OBJECTIVES: There is limited evidence of healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and direct and indirect costs associated with myasthenia gravis (MG) in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden.

METHODS: Data were collected from healthcare registers with essentially complete population coverage. Incident MG patients were identified based on ≥2 MG diagnostic codes (ICD-10; G70.0*) in specialty care during 2000–2020, defining the first MG diagnosis as the index date. The main analysis population was patients within the working age (aged 15-64 years old). The number of specialized healthcare contacts (outpatient and inpatient) among MG patients were examined. The cost-of-illness assessment included direct (specialized HCRU and prescription drugs), indirect (productivity loss due to sickness absence, early retirement, and mortality) and total costs among MG patients in all three countries.

RESULTS: A total of 2,835 working-age MG patients were identified in the three countries. The number of outpatient and inpatient contacts was highest in the first year after the diagnosis and remained higher than before diagnosis for three years in all three countries. During follow-up, the annual mean total cost per patient was 11,891 EUR, 11,085 EUR, and 11,195 EUR in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden, respectively. The annual mean direct cost per patient was 4,479 EUR, 4,518 EUR and 2,819 EUR for Denmark, Finland, and Sweden, respectively. Inpatient visits contributed the most to direct costs in all three countries. The annual mean indirect cost per patient was 7,412 EUR, 6,567 EUR and 8,376 EUR for Denmark, Finland, and Sweden, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: In the first year after MG diagnosis, HCRU was noticeably higher. According to the study, high direct and indirect costs for MG were found in all three countries. This significant burden on healthcare systems and society should compel policymakers to prioritize policies that could lessen the effects of MG and its treatment.