Increased HCRU, Direct Costs Associated With Alopecia Areata

When compared to control subjects, researchers determined that patients with alopecia areata are more likely to have atopic and autoimmune comorbidities, increased outpatient visits, and higher use of corticosteroids.

“Patients with alopecia areata have greater all-cause medical (including pharmacy) and out-of-pocket costs,” wrote researchers.

Researchers sought to assess all-cause health care resource utilization (HCRU) and direct health care costs in US adults with alopecia areata with or without alopecia totalis (AT) or alopecia universalis (AU) and compare this population to matched control subjects.

Eligible study participants identified through the IBM MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters and Medicare Supplemental databases were aged 18 years or older with alopecia areata and no fewer than 2 claims of alopecia areata at diagnosis between October 31, 2015, and March 3, 2018. Patients were enrolled no less than 12 months before and after first diagnosis and were grouped by researchers according to either their alopecia areata status without AT/AU or their AT or AU status.

Included participants were matched 1:3 to control subjects without alopecia areata, AT, and AU. Of the 14,972 adult patients with alopecia areata included in the study, there were 1250 in the AT/AU group and 13,722 in the non-AT/AU group.

Compared to control subjects, researchers observed a significantly greater proportion of patients with alopecia areata experienced atopic and autoimmune comorbidities. Substantially more corticosteroid treatments were also used by patients with alopecia areata.

“A greater mean number of annual outpatient and dermatologist visits was observed for both alopecia areata groups vs control subjects (outpatient visits: AT/AU group: 17.8 vs 11.8; non-AT/AU group: 15.4 vs 11.2; dermatologist visits: AT/AU group: 3.4 vs 0.4; non-AT/AU group: 3.4 vs .4; P < .001 for all),” reported study authors.

In the United States in 2018, total all-cause medical and pharmacy costs were higher in both alopecia areata groups vs control subjects (AT/AU group: $18,988 vs $11,030; non-AT/AU group: $13,686 vs $9,336; P < .001 for both). 

Patients with alopecia areata experienced higher out-of-pocket costs when compared to control subjects (AT/AU group: $2,685 vs $1,457; non-AT/AU group: $2,223 vs $1,341; P < .001 for both).

“The difference in total medical costs for patients with AT/AU vs control subjects is higher than the difference for patients with non-AT/AU vs control subjects,” concluded researchers.

Reference:
Mostaghimi A, Gandhi K, Done N, et al. All-cause health care resource utilization and costs among adults with alopecia areata: a retrospective claims database study in the United States. J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2022; 28(4):426-434. doi:10.18553/jmcp.2022.28.4.426