PMS17 The Effect of Biological Treatment on Work Productivity and Productivity Costs of Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Biologics represent significant costs of rheumatic diseases treatment. Our study has focused on productivity comparison of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with biologics and patients on DMARDs who are indicated to biologic treatment however therapy is unavailable due to economic limitations. Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI:RA) was administered to two groups of patients - patients treated with biologics (n=76) with low disease activity and patients just on DMARDs (n=23) with high disease activity (DAS28 score ≥ 5,1). All patients were in productive age. Patients' demographics, clinical and PRO parameters (DAS28, HAQ, time from diagnosis) and working statuses we collected by rheumatologist. Productivity costs were calculated by friction cost approach using friction period of 130 work-days and average monthly gross income as denominator. Mean patients′ age on biologics and on DMARDs were 41.0 years (21-61) and 45.7 (22 – 61), respectively. Mean time from diagnosis of biologics and DMARDs groups were 13.5 and 11.6 years, respectively. Average HAQ and DAS28 were 0.77 and 2.64, respectively for patients on biologics and 1.14, 5.62, respectively for patients on DMARDs. Patients on biologics were slightly more work-disable (26.3%) compare to 25.0% DMARDs patients. Overall work-impairment (for patients that reported any work-impairment) for patients on biologics and for patients on DMARDs was 28.1% and 49.6%, respectively. Patients on biologics reported less reduction of daily activities (39.8%) in compare to patients on DMARDs (50.5%). Average annual productivity costs per one patient on biologics and for DMARDs patient were € 1802 and € 2769, respectively. Despite of the fact, patients on biologics had longer time from diagnoses, they reported significantly lower work-impairment and reduction of daily activities in compare to DMARDs patients, which reflected about 53.6% higher productivity costs for patients on DMARDs. Biologic treatment preserves productivity and save productivity costs.