Annual direct medical cost of active systemic lupus erythematosus in five European countries

Three years is the minimal effective duration of sustained clinical remission which prevents impaired kidney function and damage accrual in lupus nephritis

OBJECTIVES

To assess the minimum effective duration of remission preventing damage accrual (Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics damage index [SDI]) and impaired kidney function (IKF: estimated glomerular filtration rate of <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 for at least 3 months) in active lupus nephritis (LN).

METHODS

Patients with biopsy-proven LN followed up at least twice yearly were enrolled; clinical variables were collected regularly. Sustained clinical remission (sCR) was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate of >60 mL/min/1.73 m2, proteinuria of <0.5 g/24 h and clinical systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index of 0 for at least 1 year. Log-linear regression and a time-dependent Cox proportional hazard model were used to assess the minimum duration of sCR capable of preventing SDI increase and IKF development.

RESULTS

In total, 293 patients with LN were included (median follow-up: 15.7 [10.4-22.9] years) of whom 84.3% achieved sCR lasting 8.7 (5.4-13.1) years. At last observation, the increase in SDI was higher in patients who never achieved sCR (median: 2 [1-2.5] vs 1 [0-1.5]; P < .001). A minimum duration of 3 years of sCR prevented SDI increase (% change = -41.1%; P = .003). The analysis on IKF involved only patients with the longest follow-up; 224 patients had ≥10 years of observation. Among them, 50 (22.3%) developed IKF. A minimum duration of 3 years of sCR prevented IKF (hazard ratio = 0.10; P < .001). IKF-free survival rate at 10, 20, and 25 years was 87%, 68%, and 40% for patients who never achieved sCR and 99%, 96%, and 91% for patients with at least 3 years of sCR, respectively (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Three years is the minimum duration of sCR protecting against development of IKF and damage accrual in patients with LN.

Disease activity at the onset of diagnosis as a predictor of disease outcomes in a cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A post hoc retrospective analysis of the COMOSLE-EGYPT study

INTRODUCTION

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has a non-uniform course directly reflected in changes in disease activity and anticipation of damage.

AIM

To determine the impact of disease activity at the onset of disease diagnosis, measured by the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) disease activity score, on different disease parameters and outcomes.

METHODS

This multicentre, retrospective cohort study included 823 SLE patients. Disease damage was measured by the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Damage Index (SLICC), and comorbidities were measured by the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). According to the mean SLEDAI at onset of disease diagnosis, patients were classified into two groups: I included patients with a mean SLEDAI ≤ 10 (non-severe disease activity), and II included patients with a mean SLEDAI > 10 (severe disease activity).

RESULTS

SLEDAI at onset of disease diagnosis was a predictor of damage and comorbidities.

CONCLUSION

A higher SLEDAI score at onset of disease diagnosis was associated with damage accrual. Patients who are younger at disease onset are more likely to have more severe disease. Severe disease activity at the onset of disease diagnosis was also associated with future comorbidity occurrences, but it was not significantly associated with mortality. SLEDAI at the onset of disease diagnosis could be a prognostic marker predicting the damage, which may help in the identification of patients who are at higher risk of adverse outcomes. Special care should be directed towards patients who are younger at disease onset as they may have a higher disease activity at diagnosis. Key Points • This is a unique study as it is the first to focus on the impact of SLE disease activity at the onset of disease diagnosis measured by SLEDAI disease activity score on different disease parameters and outcomes. • Previous studies, though these are scarce, have highlighted the impact of disease activity throughout the disease course and not specifically at the beginning of the SLE disease.

Scoping Review of Economic Analyses of Rare Kidney Diseases

Introduction

Rare kidney diseases (RKDs) place a substantial economic burden on patients and health systems, the extent of which is unknown and may be systematically underestimated by health economic techniques. We aimed to investigate the economic burden and cost-effectiveness evidence base for RKDs.

Methods

We conducted a systematic scoping review to identify economic evaluations, health technology assessments, and cost-of-illness studies relating to RKDs, published since 2012.

Results

A total of 161 published studies, including 66 cost-of-illness studies and 95 economic evaluations; 72 grey literature reports were also included. Most published literature originated from high-income nations, particularly the USA (81 studies), and focused on a handful of diseases, notably renal cell carcinomas (70) and systemic lupus erythematosus (36). Limited evidence was identified from lower-income settings and there were few studies of genetic conditions, which make up most RKDs. Some studies demonstrated the cost-effectiveness of existing treatments; however, there were limited considerations of broader economic impacts on patients that may be important to those with RKDs. Included health technology assessments highlighted difficulties in obtaining high-quality clinical evidence for treatments in very small patient populations, and often considered equity issues and other patient impacts qualitatively alongside clinical and economic evidence in their recommendations.

Conclusion

We found large gaps in the economic evidence base for RKDs and limited adaptation of methods to account for the uniqueness of these diseases. There may be significant scope for innovation in building an investment case for RKD treatments, as well as in decision-making processes to inform investment decisions.

Economic burden of systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis in France: a nationwide population-based study using the French medico-administrative (SNDS) claims database

OBJECTIVES

Data on the economic consequences of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis (LN) are scarce in Europe. We aimed to estimate the total direct costs attributable to SLE and LN in France, at the nationwide level.

METHODS

Patients with SLE and LN were identified in the French nationwide health insurance database (SNDS). Prevalent SLE patients for the year 2019 were age- and sex-matched (1:1) with non-SLE controls. Direct costs (in 2019 euros) were assigned from a societal and a third-party payer perspective, using official sources.

RESULTS

A total of 29,135 SLE patients, including 4357 (14.5%) with lupus nephritis, were matched to non-SLE controls. The median overall direct cost for SLE was €4795 versus €1910 for controls from a third-party payer perspective (P<0.0001). From a societal perspective the overall direct cost of SLE patients was higher (€5894) compared to non-SLE matched controls (€2601, P<0.0001), for hospitalizations (+€1305 versus non-SLE controls), medications (+€872), consultations (+€343) and transportation (+€193). The overall median cost for LN was €9800 versus €3918 for SLE patients without LN, from third-party payer perspective, and €11,279 versus €4950 from a societal perspective (P<0.0001, for both). At a national level, the extra cost of SLE compared to non-SLE controls was M€104.9 with hospitalizations contributing to 39.6% of this extra cost.

CONCLUSIONS

The direct extra costs of SLE and LN are substantial in France, particularly for hospitalizations, outpatient medications, consultations, and transportations. By identifying and addressing major drivers of SLE costs, healthcare providers and policymakers can work towards more cost-effective strategies for managing SLE.

Incidence and prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus in urban China, 2013-2017: A nationwide population-based study

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is becoming a growing public health concern due to increasing disease and economic burdens. Epidemiological information about SLE, especially its incidence rate, is limited in developing countries. In the current study, we sought to investigate the incidence, prevalence, and economic burdens of SLE in urban China. We conducted a nationwide population-based cohort study using databases from Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance and Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance between 2013 and 2017, covering approximately 300 million residents in 23 provincial regions in China. Incidence rate and prevalence were standardized by age and gender to China's 2010 national census data. Additionally, we calculated the average annual costs and hospital visit rates. A total of 132,258 SLE patients were identified during the study period, with a mean age of 43.03 years (standard deviation: 15.29 years). Of these patients, 81.33% were women. In 2017, the standardized incidence rate of SLE in China was 14.09 (95% confidence interval (CI), 11.95-16.41) per 100,000 person-years, with a higher incidence in women than in men (26.41 vs. 5.92 per 100,000 person-years). Standardized prevalence in 2017 was 47.61 (41.77-53.83), 94.16 (80.67-108.69), and 17.86 (13.84-22.38) per 100,000 people in the overall, female, and male populations, respectively. The average annual rates of increase in prevalence were 21.50%, 19.72%, and 25.67% from 2013 to 2017 in the overall, female, and male populations, respectively. The age-specific incidence rates peaked at 30-49 years old in women and 40-59 years old in men. SLE incident and prevalent cases were most common in North-West China and less common in southern and eastern China. Distinct variations in incidence rates across different regions are also consistent with the varying levels of ultraviolet radiation exposure in China. Additionally, the average estimated annual per-capita cost was 1599.34 US dollars in SLE patients, with the highest costs observed in adolescent and young adult patients among different age groups. The SLE population in China is rapidly expanding, and younger at onset, especially in women, which has placed significant burdens on China's healthcare system.

