Work absences and expenditures for employees with autoimmune inflammatory diseases

OBJECTIVE Economic burden was compared for employees with autoimmune inflammatory diseases (AutoIDs) who received anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α agents, those who did not, and those with no AutoID. METHODS Retrospective claims data analysis (2000-2006). Propensity analysis created two groups: (1) adult AutoID patients with anti-TNFα therapy (AutoID/anti-TNFα) matched to those with no anti-TNFα therapy (AutoID/non-anti-TNFα), and (2) non-AutoID patients (control) matched to all AutoID patients (AutoID). Indirect, direct, and total expenditures after controlling for various covariates were compared using regression analysis. RESULTS Total direct and total expenditures were, respectively, $13,187 and $13,373 higher for AutoID/anti-TNFα group (n = 689) versus AutoID/non-anti-TNFα group (n = 2699). Indirect expenditures were not statistically different between the groups. AutoID- (n = 12,612) and control-group (n = 48,895) differences showed similar trends. CONCLUSIONS These results provide useful information to employers about the cost burden associated with AutoIDs.