title: Direct and indirect costs to employers of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus with and without nephritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the medical- and productivity-related cost burden of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and SLE with nephritis in an employee population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using administrative data, annual costs were calculated for SLE patients, a subset with nephritis, and a matched control group of patients without SLE. These costs were compared with the cost of other chronic conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean annual medical expenditures and short term disability costs for SLE patients were $12,238 and $1184 greater (2005 dollars), respectively, than those of controls. Mean medical expenditures for SLE/nephritis patients were $46,862 greater than for controls. When compared with other chronic health conditions faced by employees, SLE/nephritis was the most costly condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SLE, particularly with nephritis, is associated with substantial costs. Therapies that can better manage SLE may provide opportunities for savings to employers.
authors.affiliation: Health and Productivity Division, Thomson Healthcare, Ann Arbor, Mich, USA. Ginger.Carls@thomson.com
authors.forename: Ginger
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carls
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Pantelis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panopalis
authors.forename: Shaohung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Amy G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Mell
authors.forename: Teresa B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Ron Z
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Goetzel
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee / Q000191:economics; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007344:Insurance Claim Reporting; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics; D016015:Logistic Models; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000191:economics*; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000191:economics*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult