OBJECTIVES

: AAV is a rare systemic disease, characterized by recurrent episodes of inflammation. Patients are at risk from acute disease activity, treatment-related toxicities involving high dose glucocorticosteroids (GCs) and cumulative organ damage from both disease and therapy. The economic burden and healthcare resource usage for AAV are currently not well understood.

METHODS

: Longitudinal data provided by German insurance (SHI companies) from the InGef database has been analyzed to understand complications associated with steroid therapy for AAV, treatment costs and resource utilization.

RESULTS

: Over 90% of patients with GPA/MPA were hospitalized during the induction treatment period of which 60% are hospitalized due to an active GPA/MPA diagnosis. In 2013, 66%-76% of prevalent GPA/MPA patients were hospitalized, the majority due to a diagnosis of active GPA/MPA disease with associated co-morbidities. The length of hospitalization for GPA/MPA patients varied from 7-13 days, with the longest stays for patients with associated renal disease.

CONCLUSIONS

: AAV patients represent a significant cost to the German healthcare system, especially during induction therapy. The high level of hospitalizations amongst AAV patients also represents a high usage of healthcare resources.