HEALTHCARE UTILIZATION, EXPENDITURES, AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG U.S. ADULTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND COMORBID HYPERTENSION: MEDICAL EXPENDITURE PANEL SURVEY, 2020-2023
Author(s)
Samruddhi Nandkumar Borate, M.Pharm, Akhila Yerubandi, PharmD, Lorenzo Villa Zapata, PharmD, PhD;
University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy, Athens, GA, USA
University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy, Athens, GA, USA
OBJECTIVES: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with high healthcare utilization and reduced physical functioning. Hypertension (HTN), a common and modifiable cardiovascular comorbidity in RA, may further increase disease burden and healthcare needs. This study compared healthcare utilization, expenditures, and health-related quality of life among US adults with RA with and without comorbid HTN.
METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of pooled 2020-2023 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data. Adults with RA were identified from the Medical Conditions file and classified as RA-only or RA+HTN. Survey-weighted descriptive analyses compared socio-demographics, healthcare utilization, expenditures, and health-related quality of life between groups. Group differences were assessed within the RA subpopulation using survey-weighted linear regression and the Rao-Scott chi-square test for categorical outcomes.
RESULTS: Among U.S. adults with RA (weighted population approximately 4.3 million), 49.7% had comorbid hypertension. Compared with RA-only, those with RA+HTN were older (mean difference, 7.2 years; p<0.001) and reported worse physical health-related quality of life (mean physical component summary score difference, −3.9 points; p<0.001), whereas mental health scores did not differ (p=0.20). Adults with RA+HTN had higher healthcare utilization, including more office-based visits (mean difference, +2.5 visits; p=0.02) and greater prescription medication use (mean difference, +17.2 fills; p<0.001). Mean unadjusted annual total healthcare expenditures were higher for RA+HTN than RA-only ($28,088 vs $23,006), although the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.10). No significant differences were observed in other unadjusted expenditure components (office-based, outpatient, inpatient, prescription, and emergency department).
CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension is common among U.S. adults with rheumatoid arthritis and is associated with higher healthcare utilization and poorer physical health-related quality of life. These findings support attention to cardiovascular comorbidity management as part of comprehensive RA care.
METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of pooled 2020-2023 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data. Adults with RA were identified from the Medical Conditions file and classified as RA-only or RA+HTN. Survey-weighted descriptive analyses compared socio-demographics, healthcare utilization, expenditures, and health-related quality of life between groups. Group differences were assessed within the RA subpopulation using survey-weighted linear regression and the Rao-Scott chi-square test for categorical outcomes.
RESULTS: Among U.S. adults with RA (weighted population approximately 4.3 million), 49.7% had comorbid hypertension. Compared with RA-only, those with RA+HTN were older (mean difference, 7.2 years; p<0.001) and reported worse physical health-related quality of life (mean physical component summary score difference, −3.9 points; p<0.001), whereas mental health scores did not differ (p=0.20). Adults with RA+HTN had higher healthcare utilization, including more office-based visits (mean difference, +2.5 visits; p=0.02) and greater prescription medication use (mean difference, +17.2 fills; p<0.001). Mean unadjusted annual total healthcare expenditures were higher for RA+HTN than RA-only ($28,088 vs $23,006), although the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.10). No significant differences were observed in other unadjusted expenditure components (office-based, outpatient, inpatient, prescription, and emergency department).
CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension is common among U.S. adults with rheumatoid arthritis and is associated with higher healthcare utilization and poorer physical health-related quality of life. These findings support attention to cardiovascular comorbidity management as part of comprehensive RA care.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-05, ISPOR 2026, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue S6
Code
EE28
Topic
Economic Evaluation
Topic Subcategory
Cost/Cost of Illness/Resource Use Studies
Disease
SDC: Cardiovascular Disorders (including MI, Stroke, Circulatory), SDC: Musculoskeletal Disorders (Arthritis, Bone Disorders, Osteoporosis, Other Musculoskeletal)