Incidence and cost of haemolytic uraemic syndrome in urban China: a national population-based analysis

Background Haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) is a severe syndrome that causes a substantial burden for patients and their families and is the leading cause of acute kidney injury in children. However, data on the epidemiology and disease burden of HUS in Asia, including China, are limited. We aimed to estimate the incidence and cost of HUS in China. Methods Data about HUS from 2012 to 2016 were extracted from the Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (UEBMI) and Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URBMI) databases. All cases were identified by ICD code and Chinese diagnostic terms. The 2016 national incidence rates were estimated and stratified by sex, age and season. The associated medical costs were also calculated. Results The crude incidence of HUS was 0.66 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI: 0.35 to 1.06), and the standardized incidence was 0.57 (0.19 to 1.18). The incidence of HUS in males was slightly higher than that in females. The age group with the highest incidence of HUS was patients < 1 year old (5.08, 95% CI: 0.23 to 24.87), and the season with the highest incidence was autumn, followed by winter. The average cost of HUS was 2.15 thousand US dollars per patient, which was higher than the national average cost for all inpatients in the same period. Conclusions This is the first population-based study on the incidence of HUS in urban China. The age and seasonal distributions of HUS in urban China are different from those in most developed countries, suggesting a difference in aetiology.