Navigating the landscape of SLE treatment: An expert viewpoint on the rationality and limitations of early biologic intervention

The approval of biologics, namely belimumab and anifrolumab, is being a game-changer in the approach to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Currently we are indeed facing a revolution in the treatment paradigm of SLE, encompassing early combination of biologics with standard treatment in severe manifestations. In this regard, a lively discussion is taking place regarding the better positioning of biologics in the treatment of not necessarily severe, yet refractory and/or disfiguring manifestations which expose patients to worsened quality of life, reduced workability and enhanced risk of organ damage especially related to the misuse of glucocorticoids in the long run. Growing evidence supports the early use of targeted treatments in those patients, including the use of biologics before traditional immunosuppression, to achieve control of disease activity while minimizing treatment-related damage, privileging the timely use of therapeutics selectively impacting on key disease mechanisms in spite of a widespread immunosuppression. Patient profiling on a clinical and endotypical basis is helping in identifying better candidates to targeted drugs. More inflammatory organ involvement including persistent arthritis and infiltrating skin lesions seem likely to respond to anifrolumab, while B-mediated manifestations, a lively serology and a relapsing-remitting SLE course hint at a suitable role for belimumab. This seems at least partially connected to the inner effect of either drug, dampening inflammation through down-regulation of interferon signalling in the case of anifrolumab, while plastically modulating the B cell pool composition and function when coming to belimumab. Nevertheless, the mechanisms of both drugs are immunologically entangled at some extent, thereby requiring careful management especially in patients with longer disease history burdened with mixed manifestations. In this viewpoint we go over pros and cons of anticipatory biologic use in SLE, exploring features linked with better efficacy of either drug and the pathogenic and practical rationale for their positioning before traditional immunosuppression in moderate refractory SLE to be optimally managed in the 21st Century.

Remission and low disease activity are associated with lower healthcare costs: results from the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) inception cohort

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to determine the independent impact of definitions of remission/low disease activity (LDA) on direct/indirect costs (DCs, ICs) in a multicentre inception cohort.

METHODS

Patients from 31 centres in 10 countries were enrolled within 15 months of diagnosis and assessed annually. Five mutually exclusive disease activity states (DAS) were defined as (1) remission off-treatment: clinical (c) SLEDAI-2K=0, without prednisone/immunosuppressants; (2) remission on-treatment: cSLEDAI-2K=0, prednisone ≤5 mg/day and/or maintenance immunosuppressants; (3) LDA-Toronto Cohort (TC): cSLEDAI-2K≤2, without prednisone/immunosuppressants; (4) modified lupus LDA state (mLLDAS): SLEDAI-2K≤4, no activity in major organs/systems, no new activity, prednisone ≤7.5 mg/day and/or maintenance immunosuppressants and (5) active: all remaining assessments.At each assessment, patients were stratified into the most stringent DAS fulfilled and the proportion of time in a DAS since cohort entry was determined. Annual DCs/ICs (2021 Canadian dollars) were based on healthcare use and lost workforce/non-workforce productivity over the preceding year.The association between the proportion of time in a DAS and annual DC/IC was examined through multivariable random-effects linear regressions.

RESULTS

1692 patients were followed a mean of 9.7 years; 49.0% of assessments were active. Remission/LDA (per 25% increase in time in a remission/LDA state vs active) were associated with lower annual DC/IC: remission off-treatment (DC -$C1372; IC -$C2507), remission on-treatment (DC -$C973; IC -$C2604,) LDA-TC (DC -$C1158) and mLLDAS (DC -$C1040). There were no cost differences between remission/LDA states.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that systemic lupus erythematosus patients who achieve remission, both off and on-therapy, and reductions in disease activity incur lower costs than those experiencing persistent disease activity.

The Impact of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Flares on Clinical and Economic Outcomes: The CHAMOMILE Claims Database Study in Germany

INTRODUCTION

CHAMOMILE (CHaracteristics and impact of flares on clinicAl and econoMic OutcoMes In patients with systemic Lupus Erythematosus [SLE]) examined how flares in the year of SLE diagnosis impact future disease activity and damage, productivity, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), and costs in patients with SLE in Germany.

METHODS

CHAMOMILE was a retrospective cohort study of adults with an SLE diagnosis in the German Sickness Fund Database from 1 July 2010 to 31 December 2013. Patients were classified according to their greatest flare severity during the baseline year (none, mild, or moderate/severe). The number and severity of flares were assessed annually over 5-8.5 follow-up years, along with SLE organ/system damage, treatments, work disability, and HCRU metrics.

RESULTS

Of 2088 patients (84.6% female; mean age [standard deviation] 51.4 [16.1] years; mean follow-up 6.8 [2.1] years), 34.3% (n = 716) were flare-free, 29.8% (n = 622) had mild flares, and 35.9% (n = 750) had moderate/severe flares at baseline. Baseline flare severity was related to future flares: rates during follow-up were higher in patients with moderate/severe baseline flares compared with those with mild or no baseline flares (89.6 vs 78.5 and 44.2 flares/100 patient years, respectively). Overall, 80.2% (n = 1675) of patients received glucocorticoids at least once during baseline and follow-up. Patients' HCRU was generally greatest in their baseline year. Costs were highest in patients with moderate/severe baseline flares.

CONCLUSION

Baseline flare severity provided insight into a patient's disease course and the clinical and economic burden of SLE over time, highlighting the ramifications of uncontrolled disease for patients with SLE.

Controversies in in rheumatology and autoimmunity: Is CORA meeting a good educational tool to increase the scientific knowledge?

Rheumatology and Autoimmunity are closely related fields and are among the most exciting areas in Medicine. Many conditions once regarded as mysterious and incurable are better understood and managed nowadays. Part of the great interest in these subjects derives from the fact that many controversial issues have arisen due to the rapid progression of knowledge, which means they are debatable. Over the years, the Controversies in Rheumatology and Autoimmunity (CORA) meetings promoted critical discussions not as an end but as a tool to increase the scientific knowledge of Rheumatologists and Clinical Immunologists. Beyond pursuing knowledge, being critical means questioning our inveterate beliefs and evaluating new conjectures and hypotheses. Thus, the approach to the debates in Medicine should be done with an open mind and free from all prejudices. Freedom of thought and speech are the fundamental values of our University, as exemplified by the motto "Universa Universis Patavine Libertas" which means "Padua freedom is universal for everyone". Patavine libertas initially referred to freedom from political and religious power but also freedom in research and teaching. For these reasons, Galileo Galilei moved to Padua in 1592, where he spent the most prosperous years of his life before being accused of heresy by the catholic church. We aim for the CORA congress to be an open-minded forum where active participation and exchange of ideas are promoted without prejudice. This special Issue of Autoimmunity Reviews is devoted to some controversies debated during the 7th CORA conference held in Turin, Italy, on March 16-18, 2023. Here we will discuss controversial entities, the use of old and new drugs, and insights into the classification, assessment of disease activity, and management of rheumatic diseases.

When should targeted therapies be used in the treatment of lupus nephritis: Early in the disease course or in refractory patients?

Although the prognosis of lupus nephritis (LN) has improved over the last few decades, 5-20% of patients still progress to kidney failure. Hence, there is an unmet need to improve the management of LN. Two novel drugs, belimumab and voclosporin, have been recently approved for LN and obinutuzumab is in the late stage of development. In randomised controlled trials (RCTs), all these drugs, added to the standard-of-care, were more effective than standard-of-care alone in achieving renal response. Now the question is: should these new drugs be used early in the disease course or just in refractory patients? The main reasons supporting the early use are based on the RCTs that demonstrated benefits when combinatory regimen was initiated early in incident and relapsing patients leading to a higher proportion of patients to achieve renal response, hence reducing nephron loss and the risk of kidney failure. The main reasons supporting the use of the combinatory regimens primarily in relapsing/refractory patients acknowledge that many patients responded well even without add-on medications, allowing a more economic use of innovative and costly drugs. However, good predictors of renal response to standard-of-care are lacking and, thus, the decision of adding new treatments early or just in refractory or relapsing patients has to consider drug access, risks of over or undertreatment, and preservation of kidney function in high-risk individuals.

Burden of lupus activity on health care resources utilization in Buenos Aires, Argentina

OBJECTIVE

The aim is to analyze health care resource utilization (HCRU) of patients with lupus (SLE) from a health management organization (HMO) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, compared with matched controls and comparing periods of flare, low disease activity, and remission.

METHODS

This is a retrospective observational study including all SLE incident cases (ACR 1997/SLICC 2012 criteria) between 2000 and 2020 and 5 matched controls. Clinical data and HCRU (medical and nonmedical consultations, lab and imaging tests performed, emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and drugs prescribed) were obtained from administrative databases and electronic medical records. For each patient with SLE, an activity state was determined in every month of follow-up: flare (BILAG A or 2 BILAG B); low disease activity (LLDAS); remission (DORIS definition); or intermediate activity (not fulfilling any of previous). Incidence rates for each HCRU item and incidence rate ratios between SLE and control patients were and between remission and flare periods were calculated. Multivariate negative binomial logistic regression analyses were performed for identification of variables associated with major resource use.

