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.