Healthcare Utilization and Cost of Herpes Zoster Infection in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors' conclusion
HCU and related costs were higher in patients with RA with HZ compared to patients with RA without HZ and non-RA populations with and without HZ.
Study context
- Population
- Adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) diagnosed with herpes zoster (HZ) between 2008 and 2020 and matched cohortssimilar number in each matched cohort
- Exposure
- Patients with RA with HZ vs matched patients with RA without HZ, non-RA population with HZ and non-RA population without HZ
- RA with HZn = 15,573
- Outcome
- Healthcare utilization and related costs of HZ (healthcare utilization (HCU) costs and number of clinical events, including hospital admissions, ED and physician visits)
- Follow-up
- Year 1 to year 10
Methodological detailsmatched by sex, age, and date of HZ infection, unadjusted gamma distribution models, generalized estimating equations, public payer's perspective
- Matched by sex, age, and date of HZ infection
- Unadjusted gamma distribution models
- Generalized estimating equations
- Public payer's perspective
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Mean total cost
RA with HZ
CAD $13,507 to CAD $17,120
mean
RA without HZ
CAD $12,651 to CAD $14,534
mean
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Mean number of total clinical events
- Compared to patients with RA with HZ, each matched cohort experienced a significantly lower mean number of total clinical events (CEs), with the highest difference 1 year following an HZ infection
Original publication
Healthcare Utilization and Cost of Herpes Zoster Infection in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Retrospective Cohort Study. J Rheumatol. Published 1 March 2025. doi:10.
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