[Costs of Crohn's disease in Germany from the perspective of the Statutory Health Insurance].
BACKGROUND
Data concerning treatment reality in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) are limited in Germany. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to collect resource use data due to CD and quantify these from the perspective of the Statutory Health Insurance in Germany.


METHODS
Between March 2006 and July 2007 the patients from 24 ambulatory gastroenterological specialist practices and 2 hospitals were enrolled in an internet-based online database. Based on the collected data, the outpatient and inpatient visits, all procedures as well as medication usage were determined and evaluated from the perspective of the Statutory Health Insurance taking also into consideration patient co-payments, company and pharmacy discounts. 2007 was selected as the price year.


RESULTS
Data from 511 CD patients were collected, with 37 % being male. Patients were on average 41 years old. According to the calculations, an average CD patient in Germany causes costs of 3767.26 euro from the perspective of the Statutory Health Insurance. 68.5 % are medication costs, 20.5 % result from inpatient care. The costs increase with the severity of the disease.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study to calculate costs due to CD (3767 euro/year) from the perspective of the Statutory Health Insurance in Germany. To illustrate the costs from the societal perspective, indirect costs need to be included in the calculation in future studies.
Prenzler
A
A
Forschungsstelle für Gesundheitsökonomie, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Königsworther Platz 1, 30167 Hannover. ap@ivbl.uni-hannover.de
Mittendorf
T
T
Conrad
S
S
von der Schulenburg
J-M
JM
Bokemeyer
B
B
D000328:Adult; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence