre- and 12 months post-CD diagnosis, and have 2 distinct claims for CD. Mean per patient healthcare resource utilization and costs were calculated for patients in the year following their initial CD diagnosis. Outcomes are presented for CD patients with and without fistula. There were 13,054 patients who met the study selection criteria. 12,263 (94%) patients had CD with no diagnosis of fistula. Patients without fistula were mostly female (56%) while patients with fistula were mostly male (57%). Total mean per patient healthcare costs were higher for patients with fistula ($35,043 vs $15,412). Inpatient hospital days (7.0 vs 2.4 days) and their resultant costs ($20,327 vs $6,950) were the primary factors contributing to higher total healthcare costs in the fistula cohort. Healthcare resource utilization and costs among patients with Crohn's Disease with and without fistula Healthcare resource utilization and costs among patients with Crohn's Disease with and without fistula Fistula is a severe complication of CD. Proper and early treatment of CD mayprevent the progression to fistula. This study determined that patients with CD and fistula have significant healthcare costs and resource consumption at a much higher rate than patients without fistula. Additional studies should assess the impact of various treatments on progression to fistula among patients with CD in a real-world setting.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of age on healthcare costs and resource utilization in pts with CD. Methods: A retrospective analysis, using the PharMetrics database, of pts with a dx of CD (ICD-9 code 555.x) from Jan. 1, 2000 through June 30, 2005 was conducted. Pts had to be continuously enrolled for 6 months pre-and 12 months post-CD dx, and have 2 distinct claims for CD. Mean/pt healthcare resource utilization and costs were calculated for pts in the yr following their initial CD dx. Outcomes are presented for all pts with CD, and by the following age grps: pediatric <18 yrs, adults 18 to 64 yrs, and pts ≥ 65 yrs. Results: The cohort consisted of 13454 CD pts. Over half of the pts were females and the mean age was 42 yrs. Mean annual total healthcare costs for all pediatric CD pts were $16700. The mean healthcare costs were highest among pediatric and pts ≥ 65 with CD ($19347 and $19900). Inpt hospitalization costs had the largest component of the mean annual total cost for all pts followed by drug, and outpt costs. Resource utilization was highest for pts ≥ 65 yrs. Conclusions: There is limited data assessing the healthcare costs and resource utilization in pts with CD by age group. Healthcare costs among this pt population are high. Pediatric pts and pts ≥ 65 yrs had higher mean healthcare costs than adults 18 to 64 yrs, primarily driven by inpt hospitalizations. New therapies that can reduce hospitalizations have the potential to decrease overall cost of care for CD pts.Table: Mean Healthcare Costs and Resource Utilization.

To assess the annual costs of care and resource utilization for patients less than 18 years of age with ulcerative colitis (UC) using a medical claims database. A retrospective analysis, using the PharMetrics database, of patients less than 18 years with a diagnosis of UC (ICD-9 code 556.x) from January 1,2000 through June 30, 2005 was conducted. Patients had to be continuously enrolled for 6 months pre- and 12 months post-UC diagnosis, and have 2 distinct claims for UC. Mean per patient healthcare resource utilization and costs were calculated for patients in the year following their initial UC diagnosis. Outcomes are presented for UC patients by disease severity groups. Group 1 required hospitalization for UC; Group 2 required chronic aggressive pharmacotherapy (i.e. corticosteroids or immnunosuppressants) for ≥4 months; and Group 3 consisted of all remaining patients. The study cohort consisted of 589 patients with UC. Average age of patients was 13 years and 52% were males. Mean annual total costs for all pediatric UC patients were $23,113. Group 1 patients incurred the highest mean cost ($59,409), while Groups 2 and 3 incurred $9,918 and $4,310, respectively. Inpatient hospitalization costs constituted the largest component ($15,051, 65%) of the mean annual total costs for all patients. The next highest cost components were prescription medications ($2,207, 9.5%), outpatient visits ($1,413,6.1%), physician office visits ($1,088, 4.7%), and laboratory procedures ($677, 3.0%). Group 1 had the highest resource utilization (Table 1). Mean healthcare costs and resource utilization Mean healthcare costs and resource utilization UC in pediatrics is associated with a higher cost of care compared to non UC patients. Patients requiring hospitalization incurred the highest cost. New therapies that can reduce hospitalizations have the potential to decrease overall cost of care for pediatric patients with UC.

Purpose: To assess the annual costs of care and resource utilization for pts ≥ 65 yrs with ulcerative colitis (UC) from a medical claims database. Methods: A retrospective analysis, using the PharMetrics database, of pts ≥ 65 yrs of age with a diagnosis of UC (ICD-9 code 556.x) from Jan. 1, 2000 through June 30, 2005 was conducted. Pts had to be continuously enrolled for 6 months pre-and 12 months post-UC diagnosis, and have 2 distinct claims for UC. Mean per pt healthcare resource utilization and costs were calculated for pts in the yr following their initial UC diagnosis. Outcomes are presented for UC pts by disease severity grps. Grp 1 required hospitalization for UC; Grp 2 required chronic aggressive pharmacotherapy (i.e. corticosteroids or immnunosuppressants) for ≥4 months; and Grp 3 included all remaining pts. Results: 650 pts were analyzed. Average age of pts was 75 yrs and 58% were females. Mean annual total cost for all pts were $15811. Grp 1 pts incurred the highest mean cost ($30394), while Grps 2 and 3 incurred $10804 and $9476, respectively. Inpt hospitalization costs had the largest component ($7926, 50%) of the mean annual total cost for all pts. The next highest cost components were outpts ($1941, 12%), prescription meds ($1641, 10%), physician office visits ($1052, 6.7%), and lab procedures ($357, 2.3%). Also, Grp 1 had the highest resource utilization (Table).Table: Healthcare costs and resource utilization.Conclusions: UC in pts ≥ 65 yrs is associated with a high cost of care. Pts requiring hospitalization incurred the highest cost. New therapies that can reduce hospitalizations have the potential to decrease overall cost of care for pts with UC.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of fistula on healthcare costs & resource utilization in CD pts. Methods: A retrospective analysis, using the PharMetrics database, of pts with a dx of CD (ICD-9 code 555.x) from Jan. 1, 2000 through June 30, 2005 was conducted. Pts had to be continuously enrolled for 6 months pre-and 12 months post-CD dx, and have 2 distinct claims for CD. Mean per pt healthcare resource utilization & costs were calculated for pts in the yr following their initial CD dx. Outcomes are presented for CD pts with and without fistula.Table: Healthcare Resource Utilization and Costs Among Pts with Cd with and without fistula.Results: There were 13054 pts who met the selection criteria. 12263 (94%) pts had CD with no diagnosis of fistula. Pts with fistula were mostly male (57%). Total mean per pt healthcare costs were higher for pts with fistula ($35043 vs $15412). Inpatient hospital days (7.0 vs 2.4 days) and their costs ($20327 vs $6950) combined with physician office visits (14 vs 11) and their costs ($1519 vs $969) were the primary factors contributing to higher total healthcare costs in the fistula cohort. Conclusions: Proper & early tx of CD may prevent fistula. Pts with CD & fistula have significant healthcare cost and resource consumption at a much higher rate than pts without fistula. Additional studies should assess the impact of various treatments on progression to fistula among pts with CD in a real-world setting.