RESULTS

A total of 62 SLE and 310 control patients were included, 88.7% were women, the median age at diagnosis was 46 years, and were followed for more than 8 years. Patients with SLE contributed with 537.2 patient-years (CI 95% 461.1-613.3) and controls with 2761.9 patient-years (CI 95% 2600.9-2922.8). HCRU in patients with SLE was significantly higher than in controls in all items, even in remission periods. Patients with SLE remained 74.4% of the time in remission, 12.1% in LLDAS, 12.2% in intermediate activity, and 1.3% in flare (there were 64 flares in 36 patients). HCRU was significantly higher during flare periods compared with remission periods. Number of flares was independently associated with emergency department consultations, lab tests and X-ray performed, number of drugs prescribed, and hospitalizations.

CONCLUSION

Significantly more HCRU was observed in patients with SLE in flare compared to remission periods.

Annual Direct Cost and Cost-Drivers of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Multi-Center Cross-Sectional Study from CSTAR Registry

BACKGROUND

To estimate the annual direct costs and cost-drivers associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients in China.

METHODS

A multi-center, cross-sectional study was conducted based on the CSTAR registry. The information on demography and expenditures for outpatient and inpatient visits due to SLE were collected using online questionnaires. These patients' medical records were from the database of the Chinese Rheumatology Information System (CRIS). The average direct costs and 95% confidence interval were estimated using the bootstrap method with 1000 bootstrap samples by resampling with replacement. The cost-drivers were identified using multivariate regression models.

RESULTS

A total of 1778 SLE patients from 101 hospitals participated in our study, with 92.58% as females, a mean age of 33.8 years old, a median duration of SLE of 4.9 years, 63.8% in an active disease state, 77.3% with two organs or more damaged, and 8.3% using biologics as treatment. The average annual direct cost per patient was estimated at CNY 29,727, which approximates to 86% for direct medical costs. For moderate to severe disease activities, the use of biologics, hospitalization, treatment of moderate or high dose glucocorticoids, and peripheral vascular, cardiovascular, and/or renal system involvements were found to substantially increase the direct costs, while health insurance slightly decreased the direct costs of SLE.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provided reliable insight into financial pressures on individual SLE patients in China. The efforts focusing on preventing flare occurrences and limiting disease progression were recommended to further reduce the direct cost of SLE.

The Role of New 3D Pathology and Lymphocyte Expression of Interstitial Inflammation in Pediatric-Onset Lupus Nephritis

Lupus nephritis (LN) is a common and severe manifestation of pediatric-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (pSLE). It is one of the major causes of long-term glucocorticoid/immune suppressants use in pSLE. It causes long-term glucocorticoid/immune suppressants use and even end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in pSLE. It is now well known that high chronicity, especially the tubulointerstitial components in the renal biopsy, predicts a poor renal outcome. Interstitial inflammation (II), a component of activity in LN pathology, can be an early predictor for the renal outcome. With the advent of 3D pathology and CD19-targeted CAR-T cell therapy in the 2020s, the present study focuses on detailed pathology and B cell expression in II. We recruited 48 pSLE patients with class III/IV LN to analyze the risk of ESRD based on different II scores. We also studied 3D renal pathology and immunofluorescence (IF) staining of CD3, 19, 20, and 138 in patients with a high II score but low chronicity. Those pSLE LN patients with II scores of 2 or 3 showed a higher risk for ESRD (p = 0.003) than those with II scores of 0 or 1. Excluding patients with chronicity >3, high II scores still carried a higher risk for ESRD (p = 0.005). Checking the average scores from the renal specimens from different depths, the II, and chronicity showed good consistency between 3D and 2D pathology (interclass correlation coefficient [ICC], II = 0.91, p = 0.0015; chronicity = 0.86, p = 0.024). However, the sum of tubular atrophy plus interstitial fibrosis showed no good consistency (ICC = 0.79, p = 0.071). The selected LN patients with negative CD19/20 IF stains showed scattered CD3 infiltration and a different IF pattern of Syndecan-1 expression. Our study provides unique data in LN, including 3D pathology and different in situ Syndecan-1 patterns in LN patients.

Multisite chronic pain and the risk of autoimmune diseases: A Mendelian randomization study

Background

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that an association between chronic pain and autoimmune diseases (AIDs). Nevertheless, it is unclear whether these associations refer to a causal relationship. We used a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) method to determine the causal relationship between chronic pain and AIDs.

Methods

We assessed genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics for chronic pain [multisite chronic pain (MCP) and chronic widespread pain (CWP)], and eight common AIDs, namely, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), celiac disease (CeD), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), multiple sclerosis (MS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus Erythematosus (SLE), type 1 diabetes (T1D) and psoriasis. Summary statistics data were from publicly available and relatively large-scale GWAS meta-analyses to date. The two-sample MR analyses were first performed to identify the causal effect of chronic pain on AIDs. The two-step MR and multivariable MR were used to determine if mediators (BMI and smoking) causally mediated any connection and to estimate the proportion of the association mediated by these factors combined.

Results

With the utilization of MR analysis, multisite chronic pain was associated with a higher risk of MS [odds ratio (OR) = 1.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.01-2.49, P = 0.044] and RA (OR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.06-2.77, P = 0.028). However, multisite chronic pain had no significant effect on ALS (OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 0.92-1.71, P = 0.150), CeD (OR = 0.24, 95% CI = 0.02-3.64, P = 0.303), IBD (OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.09-2.27, P = 0.338), SLE (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 0.82-3.88, P = 0.144), T1D (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.65-2.02, P = 0.627) or Psoriasis (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 0.22-11.26, P = 0.644). We also found positive causal effects of MCP on BMI and causal effects of BMI on MS and RA. Moreover, there were no causal connections between genetically predicted chronic widespread pain and the risk of most types of AIDs disease.

Conclusion

Our MR analysis implied a causal relationship between MCP and MS/RA, and the effect of MCP on MS and RA may be partially mediated by BMI.

Clinical characterization of a cohort of patients treated for systemic lupus erythematosus in Colombia: A retrospective study

INTRODUCTION

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease associated with serious complications and high costs. The aim was to describe the clinical characteristics and health care resource utilization of a Colombian systemic lupus erythematosus outpatient cohort.

METHODS

This was a retrospective descriptive study. Clinical records and claims data for systemic lupus erythematosus patients from ten specialized care centers in Colombia were reviewed for up to 12 months. Baseline clinical variables, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index, drug use, and direct costs were measured. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS.

RESULTS

A total of 413 patients were included; 361 (87.4%) were female, and the mean age was 42 ± 14 years. The mean disease evolution was 8.9 ± 6.0 years; 174 patients (42.1%) had a systemic manifestation at baseline, mostly lupus nephritis (105; 25.4%). A total of 334 patients (80.9%) had at least one comorbidity, mainly antiphospholipid syndrome (90; 21.8%) and hypertension (76; 18.4%). The baseline Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index score was 0 in 215 patients (52.0%), 1-5 in 154 (37.3%), 6-10 in 41 (9.9%) and 11+ in 3 (0.7%). All patients received pharmacological therapy, and the most common treatment was corticosteroids (293; 70.9%), followed by antimalarials (chloroquine 52.5%, hydroxychloroquine 31.0%), immunosuppressants (azathioprine 45.3%, methotrexate 21.5%, mycophenolate mofetil 20.1%, cyclosporine 8.0%, cyclophosphamide 6.8%, leflunomide 4.8%) and biologicals (10.9%). The mean annual costs were USD1954 per patient/year, USD1555 for antirheumatic drugs (USD10,487 for those with biologicals), USD86 for medical visits, USD235 for drug infusions and USD199 for laboratory tests.

CONCLUSIONS

Systemic lupus erythematosus generates an important economic and morbidity burden for the Colombian health system. Systemic lupus erythematosus outpatient attention costs in the observation year were mainly determined by drug therapy (especially biologics), medical visits and laboratory tests. New studies addressing the rate of exacerbations, long-term follow-up or costs related to hospital care are recommended.

B Cell Kinetics upon Therapy Commencement for Active Extrarenal Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Relation to Development of Renal Flares: Results from Three Phase III Clinical Trials of Belimumab

Renal flares constitute major determinants of poor prognosis in people living with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of the present study was to investigate changes in B cell subsets in relation to renal flares upon initiation of standard therapy (ST) plus belimumab or placebo in patients with SLE. Using data from the BLISS-76, BLISS-SC, and BLISS Northeast Asia trials, we investigated associations of relative to baseline rapid (through week 8) and early (through week 24) percentage changes in circulating CD19⁺ B cell subsets characterised through flow cytometry, anti-dsDNA antibodies, and complement levels with the occurrence of renal flares over one year. Patients who developed renal flares showed more prominent rapid decreases in CD19⁺CD20⁺CD138⁺ short-lived plasma cells (-50.4% vs. -16.7%; p = 0.019) and CD19⁺CD20^-CD27^bright plasmablasts (-50.0% vs. -29.9%; p = 0.020) compared to non-flaring patients, followed by a subsequent return. Less prominent rapid reductions in CD19⁺CD27^-CD24^brightCD38^bright transitional B cells (-42.9% vs. -75.0%; p = 0.038) and CD19⁺CD20^-CD138⁺ peripheral long-lived plasma cells (-11.3% vs. -29.2%; p = 0.019) were seen in belimumab-treated-but not placebo-treated-patients who developed renal flares compared to belimumab-treated patients who did not. Rapid and early changes in anti-dsDNA or complement levels showed no clear association with renal flares. In summary, a rapid drop followed by a subsequent return in circulating short-lived plasma cells and plasmablasts upon treatment for active extra-renal SLE portended renal flares, indicating a need for therapeutic adjustments in patients showing such B cell patterns. Rapid decreases in transitional B cells and peripheral long-lived plasma cells upon belimumab therapy commencement may signify a greater protection against renal flares. B cell kinetics may prove useful in early drug evaluation.

