Economic burden of hidradenitis suppurativa based on healthcare resource utilization: German claims data analysis

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, debilitating skin disease affecting approximately 0.1% of the German population. Patients with HS require substantial healthcare resource utilization. This study aimed to assess the economic burden associated with HS in Germany.

Adults with HS and statutory health insurance were included if they had at least one outpatient or inpatient medical HS claim between August 1, 2015, and December 31, 2016. Patients were followed for up to 1 year, until a change of health service provider, the end of the study period (December 31, 2017), or death, whichever occurred first. Outcomes were measured during the follow-up period and included all-cause and HS-related outpatient, inpatient, and medical claims as well as sick leave.

A total of 1,941 patients were included in the HS study cohort, of whom 1,919 had healthcare resource claims during follow-up. Overall, 37.0% of patients had outpatient dermatology visits, 3.6% had biologic therapy claims, 16.1% underwent HS-related surgery, and 6.2% had HS-related inpatient visits during follow-up. Among patients without prior biologic medication use, 24.0% of HS-related costs were attributable to inpatient visits. Medication, outpatient visits, and therapeutic appliances or aids accounted for 54.5%, 18.0%, and 3.5% of costs, respectively.

The majority of HS-related claims were attributable to medications, followed by inpatient treatment, underscoring the need for therapies that provide long-term effectiveness and tolerability.