Hidden Cost of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): Estimating Cost of Comorbid Cardiovascular Disease and Depression Among Patients with RA

2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 743-752 ◽  
Author(s):  
AMIE T. JOYCE ◽  
PAULA SMITH ◽  
REZAUL KHANDKER ◽  
JEFFREY M. MELIN ◽  
AMITABH SINGH
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Healthcare Cost ◽  
Generalized Linear Model ◽  
Healthcare Costs ◽  
Clinical Characteristics ◽  
Claims Data ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Hidden Cost ◽  
Utilization Patterns

Objective.To examine resource utilization and direct healthcare cost associated with comorbid cardiovascular disease (CVD) and depression among patients with prevalent rheumatoid arthritis (RA) based on analyses of retrospective healthcare claims data.Methods.The index date was set as the first observed claim with an RA diagnosis. Patients were required to be ≥ 18 years of age, to have received RA-related treatment during the pre-index period, and to have 12-month pre- and post-index data. Based on pre-index utilization, patients were classified into 4 diagnosis groups: RA alone, RA + CVD, RA + depression, and RA + CVD + depression. Analyses focused on annual differences in costs between patients with RA alone and those with CVD and/or depression. A generalized linear model was applied to control for demographic and clinical characteristics and to estimate cohort-specific adjusted mean annual healthcare cost.Results.Of 10,298 patients, 8,916 had RA alone (86.6%), 608 had RA + CVD (5.9%), 716 had RA + depression (7.0%), and 58 had RA + CVD + depression (0.5%). All patients with CVD and/or depression incurred significantly higher followup costs compared with patients with RA alone. Adjusted annual mean healthcare costs were highest for RA + CVD (US$14,145), followed by RA + CVD + depression ($13,513), RA + depression ($12,225), and RA alone ($11,404). Although patients with CVD and/or depression had a greater rate of RA-related hospitalization, adjusted RA-related healthcare costs did not reflect any statistically significant differences as compared to the RA-alone cohort.Conclusion.A significant proportion (13.4%) of patients with prevalent RA have comorbid CVD and/or depression. The presence of these conditions significantly affects annual healthcare costs as well as specific RA-related utilization patterns.

Prevalence, Biochemical and Clinical Characteristics of Resistant Hypertension

2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (10) ◽  
pp. 2845-2849
Author(s):  
Daniela Gurgus ◽  
Elena Ardeleanu ◽  
Carmen Gadau ◽  
Roxana Folescu ◽  
Ioan Tilea ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Resistant Hypertension ◽  
Clinical Characteristics ◽  
Salt Intake ◽  
Target Organ Damage ◽  
Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Organ Damage ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
High Salt Intake

The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the prevalence of resistant hypertension (RH) in primary care setting and to analyse its biochemical and clinical characteristics. After 3 months of treatment and evaluation, 721 (14.01%) of 5,146 patients with hypertension did not reach target office blood pressure of [ 140/90 mmHg. After exclusion of �white-coat effect� with ambulatory blood pressure, of secondary and pseudo- resistant hypertension, prevalence of RH was 6.74%. Lifestyle factors associated with RH were physical inactivity, obesity, high salt intake, smoking and excessive alcohol ingestion. Compared to controlled hypertension, RH patients presented higher incidence of family history of cardiovascular disease (38.90% vs 25.94%), diabetes mellitus (34.87% vs 19.01%), impaired fasting glucose (21.91% vs 19.07%), target organ damage (29.1% vs 15.95%), and cardiovascular disease (27.09% vs 17.06%). Dyslipidaemia (52.90% vs 42.03%), fasting plasma glucose (116.10�38.9 vs 107.80�37.2), HbA1c (6.41�1.42 vs 5.96�0.94), serum creatinine (1.09�0.27 vs 1.03�0.24) and microalbuminuria (21.90% vs 10.95%) were significantly higher in RH. Predictors of RH, determined by a multivariate logistic regression analysis were left ventricular hypertrophy (OD 2.14, 95% CI 1.32-3.69), renal impairment expressed as eGFR [ 60 ml/min/1.73m2 (OD 1.62, 95% CI 1.21-2.21) and the presence of cardiovascular disease (OD 1.48, 95% CI 1.02-2.16).

scholarly journals Plasma expression of microRNA-425-5p and microRNA-451a as biomarkers of cardiovascular disease in rheumatoid arthritis patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Delia Taverner ◽  
Dídac Llop ◽  
Roser Rosales ◽  
Raimon Ferré ◽  
Luis Masana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Pulse Wave Velocity ◽  
Wave Velocity ◽  
Pulse Wave ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Intima Media Thickness ◽  
Carotid Intima Media Thickness ◽  
Media Thickness ◽  
Epigenetic Biomarkers

