A population-based analysis of prescription drug use and costs in IBD

Background and Methods: In 1996 we created the population-based University of Manitoba IBD Database. In 1997 there were 5102 subjects in this database who were current residents of Manitoba. In 1994, Manitoba Health established the Drug Program Information Network (DPIN) which identified all ambulatory prescription drugs (Rx) dispensed to each individual resident of the province. All residents have a personal health identification number and use of this number in a scrambled format allowed for linkage of the IBD database with the DPIN database. We analyzed all Rx and costs for fiscal year 1997, & stratified our analysis by age, gender, urban vs. non-urban residence & by income. Results: 87.5% of subjects received Rx in 1997 (IBD users). There was a direct significant relationship between increasing age and # different Rx IIBD user and total Rx costslIBD user (in adults only). Females used a greater # of different Rxluser but there was no difference in costs/user by gender. There was no difference in # different Rx/user or costs/user for urban vs non-urban residence or by income level. Increased age was associated with increased # different Rx for the following classes of drugs: alimentary, cardiovascular, respiratory, neural, but no difference by age for the use of immunomodulatory, antibiotics, musculoskeletal, dermatologic, hematologic, g-u or hormonal drugs. Only 7.8% used immunomodulatory Rx but these accounted for the greatest cost/user ($1404). The next most costly class was alimentary Rx at $534/user; used by 64.5%. There was increased # alimentary Rxluser with increasing age. Conclusions: Gender and urban residence do not impact on prescription drug use of IBD patients. There is increased use of Rx, including alimentary Rx with age but no differences in immunomodulatory, or antibiotic Rx. (Supported by the Crohn's Colitis Foundation Canada)