BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a chronic, relapsing–remitting condition requiring lifelong management. With increasing therapeutic options in Japan, a clear understanding of the economic burden of IBD is critical.
METHODS: A systematic review of studies describing the economic burden of CD and UC in Japan was conducted on September 9, 2019, using prespecified search strategies in MEDLINE®, Embase, Cochrane and EconLit databases, without date or language limits. Internet searches and reviews of bibliographies and proceedings from two recent congresses were also conducted.
RESULTS: In total, 203 CD and 205 UC studies were identified and screened. Eight studies (CD, n=4; UC, n=3; both, n=1) on healthcare resource use (HCRU) and costs among Japanese patients with IBD were included for data extraction, all published after 2014. Estimated direct costs differed considerably between studies but were significantly higher for CD than UC. Only one study estimated indirect costs of IBD, reporting a significant impact of the disease on absenteeism, presenteeism, work and activity. None of the studies reported the effect of disease severity or phase (active/remitting) on HCRU or costs.
CONCLUSION: Despite increasing interest in the economic burden of IBD, few studies have quantified HCRU and costs of IBD in Japan, highlighting unmet research needs.
