The indirect costs of psoriatic arthritis: systematic review and meta-analysis

The aim of this systematic review is to collect all current data on the indirect costs (IC) related to psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The search was conducted using MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase and Centre for Reviews and Dissemination databases. We considered original studies, systematic reviews, economic evaluations, conference abstracts and posters. All collected data were recalculated to average annual cost per patient, expressed using the consumer price index for 2013 and converted to US dollars using purchasing power parity. Eight of the identified publications presented IC of PsA. Average annual IC per patient calculated using the friction cost approach range from US$1693.83 to $12,318.45, while using the human capital approach they range from US$1750.68 to $50,270.52. Result of the meta-analysis was a basis for calculating cost of work disability equaled US$10,754.04 per patient per year in 2013 prices. This systematic review revealed a great economic burden of the disease to the society. A small number of studies on IC in PsA justify further investigations.