Preventing organ damage in systemic lupus erythematosus: the impact of early biological treatment

INTRODUCTION

One of the most important aims in the management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is to avoid or delay the accumulation of organ damage. The first five years after diagnosis are crucial for prognosis.

AREAS COVERED

This manuscript reviews available data on organ damage accrual in SLE and early therapeutic intervention as a possible strategy to prevent its long-term accrual.

EXPERT OPINION

Organ damage can be minimized by controlling disease activity and risk of flares, reducing the dose of glucocorticoids, and ensuring a proper therapeutic intervention with an early introduction of the right therapies. The current standard treatment cannot provide clinical remission in all patients with SLE. Therefore, there is a clinical need for introducing new therapeutic strategies able to achieve the main therapeutic objectives. The addition of biologic and other therapeutic agents to the standard of care is effective for controlling disease activity and for preventing severe flares, enabling a reduced use of glucocorticoids, and presumably reducing organ damage progression. Considering its efficacy and safety, early inclusion of biologic agents in the first lines of the treatment algorithm, at least in certain patients, could be considered as an innovative treatment approach to decrease disease burden in SLE patients.

Increase in direct costs for health systems due to lupus nephritis: the case of Colombia

Objective

Lupus nephritis is one of the most severe complications of systemic lupus erythematosus and it has been estimated that can occur in up to 60% of patients. Direct costs of lupus nephritis have not been studied in developing countries. This study aimed to describe lupus nephritis direct costs in Colombia.

Methods

Administrative data from two Colombian health maintenance organizations for 2014 and 2015 was obtained. An algorithm based on the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10^th revision codes was developed to identify patients with lupus nephritis and lupus nephritis under study.

Results

The average annual per-patient, all-claims, all-cause direct cost for lupus nephritis was US$ 12,624, 7.5 times higher than the average lupus patient without lupus nephritis. For lupus nephritis cases under study, estimated direct cost was US$ 3,664, 2 times higher than average lupus patient in Colombia. Difference in lupus nephritis patients is mainly accounted for the cost and frequency of procedures, exceeding by a factor of 5 the cost for durable medical equipment and the cost for drugs, respectively.

Conclusion

Lupus patients who progress to lupus nephritis stage increased seven-fold the average annual per-patient, all-claims, and all-cause direct cost for the Colombian health system.

Early B Cell and Plasma Cell Kinetics Upon Treatment Initiation Portend Flares in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Post-Hoc Analysis of Three Phase III Clinical Trials of Belimumab

Objective

To investigate changes in B cell subsets in relation to disease flares upon initiation of standard therapy (ST) plus belimumab or placebo in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Patients and Methods

Using data from the BLISS-76, BLISS-SC and BLISS Northeast Asia trials, we investigated associations of relative to baseline rapid (through week 8) and early (through week 24) changes in peripheral B cell subsets, anti-dsDNA and complement levels with the occurrence of disease flares from week 24 through week 52 (Mann-Whitney U tests) or the entire study follow-up (Cox regression analysis), assessed using the SELENA-SLEDAI Flare Index.

Results

Patients on ST alone who flared displayed less prominent early decreases in CD19+CD20-CD138+ long-lived plasma cells (-16.1% versus -35.1%; P=0.012). In all arms combined, patients who developed severe flares showed less prominent early decreases in CD19+CD20-CD138+ long-lived plasma cells (-23.5% versus -39.4%; P=0.028) and CD19+CD27brightCD38bright SLE-associated plasma cells (-19.0% versus -27.8%; P=0.045). After adjustment for rapid changes, early increases in overall CD19+CD20+ B cells (HR: 1.81; 95% CI: 1.08-3.05; P=0.024) and early increases or no return after a rapid expansion in CD19+CD20+CD27+ memory B cells (HR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.18-2.11; P=0.002) portended subsequent severe flares. Patients who developed flares of any severity showed no or less prominent rapid (0.0% versus -12.5%; P<0.001) or early (-1.9% versus -21.7%; P<0.001) decreases in anti-dsDNA levels, and patients who developed severe flares showed no or less prominent early decreases in anti-dsDNA levels (0.0% versus -13.3%; P=0.020). Changes in complement levels exhibited no ability to distinguish flaring from non-flaring patients.

Conclusions

Increase or lack of decrease in certain circulating B cell subsets or anti-dsDNA levels upon treatment initiation for active SLE heralded subsequent severe disease flares. A rapid expansion of memory B cells may signify sustained response to therapy when followed by a subsequent drop, while no return or delayed increases in memory B cells may portend flaring. Peripheral B cell and serological marker kinetics may help identify patients in whom therapeutic modifications could protect against flare development, and may hence prove a useful complement to traditional surveillance and early treatment evaluation in SLE.

Health-care utilization and costs in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus in the United Kingdom: a real-world observational retrospective cohort analysis

Objective

The aim was to describe direct health-care costs for adults with SLE in the UK over time and by disease severity and encounter type.

Methods

Patients aged ≥18 years with SLE were identified using the linked Clinical Practice Research Datalink-Hospital Episode Statistics database from January 2005 to December 2017. Patients were classified as having mild, moderate or severe disease using an adapted claims-based algorithm based on prescriptions and co-morbid conditions. We estimated all-cause health-care costs and incremental costs associated with each year of follow-up compared with a baseline year, adjusting for age, sex, disease severity and co-morbid conditions (2017 UK pounds).

Results

We identified 802 patients; 369 (46.0%) with mild, 345 (43.0%) moderate and 88 (11.0%) severe disease. The mean all-cause cost increased in the 3 years before diagnosis, peaked in the first year after diagnosis and remained high. The adjusted total mean annual increase in costs per patient was £4476 (95% CI: £3809, £5143) greater in the year of diagnosis compared with the baseline year (P < 0.0001). The increase in costs per year was 4.7- and 1.6-fold higher among patients with severe SLE compared with those with mild and moderate SLE, respectively. Primary care utilization was the leading component of costs during the first year after diagnosis.

Conclusion

The health-care costs for patients with SLE in the UK are substantial, remain high after diagnosis and increase with increasing severity. Future research should assess whether earlier diagnosis and treatment might reduce disease severity and associated high health-care costs.

Frequency, severity and costs of flares increase with disease severity in newly diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus: a real-world cohort study, United States, 2004-2015

Objective

To evaluate frequency, severity and costs of flares in US patients with newly diagnosed SLE.

Methods

Adults diagnosed with SLE between January 2005 and December 2014 were identified from US commercial claims data linked to electronic medical records. Disease and flare severity during 1 year after diagnosis were classified as mild, moderate or severe using a claims-based algorithm. Study outcomes included frequency and severity of flares stratified by disease severity during the 1-year post-diagnosis period and all-cause healthcare costs of flares by severity at 30, 60 and 90 days after flare.

Results

Among 2227 patients, 26.3%, 51.0% and 22.7% had mild, moderate and severe SLE, respectively. The overall annual flare rate was 3.5 and increased with disease severity: 2.2, 3.7 and 4.2, respectively, for mild, moderate and severe SLE (p<0.0001). Patients with severe SLE had a higher annual severe flare rate (0.6) compared with moderate (0.1) or mild SLE (0; p<0.0001). Mean total all-cause costs at 30, 60 and 90 days after flare were $16 856, $22 252 and $27 468, respectively, for severe flares (mild flares: $1672, $2639 and $3312; moderate flares: $3831, $6225, $8582; (p<0.0001, all time points)). Inpatient costs were the primary driver of the increased cost of severe flares.

Conclusions

Flare frequency and severity in newly diagnosed patients with SLE increase with disease severity. After a flare, healthcare costs increase over the following 90 days by disease severity. Preventing flares or reducing flare rates and duration may improve outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.

Disease and economic burden increase with systemic lupus erythematosus severity 1 year before and after diagnosis: a real-world cohort study, United States, 2004-2015

OBJECTIVE

To assess the economic burden of patients with SLE by disease severity in the USA 1 year before and after diagnosis.

