Cost of illness of inflammatory bowel disease in the UK: a single centre retrospective study

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Health Economics
• Public Health

Background:

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) poses a significant economic burden.
• Limited data exists on the scale and determinants of IBD costs in the UK.
• Understanding these costs is crucial for resource allocation and healthcare planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the costs of illness for a cohort of IBD patients in the UK.
• To identify factors associated with increased healthcare expenditures in IBD.
• To provide a detailed characterisation of IBD costs in a British hospital setting.

Main Methods:

• A six-month retrospective cohort study of 479 IBD patients (307 ulcerative colitis, 172 Crohn's disease).
• Data collection included demographic, clinical information, and itemised resource use for direct costs.
• Cost data were analysed using non-parametric bootstrapping and generalised linear regression; indirect costs were assessed via postal survey.

Main Results:

• Mean six-month costs per patient were £1256 for colitis and £1652 for Crohn's disease.
• Hospitalisation, disease severity, and extent were positively correlated with costs; age and sex were not significant factors.
• Disease relapse led to a 2-3 fold cost increase in non-hospitalised patients and a 20-fold increase in hospitalised patients.

Conclusions:

• This study provides the first detailed analysis of IBD costs of illness in a UK hospital.
• Hospitalisation, while affecting a minority, accounted for 49% of total direct secondary care costs.
• Understanding cost determinants is vital for managing the economic impact of IBD.