title: A retrospective study to assess resource utilization in patients with cervical dystonia in the United Kingdom.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cervical dystonia (CD) is a hypertonic condition caused by damage to the central nervous system. Very few studies have assessed the overall economic burden of the disease. The objective of this study was to describe the utilization of health care resources of patients with CD in the UK primary care setting, using a large population-based database.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults with a first diagnosis of CD between January 1, 2007 and January 31, 2011, who were registered to a general practitioner (GP) practice contributing to The Health Improvement Network (THIN), were included. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were assessed at the time of diagnosis. Health care resource utilization and pharmacological treatment were investigated at the end of the first and second year after diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 4,024 newly diagnosed patients with CD were identified, with average age at diagnosis of 45 years old; 65.3% were female. Depression in the year prior to diagnosis was the most common comorbidity. Primary care utilization was high in the first year, with 99.2% of patients visiting their GP (on average 6.2 times), and 43% visiting a nurse (on average 2.5 times). Patients were most commonly referred to an orthopedic surgeon, and 15.9% reported at least one physiotherapy visit. In the second year, utilization was similar. Prescriptions of at least one of the investigated treatments were found in 82.0% and 45.3%, in the first and second year, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings suggest a high number of new CD cases are being identified in primary care, but not all will be referred to secondary care. Health care resource utilization was compared with that of all patients registered in THIN, which is representative of the UK, and the adjusted usage of primary care resources was found to be similar to that of the THIN population.
authors.affiliation: Retrospective Observational Studies, Evidera, London, UK.
authors.forename: Mireia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raluy-Callado
authors.affiliation: Ipsen Pharma, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gabriel
authors.affiliation: Ipsen Pharma, Boulogne-Billancourt, France.
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dinet
authors.affiliation: Retrospective Observational Studies, Evidera, London, UK.
authors.forename: Meng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Retrospective Observational Studies, Evidera, London, UK.
authors.forename: Radek
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wasiak
keywords: health care utilization; primary care
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