METHODS

Patients aged ≥18 years with a first SLE diagnosis (index date) between January 2005 and December 2014 were identified from administrative commercial claims data linked to electronic medical records (EMRs). Disease severity during the year after diagnosis was classified as mild, moderate, or severe using claims-based algorithms and EMR data. Healthcare resource utilisation (HCRU) and all-cause healthcare costs (2017 US$) were reported for 1 year pre-diagnosis and post-diagnosis. Generalised linear modelling examined all-cause costs over 1 year post-index, adjusting for baseline demographics, clinical characteristics, Charlson Comorbidity Index and 1 year pre-diagnosis costs.

RESULTS

Among 2227 patients, 26.3% had mild, 51.0% moderate and 22.7% severe SLE. Mean per-patient costs were higher for patients with moderate and severe SLE compared with mild SLE during the year before diagnosis: mild US$12 373, moderate $22 559 and severe US$39 261 (p<0.0001); and 1-year post-diagnosis period: mild US$13 415, moderate US$29 512 and severe US$68 260 (p<0.0001). Leading mean cost drivers were outpatient visits (US$13 566) and hospitalisations (US$10 252). Post-diagnosis inpatient utilisation (≥1 stay) was higher for patients with severe (51.2%) and moderate (22.4%) SLE, compared with mild SLE (12.8%), with longer mean hospital stays: mild 0.47 days, moderate 1.31 days and severe 5.52 days (p<0.0001).

CONCLUSION

HCRU and costs increase with disease severity in the year before and after diagnosis; leading cost drivers post-diagnosis were outpatient visits and hospitalisations. Earlier diagnosis and treatment may improve health outcomes and reduce HCRU and costs.

Clinical and Immunological Biomarkers for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by immune system dysfunction and is clinically heterogeneous, exhibiting renal, dermatological, neuropsychiatric, and cardiovascular symptoms. Clinical and physiological assessment is usually inadequate for diagnosing and assessing pathophysiological processes in SLE. Clinical and immunological biomarkers could play a critical role in improving diagnosis, assessment, and ultimately, control of SLE. This article reviews clinical and immunological biomarkers that could diagnose and monitor disease activity in SLE, with and without organ-specific injury. In addition, novel SLE biomarkers that have been discovered through “omics” research are also reviewed.

High disease activity status suggests more severe disease and damage accrual in systemic lupus erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

Disease severity in SLE is an important concept related to disease activity, treatment burden and prognosis. We set out to evaluate if high disease activity status (HDAS), based on ever attainment of a Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) disease activity score of ≥10, is an indicator for disease severity in SLE.

METHODS

Using prospectively collected data, we assessed the association of HDAS with sociodemographic and disease characteristics and adverse clinical outcomes using logistic regression or generalised estimating equations.

RESULTS

Of 286 patients with SLE, who were observed for a median (range) of 5.1 years (1-10.8 years), 43.7% experienced HDAS at least once during the observational period. Autoantibody positivity, particularly anti-dsDNA and anti-Sm positivity, were associated with increased likelihood of HDAS. Age ≥45 years at diagnosis was associated with reduced likelihood of HDAS (p=0.002). Patients with HDAS had higher Physician Global Assessment score (>1: OR 8.1, p<0.001) and were more likely to meet criteria for flare (mild/moderate flare: OR 4.4, p<0.001; severe flare: OR 17.2, p<0.001) at the time of experiencing HDAS. They were also more likely to have overall higher disease activity, as defined by time-adjusted mean SLEDAI-2K score in the highest quartile (OR 11.7, 95% CI 5.1 to 26.6; p>0.001), higher corticosteroid exposure (corticosteroid dose in highest quartile: OR 7.7, 95% CI 3.9 to 15.3; p<0.001) and damage accrual (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.3 to 3.9; p=0.003) when compared with non-HDAS patients.

CONCLUSIONS

HDAS is associated with more severe disease, as measured by higher disease activity across time, corticosteroid exposure and damage accrual. The occurrence of HDAS may be a useful prognostic marker in the management of SLE.

Living with systemic lupus erythematosus in 2020: a European patient survey

Objective

The aim of this study was to analyse the 2020 burden of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) in Europe, from the patients’ perspective.

Methods

In May 2020, Lupus Europe, the European umbrella patient association for SLE, designed and disseminated a multilingual anonymous online survey to individuals with a self-reported physician’s diagnosis of SLE living in Europe.

Results

Data from 4375 SLE survey respondents (95.9% women, median age: 45 (IQR: 36–54) years, 70.7% Caucasians) from 35 European countries were analysed. The median age at SLE diagnosis was 30 years (IQR: 22–40) and the median diagnosis delay was 2 years (IQR: 0–6). The most commonly affected organ-systems included the joints (81.8%) and skin (59.4%), with renal involvement in 30%. Another diagnosis was given before that of SLE in 45.0%, including psychological/mental disorders in 9.1% and fibromyalgia in 5.9%. The median number of symptoms reported was 9 (IQR: 6–11) out of 21, with fatigue most common (85.3%) and most bothersome. The median number of SLE-related medications was 5 (IQR: 3–7), including antimalarials (75%), oral glucocorticoids (52.4%), immunosuppressants (39.8%) and biologics (10.9%). Respondents reported significant impact over their studies, career and emotional/sexual life in 50.7%, 57.9% and 38.2%, respectively. Appropriate access to care was highly variable across countries and care component.

Conclusion

This survey underlines the 2020 burden and strong heterogeneity in the care of SLE across Europe, from the patient’s perspective. Altogether, these data may prove crucial to physicians, patients and policy-makers to improve the diagnosis and management of this rare and complex disease.

Belimumab: a step forward in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus

Introduction: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic B cell-mediated autoimmune disease which can potentially involve several organs and systems. The development of SLE is associated with a complexity of genetic, hormonal and environmental factors leading to immune deregulation and production of autoantibodies. Therefore, novel therapies have focused on B cells as key effectors of SLE pathogenesis. Belimumab is a fully humanized monoclonal antibody that antagonizes B-lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS); it is the first and the only biological drug approved for SLE in over 50 years.Areas covered: In this review we discuss the pharmacological properties of belimumab, new recommendations for its use in clinical practice and its evidence of efficacy and safety based on clinical trial and real-life data.Expert opinion: Efficacy and safety of belimumab in clinical practice have been well established. To date, it is known that early introduction of belimumab in SLE can maximize the efficacy of the drug. A number of questions are still open, such as the timing of belimumab discontinuation and its possible association with other biological drugs, which need to be assessed in future studies.

The Delay and Costs of Diagnosing Systemic Vasculitis in a Tertiary-Level Clinic

INTRODUCTION

The diagnosis of systemic vasculitis is a challenge because of the heterogeneity of clinical manifestations. The aim of this study is to analyze the diagnostic delay in systemic vasculitis, the total costs during the first year of care, and how the diagnostic delay affects the costs in a tertiary health care facility.

METHODS

Patients with a new diagnosis of systemic vasculitis between 2010 and 2018 were identified from hospital records. The diagnostic delay and health care costs were evaluated during the diagnostic period and within 12 months after the first contact with tertiary health care. Vasculitis-related costs were recorded as true costs charged. A total of 317 patients fulfilled the study criteria. The diagnoses were grouped into three clinically relevant groups: IgA vasculitis and other small-vessel vasculitis (n = 64), ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) (n = 112), and large-vessel vasculitis (LVV) (n = 141).

RESULTS

The diagnostic delay from the first referral to tertiary-level clinic was shortest in the LVV group and longest in the AAV group. Total costs during the diagnostic period were the highest in the AAV group (median = €6754 [IQR €8812]) and lowest in the LVV group (median = €3123 [IQR €4517]), p < 0.001. There was a significant positive correlation between the diagnostic delay and total costs during the diagnostic period and 12 months (rs = 0.38, p < 0.001 and rs = 0.34, p < 0.001, respectively). In a linear model, the inpatient days and the number of laboratory tests were the strongest predictors (p < 0.001) of a higher treatment cost during the diagnostic period.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a substantial diagnostic delay that correlates significantly with the costs in tertiary-level health care when diagnosing systemic vasculitis.

Within-trial economic analysis of flare data from the BLISS-SC trial of subcutaneous belimumab in systemic lupus erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

The management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) flares can incur substantial healthcare costs. In the phase III BLISS-SC trial, subcutaneous (SC) belimumab 200 mg plus standard therapy was associated with significant reductions in time to severe flare, and risk of flares, versus placebo plus standard therapy, in adults with active SLE. We evaluated whether the reduction in SLE flares with belimumab SC plus standard therapy translated to lower healthcare costs.

METHODS

A retrospective, post hoc economic analysis of BLISS-SC data was conducted. Unit costs per flare from claims data were estimated and applied to flares observed in BLISS-SC to quantify costs associated with treating severe flares (primary objective) or flares of any severity (secondary objective).

