Medical costs and health‐care resource use in patients with inflammatory myopathies in an insured population

Introduction: In this study we determined the health-care costs and resource utilization associated with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) in a large managed care plan in the USA. Methods: Myositis subjects ≥18 years of age with claims-based evidence of IIMs were identified from a health plan database. Subjects were matched with unaffected controls, and costs and resource use were determined during a 12-month period. Results: A total of 1781 newly diagnosed IIM subjects were matched to 5343 controls, and 2697 subjects with existing disease were matched to 8091 controls. Mean overall annual medical costs were higher among newly diagnosed subjects ($16,319 vs. $4926, P < 0.001) and subjects with an existing IIM ($15,539 vs. $5210, P < 0.001) in comparison to controls. IIM subjects had significantly higher mean counts of ambulatory visits, specialist visits, and inpatient hospital stays compared with controls (all P < 0.001). Conclusion: Our analysis suggests that IIMs have increased medical costs and resource use. Muscle Nerve 46: 496–505, 2012