The impact of biological and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs on patient costs: a cross-sectional study
Main finding · COST score (lower = greater financial toxicity)Result — go to the resultDifference −1.82 pointsAuthors' conclusion
The use of bDMARDs or tsDMARDs is associated with increased financial toxicity among patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with RA in the NinJa 2020 database (mean age 66.3 years; women 80.8%)
- Participants
- 1,732 patients
- Exposure
- bDMARD or tsDMARD use vs no use
- Outcome
- Financial toxicity, 11-item COmprehensive Score for financial Toxicity (COST)
Methodological detailsNinJa 2020 database, multivariable linear regression
- NinJa 2020 database
- Multivariable linear regression
Main finding
COST score (lower = greater financial toxicity)
Difference
−1.82 points
As reported in the abstract
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
COST score (11-item; lower = greater financial toxicity), whole cohort
- Mean COST score 25.3 (SD 6.6)
Co-payment for DMARDs and financial toxicity
- Higher out-of-pocket expenses for DMARDs associated with increased financial toxicity; every JPY 10000 (USD 94.3) increase in co-payment corresponded to a decline in the COST score (points)
- 0.42
Original publication
The impact of biological and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs on patient costs: a cross-sectional study. Clin Exp Rheumatol. Published 28 December 2025. doi:10.
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