RESULTS

Of 836 patients (n=556 belimumab, n=280 placebo) analysed (94.4% female, mean (standard deviation, SD) age 38.6 (12.3) years), 13.2% and 62.8% had experienced a severe or mild/moderate flare, respectively. Mean (SD) unit costs per severe, moderate, mild or mild/moderate flare were US$9273 (38 800), US$3048 (9321), US$1671 (6202) and US$2303 (7821), respectively. Adjusted mean costs of treating flares were significantly lower with belimumab SC plus standard therapy than placebo plus standard therapy (severe flare, US$927 lower, p<0.001; flare of any severity, US$1379 lower, p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This economic analysis of data from the BLISS-SC trial revealed significant cost reductions were associated with treating SLE flares with belimumab SC plus standard therapy versus placebo plus standard therapy. These findings may help to inform decision making about introducing belimumab to healthcare systems.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT01484496.

Update οn the diagnosis and management of systemic lupus erythematosus

Clinical heterogeneity, unpredictable course and flares are characteristics of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Although SLE is-by and large-a systemic disease, occasionally it can be organ-dominant, posing diagnostic challenges. To date, diagnosis of SLE remains clinical with a few cases being negative for serologic tests. Diagnostic criteria are not available and classification criteria are often used for diagnosis, yet with significant caveats. Newer sets of criteria (European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2019) enable earlier and more accurate classification of SLE. Several disease endotypes have been recognised over the years. There is increased recognition of milder cases at presentation, but almost half of them progress overtime to more severe disease. Approximately 70% of patients follow a relapsing-remitting course, the remaining divided equally between a prolonged remission and a persistently active disease. Treatment goals include long-term patient survival, prevention of flares and organ damage, and optimisation of health-related quality of life. For organ-threatening or life-threatening SLE, treatment usually includes an initial period of high-intensity immunosuppressive therapy to control disease activity, followed by a longer period of less intensive therapy to consolidate response and prevent relapses. Management of disease-related and treatment-related comorbidities, especially infections and atherosclerosis, is of paramount importance. New disease-modifying conventional and biologic agents-used alone, in combination or sequentially-have improved rates of achieving both short-term and long-term treatment goals, including minimisation of glucocorticoid use.

Treatment patterns and medical cost of systemic lupus erythematosus patients in Japan: a retrospective claims database study

Aim: To describe the characteristics and medication treatment patterns, healthcare resource utilization (HRU), and associated costs in Japanese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods: Claims data from the Japan Medical Data Center (JMDC) database were used to identify patients with SLE-related claims from 2010 to 2017. Algorithms were developed to retrospectively categorize patients by disease severity, treatment experience, and SLE-related manifestations such as lupus nephritis and central nervous system lupus. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were used to describe treatment pattern and estimate HRU and associated costs for the SLE cohort overall and by disease severity and complications.Results: Among 4,733 eligible patients, 2,072 (43.8%) were treatment naïve, 2,214 (46.8%) were previously treated for SLE, and 447 (9.4%) did not receive any treatment. Mean (SD) age of the total SLE cohort was 45.2 (13.1) years and mean (SD) follow-up duration was 1,137.3 (758.0) d. Based on disease severity, 1,383 (29.2%) patients had mild, 2,619 (55.3%) patients had moderate, and 731 (15.4%) patients had severe SLE. Patients on glucocorticoids (both oral and parenteral) received add-on medications the most (35.5%, p < .001). Mean annual cost per SLE patient in the post-index period, inclusive of hospitalizations, outpatient visits, and pharmacy was ¥436,836; ¥1,010,772; and ¥2,136,780 for patients with mild, moderate, and severe SLE, respectively.Limitations: The database only captured information on patients up to 75 years of age. Due to the nature of the database, biases regarding conditions that attribute to the spectrum of SLE severity, flare incidences, or individual physical status cannot be ruled out.Conclusions: This study describes the treatment patterns and economic burden experienced by Japanese patients with SLE. The results highlight an unmet need to derive better treatment strategies for patients with SLE to effectively address the disease burden in Japan.

The economic burden of systemic lupus erythematosus in commercially- and medicaid-insured populations in the United States

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the economic burden of systematic lupus erythematous (SLE), stratified by disease severity, in commercially- and Medicaid-insured US populations.

METHODS

Adults (≥18 years) with SLE treated with antimalarials, selected biologics, immunosuppressants, and systemic glucocorticoids (2010-2014) were identified within the commercial and Medicaid insurance IBM MarketScan® databases (index date = first SLE medication claim). Both cohorts were stratified into mild (receiving antimalarial or glucocorticoid monotherapy ≤5 mg/day) versus moderate/severe SLE (receiving glucocorticoids >5 mg/day, biologic, immunosuppressant, or combination therapy) during a 6-month exposure period. All-cause healthcare utilization and costs were evaluated during the 12 months following the exposure period.

RESULTS

Among 8231 commercially-insured patients, 32.6% had mild and 67.4% had moderate/severe SLE by our definition. Among 802 Medicaid-insured patients, 25.2% had mild and 74.8% had moderate/severe SLE. Adjusted mean total healthcare costs, excluding pharmacy, for moderate/severe SLE patients were higher than for mild SLE patients in the commercially-insured ($39,021 versus $23,519; p < 0.0001) and Medicaid-insured populations ($56,050 versus $44,932; p = 0.06). In both SLE severity populations total unadjusted costs were significantly higher among Medicaid-insured than commercially-insured patients.

CONCLUSION

Commercially-insured patients with treatment suggesting moderate/severe SLE incurred significantly higher adjusted mean healthcare costs, excluding pharmacy, compared with mild SLE patients. While not reaching statistical significance, moderate/severe Medicaid-insured patients had higher costs then mild SLE patients. Total unadjusted healthcare costs were significantly higher among Medicaid-insured than commercially-insured patients. These differential costs are important to consider and monitor when implementing interventions to improve health and reduce healthcare spending for SLE.

Lupus patient decisions about clinical trial participation: a qualitative evaluation of perceptions, facilitators and barriers

Objective

Although SLE disproportionately affects minority racial groups, they are significantly under-represented in clinical trials in the USA. This may lead to misleading conclusions in race-based subgroup analyses. We conducted focus groups to evaluate the perceptions of diverse patients with lupus about clinical trial participation.

Methods

A qualitative research design employed three 90 min focus groups led by a trained moderator and guided by the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Open-ended questions about trial participation included advantages and disadvantages (behavioural beliefs), approving and disapproving significant others (normative beliefs), and participation enhancers and barriers (control beliefs). Discussions were recorded, transcribed and analysed to identify emerging themes.

Results

Patients with SLE (n=23) aged 21-72, with increased proportion of minority groups (65%), participated. Reported advantages of trial participation included altruism and personal benefit. Disadvantages included uncertainties, disappointment, information burden, and life-health balance. Although some patients had discussed research participation with approving or disapproving family or friends, self-approval superseded external approval. Barriers included logistics and time, and facilitators included flexibility in scheduling, advance notice of studies, streamlined forms, and hope for SLE improvement.

Conclusions

Knowledge about potential benefits of clinical trial participation was high. Minority patients demonstrated confidence in making their own informed decisions, but major barriers for all participants included burdensome forms, travel, childcare, and work. These suggest a major impact on minority and all recruitment from behavioural and control aspects, which should be considered in the logistics of trial design. This does not minimise the potential importance of improved access and education about clinical research.

Budget Impact Analysis Of Subcutaneous Belimumab In Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus In Spain

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the budget impact and the direct costs of the introduction of subcutaneous belimumab (SC) into the Spanish National Health Service (NHS) for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Spain.

METHODS

This study was conducted from the Spanish NHS perspective with a time horizon of 3 years. The budget impact analysis compared the cost difference between two scenarios: current market (standard therapy (ST) and intravenous belimumab (IV)) and other market in which patients switched from belimumab IV to belimumab SC until reaching 17% of the total market share. The eligible population was calculated to receive treatment with belimumab, applying the EPISER (study of the prevalence of rheumatic diseases in adult population in Spain) prevalence (91 per 100,000 inhabitants), Autoimmune Systemic Diseases Study Group (GEAS) incidence (2 per 100,000 inhabitants), and the risk of annual mortality to the Spanish adult population. Patients with severe active lupus nephritis and with severe active CNS lupus were excluded. Patients' characteristics, flare rates and severity, and healthcare resource consumption were evaluated based on data from the literature and interviews with an expert panel. A sensitivity analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Currently, there is an estimated 34,697 adult patients with SLE in Spain and 3849 patients who are eligible to be treated with belimumab. The introduction of belimumab SC into the Spanish NHS could generate savings in direct healthcare costs of 6 million euros over the 3 years.

CONCLUSION

The introduction of belimumab SC shows direct savings for the Spanish NHS. These savings could contribute to sustainability and decision-making.

