title: The humanistic and economic burden of juvenile idiopathic arthritis in the era of biologic medication.
abstract: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a poorly understood, heterogeneous, incurable, inflammatory syndrome. Long-term outcomes are uncertain, and this painful condition can result in lifelong disability. JIA is associated with considerable financial and humanistic burden for those affected and the healthcare system. Early diagnosis and effective treatment are indicated to optimise outcomes. Modern treatment aims to achieve remission and preserve joint function by using disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) early. DMARDs can be classified as conventional/traditional or biologic. Biologic medications may be more effective but cost approximately ten times more than traditional DMARDs. Decision-makers in healthcare are increasingly comparing the cost and consequences of alternative treatment strategies to guide resource allocation decisions. There have been few economic evaluations to date to guide medicines optimisation in JIA. This systematic review highlights the lack of existing evidence relating to the humanistic and economic burden of JIA in the era of biologic medication.
authors: Centre for Health Economics, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK, wendy.k.gidman@manchester.ac.uk.
authors: Wendy
authors: W
authors: Gidman
authors: Rachel
authors: R
authors: Meacock
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: Symmons
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D001688:Biological Products / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D001688:Biological Products