The Rheumatologist
COVID-19 News
  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed
  • Home
  • Conditions
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • SLE (Lupus)
    • Crystal Arthritis
      • Gout Resource Center
    • Spondyloarthritis
    • Osteoarthritis
    • Soft Tissue Pain
    • Scleroderma
    • Vasculitis
    • Systemic Inflammatory Syndromes
    • Guidelines
  • Resource Centers
    • Axial Spondyloarthritis Resource Center
    • Gout Resource Center
    • Psoriatic Arthritis Resource Center
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
    • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
  • Drug Updates
    • Biologics & Biosimilars
    • DMARDs & Immunosuppressives
    • Topical Drugs
    • Analgesics
    • Safety
    • Pharma Co. News
  • Professional Topics
    • Ethics
    • Legal
    • Legislation & Advocacy
    • Career Development
      • Certification
      • Education & Training
    • Awards
    • Profiles
    • President’s Perspective
    • Rheuminations
    • Interprofessional Perspective
  • Practice Management
    • Billing/Coding
    • Quality Assurance/Improvement
    • Workforce
    • Facility
    • Patient Perspective
    • Electronic Health Records
    • Apps
    • Information Technology
    • From the College
    • Multimedia
      • Audio
      • Video
  • Resources
    • Issue Archives
    • ACR Convergence
      • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Resource Center
      • Rheumatoid Arthritis Resource Center
      • Gout Resource Center
      • Abstracts
      • Meeting Reports
      • ACR Convergence Home
    • American College of Rheumatology
    • ACR ExamRheum
    • Research Reviews
    • ACR Journals
      • Arthritis & Rheumatology
      • Arthritis Care & Research
      • ACR Open Rheumatology
    • Rheumatology Image Library
    • Treatment Guidelines
    • Rheumatology Research Foundation
    • Events
  • About Us
    • Mission/Vision
    • Meet the Authors
    • Meet the Editors
    • Contribute to The Rheumatologist
    • Subscription
    • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Search
You are here: Home / Articles / Reducing Gout Flare Frequency Saves Money

Reducing Gout Flare Frequency Saves Money

August 10, 2015 • By Lara C. Pullen, PhD

  • Tweet
  • Email
Print-Friendly Version / Save PDF

Kyu Oh_iStockphoto_money500x270Individuals with gout may experience extremely painful gout attacks that can dramatically affect their quality of life. A new study examined whether gout flares are also associated with healthcare burden. The investigators found that patients who have more frequent gout flares do have increased gout-related costs and use more healthcare resources.1

You Might Also Like
  • Patients May Be Right: Tomatoes May Trigger Gout Flares
  • Rheumatology Coding Corner Answer: Coding for Acute Flare of Idiopathic Gout
  • Rheumatology Coding Corner Question: Coding for Acute Flare of Idiopathic Gout
Also By This Author
  • New Study Examines Pregnancy Risk Factors for Patients with Lupus

Robert Jackson, MD, vice president of Takeda Pharmaceuticals in Deerfield, Ill., and colleagues published the results of their retrospective cohort study online in BMJ Open in June. The cohort included patients (n = 102,703) who were commercially insured in a managed care system and members of the Medicare Advantage population. The investigators tracked gout-related costs in a database from Jan. 1, 2009, to April 30, 2012. Costs included gout-related inpatient stays, emergency department visits and ambulatory visits. The researchers acknowledged that the claims data might include coding errors and the fact that a medical claim being made does not necessarily mean that the patient experienced that disease.

ad goes here:advert-1
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

The majority of patients (89,201) had 0–1 gout flare, and 9,712 had two flares. Approximately 4% of patients experienced high flare count, which was defined as three or more flares during the follow-up period. The investigators found that baseline serum uric acid (sUA) levels of ≥6.0 mg/dL predicted a higher risk of flares. Other characteristics associated with higher follow up, gout-related total healthcare costs included older age, male gender and residing in the Northeast or Midwest regions, as opposed to the West or other geographic areas.

“To adjust for differences in patient characteristics, the relationship between flare frequency and healthcare costs was examined using a multivariate regression model. In the multivariate analysis, gout-related costs for patients in the 3+ flares cohort and the two flares cohort remained higher than costs for patients in the 0–1 flares cohort. Mean adjusted gout-related total costs were $1,804, $3,014 and $4,363 in patients with 0–1, 2 or 3+ flares, respectively (p < 0.001 comparing 0–1 flares to 2 or 3+ flares),” wrote the authors in their discussion. All-cause healthcare resource utilization was also higher in the group of patients with three or more gout flares.

ad goes here:advert-2
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE

The authors then used a generalized linear model to calculate a follow up, gout-related total healthcare cost ratio of 2.418 (p < 0.001) in patients with three or more flares and a cost ratio of 1.671 (p < 0.001) in patients with two flares when compared with patients with 0–1 flare. The results suggest that a gout management plan that reduces flare frequency may yield significant cost benefits. Specifically, the investigators suggested that strategies that manage sUA levels should help control the frequency of gout flares, as well as costs due to gout. Although the study had the advantage of including real-world costs, the authors emphasized that the results should be validated in future studies.

Lara C. Pullen, PhD, is a medical writer based in the Chicago area.

References

ad goes here:advert-3
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE
  1. Jackson R, Shiozawa A, Buysman EK, et al. Flare frequency, healthcare resource utilisation and costs among patients with gout in a managed care setting: A retrospective medical claims-based analysis. BMJ Open. 2015 Jun 24;5(6):e007214. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-007214

Pages: 1 2 | Multi-Page

Filed Under: Conditions, Crystal Arthritis Tagged With: cost, flare, Gout, healthcare cost

You Might Also Like:
  • Patients May Be Right: Tomatoes May Trigger Gout Flares
  • Rheumatology Coding Corner Answer: Coding for Acute Flare of Idiopathic Gout
  • Rheumatology Coding Corner Question: Coding for Acute Flare of Idiopathic Gout
  • FDA Issues Boxed Warning for Febuxostat & Approves Colchicine for Gout Flare

ACR Convergence

Don’t miss rheumatology’s premier scientific meeting for anyone involved in research or the delivery of rheumatologic care or services.

Visit the ACR Convergence site »

American College of Rheumatology

Visit the official website for the American College of Rheumatology.

Visit the ACR »

Simple Tasks

Learn more about the ACR’s public awareness campaign and how you can get involved. Help increase visibility of rheumatic diseases and decrease the number of people left untreated.

Visit the Simple Tasks site »

The Rheumatologist newsmagazine reports on issues and trends in the management and treatment of rheumatic diseases. The Rheumatologist reaches 11,500 rheumatologists, internists, orthopedic surgeons, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and other healthcare professionals who practice, research, or teach in the field of rheumatology.

About Us / Contact Us / Advertise / Privacy Policy / Terms of Use

  • Connect with us:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Feed

Copyright © 2006–2022 American College of Rheumatology. All rights reserved.

ISSN 1931-3268 (print)
ISSN 1931-3209 (online)