Autoantibodies in SLE: prediction and the p value matrix

Autoantibodies (AA) and antinuclear antibodies (ANA) serve as key diagnostic and classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). More than 200 different AA have been reported in SLE, although only a handful (<20) are considered "mainstream" because they are widely and routinely used in diagnostic, research and clinical medicine. Although the vast majority of AA have been relegated to the diminished status of "orphan" AA, some serve as predictors of SLE because they first appear in very early or subclinical SLE. Some AA are pathogenic, whereas others are thought to protect against or ameliorate disease progression and, hence, taken together can be used as predictive biomarkers of prognosis. Although studies have shown that specific AA are detected in the preclinical phase of SLE and are biomarkers of increased risk of developing the disease, AA are currently not widely used to predict very early SLE in individuals who have low pretest probability of disease. With the advent of multianalyte arrays with analytic algorithms, emerging evidence indicates that when certain combinations of biomarkers, such as the interferon signature and stem cell factor accompany AA and ANA, the predictive power for SLE is markedly increased.

Lack of patient education is risk factor of disease flare in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in China

BACKGROUND

To explore the inadequacies of health service and its impact on clinical outcomes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in China.

METHODS

A total of 210 SLE patients were randomly recruited between January 2017 and January 2018. Each patient received self-report questionnaires to assess medication adherence [Compliance Questionnaire for Rheumatology (CQR)], beliefs about medicines [Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ)] and satisfaction about medicine information [the Satisfaction with Information about Medicines Scale (SIMS)]. Associations between SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI-2 K) and observed factors were analyzed by multiple logistic regression.

RESULTS

Based on CQR, only 28.10% patients were adherent. The score of BMQ was 2.85 ± 5.42, and merely 32.38% patients were satisfied with the information about their prescribed medicines. Disease activity was associated with SIMS, EuroQol five-dimensions [EQ5D], Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC), depression, use of NSAID (P ≤ 0.05). Remission of disease was positively correlated with SIMS (OR = 0.16, 95% CI: [0.06, 0.40]), and BMQ (OR = 0.64, 95%CI: [0.43, 0.94]).

CONCLUSION

In this study, the scores of BMQ and SIMS were low, implying defects in the patient education of health service system, which led to disease flare in Chinese SLE patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03024307 . Registered January 18, 2017.

Health-related quality of life in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: a Spanish study based on patient reports

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a disease that significantly affects the quality of life and welfare of patients. SLE patients can be classified into multimorbidity levels using Clinical Risk Groups (CRGs) to help to incorporate predictive models of health needs. The goal of this study was to correlate CRGs with health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) and costs in SLE patients.

METHODS

A questionnaire was administered to SLE patients in four hospital centers of the Valencian Community (Spain) between October 2015 and March 2016. The factors studied included HR-QoL (EQ-5D-5L and VAS), disease activity (SLAI/SELENA), damage (SLICC/ACR), and severity (IGK).

RESULTS

The patients (N = 190, 92.06% female, age (mean ± SD) 47.23 ± 13.43 years) were sorted according to health status in nine CRGs. We found that most SLE patients (> 70%) were in CRGs 5 and 6. The main HR-QoL issues in these patients were related to mobility, ability to perform usual activities, and pain/discomfort. The scores (mean ± SD) for EQ-5D-5L and VAS were 0.74 ± 0.25 and 65.67 ± 23.52, respectively. We found that the age of the patients negatively affected their HR-QoL (r = - 0.266). SLE direct costs per patient increased with each CRG group, representing 71.92% of the total costs, while indirect costs were highly variable. The average cost per patient with SLE amounted to €8432.85 (year 2014).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients' quality of life is related with age, disease activity, damage, and severity. Age was the parameter which most affects HR-QoL. Most costs of SLE are concentrated in two CRGs in which the HR-QoL deteriorates sharply.

Systemic lupus erythematosus and associated healthcare resource consumption in selected cities from the Russian Federation, Republic of Kazakhstan and Ukraine: the ESSENCE study

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate healthcare resource (HR) consumption associated with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) management in adult patients with active autoantibody positive disease in the Russian Federation, Republic of Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.

METHODS

The ESSENCE was a retrospective, observational study, and included data on patients' clinical characteristics and SLE-related HR use (laboratory, biopsy, imaging tests, medications, visits to specialists, outpatient visits, hospitalizations) during 2010 from the 12 specialized rheumatologic centers.

RESULTS

A total of 436 SLE patients were included in the analyses, with 232 patients being enrolled in Russia, 110 in Kazakhstan, and 94 in Ukraine. The mean age was 36-42 years and median SLE duration was 3-6.8 years across the countries. Extrapolation to total country population showed that, in 2010, visits to specialists (who assign treatment for organs involved/damaged by SLE) were the most frequently used HR (from 13,439 visits in Kazakhstan to 23,510 in Russia), followed by hospitalizations (from 2,950 in Kazakhstan to 6,267 in Russia) and outpatient visits (from 1,654 visits in Russia to 8,064 in Kazakhstan). Compared to chronic active patients (SLE persistent during last year), patients with relapsing-remitting SLE (at least one flare alternated by one remission per year) had a higher rate of visits to specialists (100% vs 60.8%, p < .001) and hospitalizations (98.9% vs 60.8%, p < .001). Compared to patients without flares, patients experiencing flares had a higher rate of unplanned visits to specialists (86.2% vs 6.3%, p < .001), were more often hospitalized (both ICU and non-ICU) (100.0% vs 50.0%, p < .001), and had a longer duration of ICU hospitalization (25.9 days vs 17.5 days, p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Specialist visits are the most frequently consumed SLE-related healthcare recourse in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. A relapsing-remitting SLE profile and the occurrence of flares significantly raise healthcare resource consumption.

Additional Costs of Polymyalgia Rheumatica With Giant Cell Arteritis

OBJECTIVE

To assess and compare direct costs between patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) that is associated or not associated with polymyalgia rheumatic (PMR), and to identify the additional cost drivers due to PMR.

METHODS

A population-based, retrospective cohort study using the French National Health Insurance System Database was conducted. Cost analysis was performed from the French health insurance perspective and direct medical and nonmedical costs were taken into account (based on 2014 costs [€]). Costs were analyzed according to different components and divided into 6-month periods to assess care consumption. Longitudinal multivariate analyses, using generalized estimating equations, were used to adjust the effect of PMR on the mean cost over time.

RESULTS

Analyses were performed on 100 incident patients with GCA, 54 of whom had PMR. The cumulative additional cost due to PMR was €8,801 for 3 years, and €10,532 for 5 years. The significant additional costs occurred especially during the second and third years of follow-up, amounting to €1,769 between 12 and 18 months (P = 0.02), €1,924 between 18 and 24 months (P = 0.17), €1,458 between 24 and 30 months (P = 0.08), and €1,307 between 30 and 36 months (P = 0.07). The most important cost drivers were inpatient stays, paramedic procedures, and medications. Multivariate analyses showed a significant effect of PMR on mean cost during the first 3 years of follow-up (relative risk 1.76 [95% confidence interval 1.03-2.99], P = 0.038).

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this study is the first to accurately assess the cost of PMR care in patients with GCA and to highlight that PMR is largely responsible for the high cost of GCA.

Flares in Chinese systemic lupus erythematosus patients: a 6-year follow-up study

This study determined the flare status of SLE patients in a single-center Chinese cohort and identified the predictors of flare in this underreported Asian population. The patients were recruited from April 2009 to February 2010 at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), and then followed up regularly at our clinic until December 2015. Flare was defined as an increase in SLEDAI-2K to ≥ 4 points from the previous visit, or appearing of a new SLE manifestation or worsening of a preexisting clinical or hematological manifestation (not included in SLEDAI-2K) that results in restarting or increasing corticosteroids or immunosuppressant. Baseline and follow-up data were collected, and some of them were used as variables in survival analysis for time-to-flare outcome with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank tests. Potential predictors with significant differences were further included in a multivariate Cox regression model for confounders adjustment and hazard ratio (HR) calculation. A total of 254 patients were finally included in our analysis. Yearly flare proportion rate was 13.0-15.7%. Renal, hematologic, and neurologic were the most frequently involved organs. Multivariate analysis confirmed onset age up to 18 years (HR 2.14, 95% CI 1.09-4.19) as a flare predictor. Organ damage at entry also showed an association trend with flare (HR = 1.693, 95% CI 0.943 ~ 3.041, p = 0.078). Chinese SLE patients showed a higher prevalence for disease flare compared with other ethnics. Future studies should be designed for figuring out the prediction role of fluctuation of anti-dsDNA antibody for disease flare.

The new targeted therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus: Is the glass half-full or half-empty?

Biologic therapy is still limited in lupus, where chronic steroid exposure and wide-spectrum immunosuppression are major triggers of organ damage. In this viewpoint, the authors summarize their views for a "half-full or half-empty" glass on targeted therapy in SLE. The are several reasons for seeing the glass half-empty and in this section the authors propose a critical reflection on scarceness of novel targeted lupus therapies. They show how hard it is to identify suitable biological and clinical targets and to choose the patients that may best fit those targets, as well as to stratify patients according to disease subtype and response, all contributing to the final outcome. On the other hand, reasons are emerging to see the glass half-full, including the growing evidence that disease activity and damage can both be hindered by the proper use of novel drugs and that promising molecules are upcoming. In this section, the authors contextualize potentials and failures of new drugs, providing a critical reading of disappointing results and underlining the concrete benefits obtainable through a wise use of available treatments. Indeed, combining medications with new therapeutic strategies such as the treat-to-target seems the right approach to add some water to a filling glass.

