Real-World Prescription Pattern and Healthcare Cost Among Patients with Ulcerative Colitis in Japan: A Retrospective Claims Data Analysis.

Introduction: The prevalence of ulcerative colitis (UC) is increasing in Japan but recent disease burden estimates are unavailable. This study was conducted to explore the prescription pattern and to estimate the economic burden in Japanese patients with UC.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted from 1 January 2009 to 30 June 2018 using healthcare claims data from the Japan Medical Data Center (JMDC) database. Patients with a UC diagnosis before the index date (the first UC treatment claim) or within 6 months after the index date, a UC treatment claim registered within ≥ 6 months during the selection period, and a continuous enrollment for 6 months pre-index and 12 months follow-up period were included in the study. Prescription pattern was analyzed by calendar years and lines of treatment (LoT). Healthcare resource utilization and cost per month were determined by LoTs.

Results: Among 10,337 patients with UC diagnosis, 1,861 (18.0%) met the eligibility criteria for this study. 5-Aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) was the most used treatment over the study period and across all LoTs. 5-ASA was also the most prescribed treatment (88.7%) across all the first LoTs, followed by steroids (20.4%). Use of biologics increased over the study period (biologics + 5-ASA: 0.0% in 2009 to 3.0% in 2018). Biologics were most used as the sixth LoT (7.1%, biologics + 5-ASA; 7.1%, biologics + 5-ASA + steroids). Mean total cost per month was JPY 52,782, with the highest (JPY 112,997) total healthcare cost per month in the fourth LoT and the lowest in the first LoT (JPY 56,782).

Conclusion: Prescription pattern in Japanese patients with UC enrolled in the JMDC database were largely consistent with the clinical guidelines in Japan. UC puts a substantial economic burden on patients, and an effective treatment is warranted to reduce the UC disease burden.