A retrospective analysis of disease epidemiology, comorbidities, treatment patterns, and healthcare resource utilization of alopecia areata in the United Arab Emirates using claims database

• Published in: Journal of dermatology Vol. 51; no. 9; pp. 1157 - 1171
• Main Authors: Hammadi, Anwar Al, Parmar, Nisha V., Farghaly, Mohamed, Dallal, Sara Al, Zayed, Mostafa Wagdy Abdullah, Ebeid, Fadwa, Subramanyam, Kumaresan, Ramachandrachar, Badarinath Chickballapur, Ahmed, Haytham Mohamed
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.09.2024; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Alopecia; alopecia areata; Alopecia Areata - diagnosis; Alopecia Areata - economics; Alopecia Areata - epidemiology; Alopecia Areata - therapy; Atopic dermatitis; autoimmune disease; Baldness; Child; Child, Preschool; Comorbidity; Contact dermatitis; Cost of Illness; Databases, Factual; Dermatitis; dermatologist; Diagnosis; Eczema; Epidemiology; Female; Health care; Health Care Costs - statistics & numerical data; healthcare costs; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Patient Acceptance of Health Care - statistics & numerical data; Patients; Resource utilization; Retrospective Studies; Severity of Illness Index; Steroid hormones; United Arab Emirates; United Arab Emirates - epidemiology; Young Adult; United Arab Emirates; United States > US; Dubai United Arab Emirates; United Arab Emirates; alopecia areata; dermatologist; autoimmune disease; healthcare costs
• ISSN: 0385-2407; 1346-8138; 1346-8138
• DOI: 10.1111/1346-8138.17381

Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disorder that manifests as nonscarring hair loss and imposes a substantial disease burden. The current study, using an e‐claims database, assesses the disease burden, comorbidities, treatment patterns, specialties involved in the diagnosis of AA, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), and associated costs in privately insured patients with AA in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The retrospective longitudinal secondary study was conducted using Dubai Real‐World Database e‐claims data during 01 January 2014 to 30 June 2022. Patients with at least one diagnosis claim of AA during the index period (01 January 2015–30 June 2021) with continuous enrollment (one or more AA/non‐AA claim in the post‐index period) were included in the analysis. The patients were stratified into subcohorts based on diagnosis code and treatment patterns, as mild, moderate‐to‐severe, and others. Demographics, comorbidities, treatment patterns, specialists visited, and HCRU were assessed. The study included 11 851 patients with AA (mean age: mild: 37 years; moderate‐to‐severe: 36 years), with a male predominance (mild: 77.6%; moderate‐to‐severe: 60.8%). The most prevalent comorbidities in the moderate‐to‐severe AA subcohort were autoimmune and T‐helper 2–mediated immune disorders, including contact dermatitis and eczema (62.1%), atopic dermatitis (36.1%), and asthma (36.1%). Most patients consulted dermatologists for treatment advice (mild AA: 87.4%; moderate‐to‐severe AA: 47.7%) and, notably, within 1 day of AA diagnosis. Topical steroids were frequently prescribed across cohorts, regardless of disease severity. Analysis of comorbidities among patients with AA indicated an additional HCRU burden among these subsets of patients. The median disease‐specific HCRU cost was higher for psychological comorbidities versus autoimmune and T‐helper 2–mediated immune disorders (US $224.99 vs US $103.70). There is a substantial disease and economic burden in patients with AA and associated comorbid conditions; therefore, investing in novel therapies that target the underlying autoimmune pathway may address the gap in effective management of AA.