AbstractTo validate in a cohort of 214 rheumatoid arthritis patients a panel of 10 plasmatic microRNAs, which we previously identified and that can facilitate earlier diagnosis of cardiovascular disease in rheumatoid arthritis patients. We identified 10 plasma miRs that were downregulated in male rheumatoid arthritis patients and in patients with acute myocardial infarction compared to controls suggesting that these microRNAs could be epigenetic biomarkers for cardiovascular disease in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Six of those microRNAs were validated in independent plasma samples from 214 rheumatoid arthritis patients and levels of expression were associated with surrogate markers of cardiovascular disease (carotid intima-media thickness, plaque formation, pulse wave velocity and distensibility) and with prior cardiovascular disease. Multivariate analyses adjusted for traditional confounders and treatments showed that decreased expression of microRNA-425-5p in men and decreased expression of microRNA-451 in women were significantly associated with increased (β = 0.072; p = 0.017) and decreased carotid intima-media thickness (β = −0.05; p = 0.013), respectively. MicroRNA-425-5p and microRNA-451 also increased the accuracy to discriminate patients with pathological carotid intima-media thickness by 1.8% (p = 0.036) in men and 3.5% (p = 0.027) in women, respectively. In addition, microRNA-425-5p increased the accuracy to discriminate male patients with prior cardiovascular disease by 3% (p = 0.008). Additionally, decreased expression of microRNA-451 was significantly associated with decreased pulse wave velocity (β = −0.72; p = 0.035) in overall rheumatoid arthritis population. Distensibility showed no significant association with expression levels of the microRNAs studied. We provide evidence of a possible role of microRNA-425-5p and microRNA-451 as useful epigenetic biomarkers to assess cardiovascular disease risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

scholarly journals Cardiovascular Disease in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Risk Factors, Autoantibodies, and the Effect of Antirheumatic Therapies

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 117954412110287
Author(s):  
Mir Sohail Fazeli ◽  
Vadim Khaychuk ◽  
Keith Wittstock ◽  
Boris Breznen ◽  
Grace Crocket ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Rheumatoid Factor ◽  
Qualitative Evidence Synthesis ◽  
Cvd Risk ◽  
Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
Increased Risk

Objective: To scope the current published evidence on cardiovascular risk factors in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) focusing on the role of autoantibodies and the effect of antirheumatic agents. Methods: Two reviews were conducted in parallel: A targeted literature review (TLR) describing the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) in RA patients; and a systematic literature review (SLR) identifying and characterizing the association between autoantibody status and CVD risk in RA. A narrative synthesis of the evidence was carried out. Results: A total of 69 publications (49 in the TLR and 20 in the SLR) were included in the qualitative evidence synthesis. The most prevalent topic related to CVD risks in RA was inflammation as a shared mechanism behind both RA morbidity and atherosclerotic processes. Published evidence indicated that most of RA patients already had significant CV pathologies at the time of diagnosis, suggesting subclinical CVD may be developing before patients become symptomatic. Four types of autoantibodies (rheumatoid factor, anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies, anti-phospholipid autoantibodies, anti-lipoprotein autoantibodies) showed increased risk of specific cardiovascular events, such as higher risk of cardiovascular death in rheumatoid factor positive patients and higher risk of thrombosis in anti-phospholipid autoantibody positive patients. Conclusion: Autoantibodies appear to increase CVD risk; however, the magnitude of the increase and the types of CVD outcomes affected are still unclear. Prospective studies with larger populations are required to further understand and quantify the association, including the causal pathway, between specific risk factors and CVD outcomes in RA patients.

scholarly journals FRI0443 CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND RELATED FACTORS OF COMMON RHEUMATIC DISEASES COMPLICATED WITH TUBERCULOSIS INFECTION

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 819.1-819
Author(s):  
L. Long ◽  
G. Tang ◽  
Y. Han ◽  
Q. Peng ◽  
J. Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
Weight Loss ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Rheumatic Diseases ◽  
Clinical Characteristics ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Average Dose ◽  
Systemic Lupus ◽  
Infection Group

