title: Prevalence of psoriatic arthritis and costs generated by treatment of psoriatic arthritis patients in the public health system - the case of Poland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the study was to analyse the prevalence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in Poland and to assess the costs generated by treatment of PsA patients in the system of public healthcare.
  
  
  METHODS
  The analysis was based on the database of the public payer, the National Health Fund (NFZ). PsA was defined by the diagnostic ICD-10 codes M07 (Enteropathic arthropathies) and L40.5 (Psoriatic arthropathies). The estimate of the costs was based on the reports submitted to the NFZ by health service providers. The prevalence rates were calculated using the NFZ data and the population estimates from the Central Statistical Office of Poland (GUS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 2015, the prevalence of PsA (ICD-10: L40.5 and M07) in Poland was 3.2 per 10 000 population (3.7 in women and 2.6 in men). In 2015, nearly 7.3 thousand patients with the diagnosis of M07 and 6.3 thousand patients with the diagnosis of L40.5 received healthcare benefits. Women accounted for 60.6% of those patients. Nearly three fourths of PsA patients were aged 40 to 69 years with the median age of 54 years (56 years in women and 50 years in men). Between 2008 and 2015 the NFZ expenditure on the treatment of PsA increased from 6.6 million Polish zloty (PLN) (1.9 million EUR) to PLN 50.8 million (12.1 million EUR). In the same period, the number of PsA patients increased from 3.4 thousand to 11.9 thousand. In 2015, the mean cost of treatment per PsA patient was PLN 3.8 thousand.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PsA prevalence rates estimated by the authors from the NFZ database are clearly lower than those derived from studies in other European countries, which may suggest that the actual number of PsA patients in Poland may be underestimated. Still the number of patients treated for PsA increased nearly 3.5-fold during 2008-2015, when the cost of PsA treatment rose more than 7 times.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology and Public Health, National Institute of Geriatrics, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raciborski
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Standards, Procedures and Quality, Health Sciences Faculty, Medical University of Lodz, Poland Departament of Analyses and Strategy, Central Office of National Health Fund, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Śliwczyński
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerontology and Public Health, National Institute of Geriatrics, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kłak
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Early Arthritis, National Institute of Geriatrics, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Brygida
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kwiatkowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Standards, Procedures and Quality, Health Sciences Faculty, Medical University of Lodz, Poland Departament of Analyses and Strategy, Central Office of National Health Fund, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: Melania
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brzozowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Military Institute of Medicine Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tłustochowicz
keywords: epidemiology; increasing costs of treatment; psoriatic arthritis