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Researchers evaluate public health relevance of Graves’ orbitopathy
In an observational study conducted by researchers in Germany, data suggest productivity loss and a prolonged therapy for patients with Graves’ orbitopathy result in considerable indirect and direct costs.
The most common extrathyroidal manifestation of autoimmune Graves’ disease — Graves’ orbitopathy (GO) — is marked by physical illness and an impaired working ability and quality of life.
“We hypothesized that direct costs would be higher in patients with severe forms of the disease, e.g. in cases of optic neuropathy and/or constant diplopia,” researchers wrote.
Katharina A. Ponto, MD, from the department of ophthalmology at Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Centre in Mainz, Germany, and colleagues examined 680 patients (310 GO patients; 370 healthy patients).
According to data, of 215 employed patients, 47 (21.9%) were on temporary disability and 12 (5.6%) were on permanent work disability. Moreover, five patients (2.3%) lost their jobs and nine (4.2%) retired. Sick leaves were measured at 22.3 days per year. Compared with average Germans who took 11.6 sick days per year, 32 (15%) patients took longer sick leaves, they wrote.
“If approximately 40% of patients with Graves’ disease have clinically overt GO and if the prevalence of Graves’ disease is at least 0.5%, there will be 410,000 GO patients in Germany. Direct costs of GO would then be a total of 159,080,000€ ($200,122,640) per year, whereas the indirect costs would average between 1,360,380,000€ ($1,711,358,040) and 2,762,580,000€ ($3,475,325,640) per year,” the researchers wrote.
Finally, researchers said disease severity increased indirect and direct costs. Although these data are estimates, the researchers conclude that economic consequences and public health relevance were demonstrated in this study.
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.