Economic Burden among Patients with Vitiligo in the United States: A Retrospective Database Claims Study

Patients with vitiligo incur direct and indirect costs associated with their condition; however, data regarding the economic burden of vitiligo are scarce and outdated. In this retrospective cohort analysis of the Merative MarketScan Commercial Database, healthcare costs and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) were evaluated among United States patients with vitiligo. Patients with vitiligo were matched (1:2) with individuals without vitiligo (controls) between January 2007 and December 2021. Outcomes included all-cause and vitiligo-related costs (2021 dollars) and all-cause HCRU, including mental health–related HCRU, during a 1-year postindex period. Subgroup analyses were completed for patients on vitiligo treatments with systemic effects (such as phototherapy and oral steroids) or a new mental health diagnosis. The analysis was focused solely on direct costs. Baseline demographics were well-balanced between matched vitiligo (49,512) and control (99,024) cohorts. Patients with vitiligo incurred significantly higher all-cause ($15,551 vs $7735) and vitiligo-related ($3490 vs $54) costs than controls (P < .0001). All-cause and mental health–related HCRU were also significantly higher among patients with vitiligo (P < .0001). Differences in all-cause and vitiligo-related healthcare costs remained significantly higher in patients on treatments with systemic effects/mental health diagnoses than in controls (P < .0001). Taken together, healthcare costs and HCRU were significantly higher among patients with vitiligo than among controls. Patients with vitiligo incur direct and indirect costs associated with their condition; however, data regarding the economic burden of vitiligo are scarce and outdated. In this retrospective cohort analysis of the Merative MarketScan Commercial Database, healthcare costs and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) were evaluated among United States patients with vitiligo. Patients with vitiligo were matched (1:2) with individuals without vitiligo (controls) between January 2007 and December 2021. Outcomes included all-cause and vitiligo-related costs (2021 dollars) and all-cause HCRU, including mental health–related HCRU, during a 1-year postindex period. Subgroup analyses were completed for patients on vitiligo treatments with systemic effects (such as phototherapy and oral steroids) or a new mental health diagnosis. The analysis was focused solely on direct costs. Baseline demographics were well-balanced between matched vitiligo (49,512) and control (99,024) cohorts. Patients with vitiligo incurred significantly higher all-cause ($15,551 vs $7735) and vitiligo-related ($3490 vs $54) costs than controls (P < .0001). All-cause and mental health–related HCRU were also significantly higher among patients with vitiligo (P < .0001). Differences in all-cause and vitiligo-related healthcare costs remained significantly higher in patients on treatments with systemic effects/mental health diagnoses than in controls (P < .0001). Taken together, healthcare costs and HCRU were significantly higher among patients with vitiligo than among controls.