Treatment adherence and disease burden of individuals with rheumatic diseases admitted as outpatients to a large rheumatology center in Shanghai, China

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to determine treatment adherence and disease burden, analyze detailed medication problems experienced by patients, and identify factors associated with adherence in patients with rheumatic diseases in China.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with confirmed diagnoses of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were recruited, regardless of demographics, disease severity, and treatment characteristics. Adherence was assessed using the Compliance Questionnaire for Rheumatology and interview-based self-reports. A backwards-stepwise multivariate regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with adherence.

RESULTS

We collected data on 252 patients who had a rheumatic disease and visited our outpatient clinic in January or February of 2017. There were 121 patients with SLE, 70 with RA, and 61 with AS. The overall adherence rate was 41.7%, with 48.7% for SLE patients, 38.6% for RA patients, and 31.1% for AS patients. The overall EuroQol (EQ)-index was 0.761; AS patients had the best EQ-index (0.792), followed by those with SLE (0.780) and RA (0.700). SLE patients also had greater annual direct costs (US$5,103.58) than RA or AS patients.

CONCLUSION

Overall, 41.7% of our rheumatic disease patients were adherent to treatment, lower than in many other parts of the world. This indicates that it is important to identify methods that improve adherence in this population. It is particularly important to improve the health status and reduce the disease burden of patients with SLE, the most common of the three rheumatic diseases we analyzed. Our results suggest that reminder tools may improve adherence. Further prospective research is needed to confirm whether reminder tools and other measures can improve patient compliance.

BUDGET IMPACT ANALYSIS OF BELIMUMAB IN TREATING SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

Objectives: The study evaluates the costs of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the budget impact due to the introduction of belimumab in the Italian setting.

Methods: Adaptation to the Italian setting of a budget impact model with a time horizon of 4 years (year 0 without belimumab, years 1–3 with belimumab) to compare treatment, administration, and clinical monitoring costs of standard therapy and of the alternative scenario in which belimumab is administered in addition to the standard therapy to the subgroup of patients selected according to the label approved by the European Medicines Agency. The model takes also into account the costs of flares.

Results: Over 3 years, belimumab is able to prevent cumulatively 1,111 severe flares and 3,631 nonsevere flares with a total saving for the Italian National Health System (NHS) of approximately €6.2 million. Budget impact ranges from €4.4 million in the first year to €20.3 million in the third year.

Conclusions: The decrease in the number of flare partially counterbalances the costs of the new technology (impact attenuation of approximately 16 percent). These data elucidate the importance to control and monitor the disease progression and to prevent exacerbations, which are the major causes of the increase in costs paid by the NHS and by the society. The financial impact could be replicate on a regional basis, to inform local decision makers. Further developments are possible as the model does not consider the additional clinical and economic benefits of reduced damage accrual and slowed disease progression.

Effects of Belimumab on Flare Rate and Expected Damage Progression in Patients With Active Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

To investigate effectiveness and safety of belimumab in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a clinical practice setting.

METHODS

Sixty-seven patients with active SLE, mean ± SD age 39.3 ± 10.2 years, from 2 Italian prospective cohorts were treated with belimumab (10 mg/kg on day 0, 14, 28, and then every 28 days) added to background therapy. The Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K), the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index, the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28), 24-hour proteinuria, the Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index (CLASI) activity score, anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA), C3 and C4 levels, and prednisone daily dose were recorded at baseline, month 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24. Arthritis was subdivided into "classical" (CLP) and "rheumatoid-like"; skin manifestations into acute (ACLE), subacute (SCLE), and chronic. SLE flares, defined according to the SLEDAI Flare Index, were calculated before and after belimumab initiation. Adverse events were carefully evaluated during treatment. Statistics were performed by the SPSS package (version 21.0).

RESULTS

Mean ± SD followup was 16.2 ± 9.5 months. Main refractory manifestations treated with belimumab were musculoskeletal (37.3%), mucocutaneous (22.4%), and renal (23.9%). SLEDAI-2K, prednisone daily dose, anti-dsDNA, DAS28, CLASI, and 24-hour proteinuria decreased during treatment. DAS28 score decreased in patients with polyarthritis (P < 0.001), particularly in those with CLP (P < 0.001), and CLASI decreased in patients with skin manifestation (P = 0.003), either ACLE (P = 0.051) or SCLE (P = 0.047). Flare rate was lower 1 and 2 years after belimumab initiation than in the periods before (P = 0.001). Belimumab was well-tolerated and no damage accrual was observed after initiation.

CONCLUSION

Belimumab was effective and safe in a clinical practice setting; it decreased the number of flares and hindered damage progression in patients with active SLE.

The global burden of SLE: prevalence, health disparities and socioeconomic impact

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease that can potentially lead to serious organ complications and even death. Its global burden - in terms of incidence and prevalence, differential impact on populations, economic costs and capacity to compromise health-related quality of life - remains incompletely understood. The reported worldwide incidence and prevalence of SLE vary considerably; this variation is probably attributable to a variety of factors, including ethnic and geographic differences in the populations being studied, the definition of SLE applied, and the methods of case identification. Despite the heterogeneous nature of the disease, distinct patterns of disease presentation, severity and course can often be related to differences in ethnicity, income level, education, health insurance status, level of social support and medication compliance, as well as environmental and occupational factors. Given the potential for the disease to cause such severe and widespread organ damage, not only are the attendant direct costs high, but these costs are sometimes exceeded by indirect costs owing to loss of economic productivity. As an intangible cost, patients with SLE are, not surprisingly, likely to endure considerably reduced health-related quality of life.

PTX3, Anti-PTX3, and Anti-C1q Autoantibodies in Lupus Glomerulonephritis

Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an acute-phase protein involved in C1q clearance. The presence of anti-C1q and the absence of anti-PTX3 antibodies were associated with lupus glomerulonephritis (LGLN). Our aim was to assess soluble and kidney-expressed PTX3 and their relationships with anti-C1q and anti-PTX3 antibodies in LGLN. Serum PTX3, anti-C1q, anti-dsDNA, and anti-PTX3 antibodies were tested in 130 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, 130 healthy and 127 disease controls. Twenty-nine renal biopsies from SLE patients were analyzed and PTX3 immunostaining was quantified by morphometric analysis. Parametric and nonparametric statistics were performed. PTX3 serum levels were lower in SLE versus controls, but they were correlated with proteinuria in LGLN patients (p = 0.001). LGLN patients had higher anti-C1q and lower anti-PTX3 antibody levels than those without (p < 0.0001). LGLN was more prevalent in anti-C1q(+)/anti-PTX3(-) than in anti-C1q(+)/anti-PTX3(+) patients (p < 0.001). No LGLN was observed in anti-C1q(-)/anti-PTX3(+) patients. PTX3 was expressed in glomeruli and renal interstitium. Renal PTX3 was correlated with proteinuria (p = 0.024) and interstitial fibrosis (p = 0.023). PTX3 staining and fibrosis were higher in anti-PTX3(-) than anti-PTX3(+) patients. In conclusion, PTX3 is expressed in glomeruli of LGLN patients, primarily in anti-PTX3(-) patients, where it is correlated with renal fibrosis. Anti-C1q/anti-PTX3 antibody profile seems to be useful in LGLN assessment.

Clinical and financial burden of active lupus in Greece: a nationwide study

Analyses of the medical and economic burden of chronic disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are valuable for clinical and health policy decisions. We performed a chart-based review of 215 adult SLE patients with active autoantibody-positive disease at the predefined ratio of 30% severe (involvement of major organs requiring treatment) and 70% non-severe, followed at seven hospital centres in Greece. We reviewed 318 patients consecutively registered over three months (sub-study). Disease activity, organ damage, flares and healthcare resource utilization were recorded. Costs were assessed from the third-party payer perspective. Severe SLE patients had chronic active disease more frequently (22.4% vs 4.7%), higher average SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) (10.5 vs 6.1) and systemic lupus international collaborating clinics (SLICC) damage index (1.1 vs 0.6) than non-severe patients. The mean annual direct medical cost was €3741 for severe vs €1225 for non-severe patients. Severe flares, active renal disease and organ damage were independent cost predictors. In the sub-study, 19% of unselected patients were classified as severe SLE, and 30% of them had chronic active disease. In conclusion, this is the first study to demonstrate the significant clinical and financial burden of Greek SLE patients with active major organ disease. Among them, 30% display chronic activity, in spite of standard care, which represents a significant unmet medical need.