Korean J Clin Pharm.  2019 Jun;29(2):79-88. 10.24304/kjcp.2019.29.2.79.

Medication Use and Drug Expenditure in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: based on Korean National Health Insurance Claims Data (2010–2014)

• Ha JE
• Jang EJ
• Im SG
• Sohn HS

• KMID: 2452856
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.24304/kjcp.2019.29.2.79

Abstract

BACKGROUND
S: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) increased prevalence and economic burden.
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to investigate drug use pattern in IBD patients in a real world.
METHODS
National Health Insurance claim data from 2010 to 2014 were used in this population-based study. All IBD patients diagnosed during study period were enrolled. IBD medications included 5-aminosalicylic acid (ASA), glucocorticoid, immunomodulator and anti-tumor necrosis factor-α agent(anti TNF-α). Growth rate of IBD prevalence, prescribed drug classes, duration of drug therapy and medication cost were analyzed. Number and percentage of patients for categorical variables, and mean and median for continuous variables were presented.
RESULTS
Total numbers of patients were 131,158 and 57,286 during 5 years, and their annual growth rate were 3.2 and 5.7% for UC and CD. UC and CD were prevalent in the 40-50 (41.2%) and 20-30 age groups (36.0%). About 60% of IBD patients was prescribed any of medications. 5-ASA was the most frequently prescribed, followed by corticosteroid and immunomodulator. Anti TNF-α use was the lowest, but 5 times higher than UC in CD. Combination therapies with different class of drugs were in 29% for UC and 62% for CD. Mean prescription days per patient per year were 306 and 378, and the median medication cost per patient per year was KRW 420,000 (USD 383) and KRW 830,000 (USD755), for UC and CD, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
Increasing prevalence of IBD requires further studies to contribute to achieve better clinical outcomes of drug therapy.

Keyword

Inflammatory bowel disease; ulcerative colitis; Crohn's disease; drug therapy; real world data

MeSH Terms

Colitis, Ulcerative
Crohn Disease
Drug Therapy
Health Expenditures*
Humans
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases*
Mesalamine
National Health Programs*
Necrosis
Prescriptions
Prevalence
Mesalamine