Cost of illness of atopic asthma and seasonal allergic rhinitis in Germany: 1-yr retrospective study

• Published in: The European respiratory journal Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 116 - 122
• Main Authors: Schramm, B, Ehlken, B, Smala, A, Quednau, K, Berger, K, Nowak, D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Leeds Eur Respiratory Soc 01.01.2003; Maney
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Asthma - drug therapy; Asthma - economics; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma; Cost of Illness; Cross-Sectional Studies; Drug Costs; Female; Germany; Health Care Costs; Hospital Costs; Humans; Hypersensitivity, Immediate - drug therapy; Hypersensitivity, Immediate - economics; Insurance, Health, Reimbursement; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pneumology; Retrospective Studies; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal - drug therapy; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal - economics; Severity of Illness Index; Europe; Germany; Human; Immunopathology; Allergy; Nose disease; Prognosis; Rhinitis; Respiratory disease; Asthma; Atopy; Seasonal variation; Health economy; Atopic asthma cost of illness direct costs indirect costs rhinitis severity of disease; ENT disease; Severity score; Obstructive pulmonary disease; Cost analysis; Public health
• ISSN: 0903-1936; 1399-3003
• DOI: 10.1183/09031936.03.00019502

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cost of illness of moderate-to-severe atopic asthma and/or seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) in Germany from the perspective of third-party payers (TPP) and patients. Five-hundred patients (276 children/adolescents) with moderate-to-severe asthma and/or SAR were included in this cross-sectional study. Information was collected using a specific patient questionnaire and the abstraction of patient records. Overall, annual costs per patient increased with the severity of atopic asthma and if it was associated with SAR. The average annual cost of SAR was Euro1,089 per child/adolescent and Euro1,543 per adult. Annual costs of severe asthma plus SAR increased to Euro7,928 per child/adolescent and to Euro9,287 per adult. For TPPs, the main cost drivers were medication, hospitalisation, and rehabilitation. The most significant costs for patients were household modifications. For children/adolescents, 60-78% of the expenditures were direct costs, while in adults, 58% of expenditures were indirect costs. It was also observed that patients with moderate and severe asthma used inhaled corticosteroids less frequently than recommended by treatment guidelines. In summary, the total cost for patients increases with the severity of atopic asthma and/or seasonal allergic rhinitis and indirect costs represent a large proportion of the total cost.