Background:Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and syndrome(SS) are common rheumatic diseases with high incidence. Patients with those rheumatic diseases are at high risk of tuberculosis (TB) infection. However, manifestations can be atypical and easily confused with those of rheumatic disease itself. For those patients, diagnosis is usually much more difficult and further make treatment delayed. Sometimes it may lead to mistreatment. Therefore, it is important to recognize the clinical characteristics of those patients.Objectives:To explore the clinical characteristics and high risk factors of common systemic rheumatism complicated with tuberculosis infection.Methods:A total of 3,906 cases of RA, SLE, and SS common systemic rheumatism diagnosed in the People’s Hospital of Sichuan Province from January 2007 to January 2017 were collected with carefully exclusion with other infectious diseases and neoplastic disease. One hundred and five patients with TB were included as infection group, including 42 cases of RA, 41 cases of SLE, and 22 cases of SS. In the control group, 84 patients with RA, 82 patients with SLE, and 44 patients with SS were randomly selected from the corresponding rheumatoid non-infected patients hospitalized during the same period.Results:Fever was the most common symptom among 42 cases of RA, 41 cases of SLE, and 22 cases of SS with TB, accounting for 83.3%, 92.7%, and 68.2%, respectively. Cough, weight loss or fatigue was less common. For 41 cases of SLE and 22 cases of SS with TB, the proportion of pulmonary was 46.3%, 59.01%, respectively.In TB infection group, 27 cases of RA, 21 cases of SLE, and 13 cases of SS with TB had two or more chest CT findings, accounting for 59%, 57%, 62%, respectively. Lesions located in the posterior or posterior segment which TB usually affected were 9 cases(33.3%),9cases(42.9%),6cases(27.2%),respectively.The daily average dose of hormones within 1 year in TB infection group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). For SLE patients, lower counts of CD4+TL were found in TB infection group (P<0.05), while no such differences were found in RA and SS group.Conclusion:Patients with RA who have TB infection are mainly pulmonary TB. For SLE and SS patients, the chance of pulmonary tuberculosis and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis is similar.Symptoms of RA, SLE, SS with TB, such as fever, cough, weight loss, fatigue, are similar with the primary disease or other infection. Chest imaging is diversity. It is difficult to diagnose.Daily average dose of hormone within one year may be a common risk factor for RA, SLE and SS patients with TB. Decreased CD4+TL may also be a risk factor for SLE patients with TB.References:[1]Cantini F, Nannini C, Niccoli L, et al. Risk of Tuberculosis Reactivation in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Psoriatic Arthritis Receiving Non-Anti-TNF-Targeted Biologics[J]. Mediators of Inflammation, 2017, 2017(6):1-15.[2]Ruangnapa K, Dissaneewate P, Vachvanichsanong P. Tuberculosis in SLE patients: rare diagnosis, risky treatment.[J]. Clinical & Experimental Medicine, 2015, 15(3):429-432.[3]Manuela D F, Bruno L, Martina S, et al. Lung Infections in Systemic Rheumatic Disease: Focus on Opportunistic Infections[J]. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2017, 18(2):293-315.[4]Disseminated tuberculosis masquerading as a presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus.Li JC, Fong W, Wijaya L, Leung YY.Int J Rheum Dis. 2017 Oct 2. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.13195.[5]Handa R, Upadhyaya S, Kapoor S, et al. Tuberculosis and biologics in rheumatology: India – A special situation[J]. International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, 2017, 51(2):115.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

scholarly journals Healthcare cost associations of patients who use illicit drugs in Florida: a retrospective analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica L. Ryan ◽  
Veronica R. Rosa
Keyword(s):  
Drug Use ◽  
Patient Care ◽  
Healthcare Cost ◽  
Healthcare Costs ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Illicit Drug ◽  
Multiple Drug ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Multiple Drugs ◽  
Hospital Research

Abstract Background Illicit drug use increases visits to the hospital. Research is limited on the costs of these healthcare visits by illicit drug. Methods Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration’s emergency department and inpatient datasets from 2016 to 2018 were analyzed. Adults who used an illicit drug were included in the study population resulting in 709,658 observations. Cost-to-charge ratios were used to estimate healthcare costs. Linear regression analyzed associations of illicit drugs with total healthcare cost. Results Total healthcare costs are estimated at $6.4 billion over the 3 year period. Medicare paid for the most patient care ($2.16 billion) with Medicaid and commercial insurance each estimated at $1.36 billion. Cocaine (9.25%) and multiple drug use (6.12%) increased the costs of an ED visit compared to a patient with cannabis SUD. Opioids (23.40%) and inhalants use (16.30%) increased the costs of inpatient compared to cannabis SUD. Conclusion Healthcare costs are high of patients with illicit drug SUD and poisoning, over half of which are paid for with tax payer dollars and to an unknown degree hospital write-offs. Injuries and illness of patients using cocaine and multiple drugs are associated with more expensive ED patient care and opioids and inhalants are associated with more expensive inpatient care.

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