Market Size and Dispensing Patterns for Rheumatoid Arthritis Medications in SUS (Brazil, 2019–2023)
Author(s)
Miriam A. Marcolino, PhD1, Karlyse C. Belli, PhD2, RODRIGO ANTONINI RIBEIRO, MSc, ScD, MD1;
1TruEvidence, Porto Alegre, Brazil, 2TruEvidence, São Paulo, Brazil
1TruEvidence, Porto Alegre, Brazil, 2TruEvidence, São Paulo, Brazil
Presentation Documents
OBJECTIVES: The treatment guidelines of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS) were updated in 2021, incorporating a broader range of of disease-modifying anti rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), including synthetic, biologic, and target-specific synthetic DMARDs. This study aimed to describe the number of patients treated for RA in SUS and to analyze changes in medication prescribing patterns between 2019 to 2023.
METHODS: Open data from the SUS Outpatient Information System regarding medication dispensing for the treatment of RA between 2019 and 2023, were analyzed. Changes in medication dispensing patterns were assessed by evaluating the variation in the proportion of patients who received at least one dose of the treatment within each year.
RESULTS: Between 2019 and 2023, 8,076,398 RA medication dispensations were provided for 289,188 patients in SUS. The number of patients increased from 152,198 in 2019 to 205,299 in 2023 (+34.9%). Throughout the period, the majority of patients received synthetic DMARDs (67-68%), primarily leflunomide and/or methotrexate. The proportion of patients using biologic DMARD decreased from 39.6% to 33.2%, with adalimumab and etanercept being the most frequently prescribed, though their dispensing declined over time. In contrast, the use of target-specific synthetic DMARDs increased from 2.5% to 10.1%, driven by an increase in the dispensing of tofacitinib and the incorporation of baricitinib (2020) and upadacitinib (2021). Additionally, less than 1% of patients received non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and/or immunosuppressants during the period.
CONCLUSIONS: From 2019 to 2023, there was an increase of almost 35% in the number of patients retrieving RA medication in SUS . With the expansion of advanced treatment options in SUS, target-specific synthetic DMARDs demonstrated a substantial rise in dispensing, accompanied by a concurrent reduction in the use of biologic DMARDs.
METHODS: Open data from the SUS Outpatient Information System regarding medication dispensing for the treatment of RA between 2019 and 2023, were analyzed. Changes in medication dispensing patterns were assessed by evaluating the variation in the proportion of patients who received at least one dose of the treatment within each year.
RESULTS: Between 2019 and 2023, 8,076,398 RA medication dispensations were provided for 289,188 patients in SUS. The number of patients increased from 152,198 in 2019 to 205,299 in 2023 (+34.9%). Throughout the period, the majority of patients received synthetic DMARDs (67-68%), primarily leflunomide and/or methotrexate. The proportion of patients using biologic DMARD decreased from 39.6% to 33.2%, with adalimumab and etanercept being the most frequently prescribed, though their dispensing declined over time. In contrast, the use of target-specific synthetic DMARDs increased from 2.5% to 10.1%, driven by an increase in the dispensing of tofacitinib and the incorporation of baricitinib (2020) and upadacitinib (2021). Additionally, less than 1% of patients received non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and/or immunosuppressants during the period.
CONCLUSIONS: From 2019 to 2023, there was an increase of almost 35% in the number of patients retrieving RA medication in SUS . With the expansion of advanced treatment options in SUS, target-specific synthetic DMARDs demonstrated a substantial rise in dispensing, accompanied by a concurrent reduction in the use of biologic DMARDs.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2025-05, ISPOR 2025, Montréal, Quebec, CA
Value in Health, Volume 28, Issue S1
Code
RWD26
Topic
Real World Data & Information Systems
Topic Subcategory
Health & Insurance Records Systems
Disease
SDC: Musculoskeletal Disorders (Arthritis, Bone Disorders, Osteoporosis, Other Musculoskeletal)