Hospitalization Rates Are Highest in the First 5 Years of Systemic Sclerosis: Results From a Population-based Cohort...

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Epidemiology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex autoimmune disease with limited data on healthcare resource utilization.
• Understanding hospitalization patterns is crucial for managing SSc patient care and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare hospitalization rates, lengths of stay, and readmission rates between incident cases of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and age- and sex-matched controls.
• To identify periods of increased inpatient care needs following SSc diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective, population-based cohort study in Olmsted County, Minnesota (1980-2016).
• Inclusion of 76 SSc cases and 155 matched non-SSc comparators.
• Analysis of hospitalization data from 1987 to 2018, comparing rates, length of stay, and readmissions.

Main Results:

• SSc patients had significantly higher hospitalization rates (31.9 per 100 person-years) compared to controls (17.9 per 100 person-years), a rate ratio of 1.78.
• Hospitalization rates were notably higher in the first 5 years post-SSc diagnosis (rate ratio 2.16).
• Length of stay and readmission rates did not significantly differ between SSc patients and controls.

Conclusions:

• Patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) exhibit substantially higher hospitalization frequencies, underscoring their significant inpatient care requirements.
• The highest burden of hospitalization occurs within the initial five years after SSc diagnosis, necessitating focused clinical attention during this period.