Balp MM, Chambenoit O, Chiva-Razavi S, Lynde C, Sussman G, Chapman-Rothe N, Weller K, Maurer M, Koenders J, Knulst AC, Halliday A, Alexopoulos ST, Nakonechna A, Grattan C, Abouzakouk M, Sweeney C, Radder C, Wolin D, McBride D, Hollis K, Tian H, Elberink JN. Work productivity and activity impairment among chronic spontaneous/idiopathic urticaria patients: results from the first international burden of illness study (ASSURE-CSU). Poster presented at the 2015 ISPOR 18th Annual European Congress; November 2015. Milan, Italy.

OBJECTIVES: The ASSURE-CSU study is an observational, non-interventional, multinational study conducted to identify and quantify the humanistic and economic burden of illness in inadequately controlled CSU/CIU patients. Here we summarise the work and activity impairment among patients enrolled in Canada, Germany, UK, and the Netherlands.

METHODS: This study included a 1-year retrospective medical record abstraction, a cross-sectional patient-reported outcomes survey and a 7-day prospective patient diary. Adult patients with CSU/CIU inadequately controlled with H1-antihistamines, with disease persisting for ≥12 months were assessed. Patients completed the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment-Specific Health Problem (WPAI-SHP) questionnaire, and results were described as mean (SD). Activity impairment was assessed among all patients; only employed patients were queried about work impairment.

RESULTS: A total of 86, 94, 74 and 93 patients completed the patient diary in Canada, Germany, UK and the Netherlands, respectively. Of these, 54.7%, 72.3%, 51.4% and 52.7% patients were currently employed, respectively. In the Canadian cohort, mean time loss due to absenteeism and presenteeism were 6.0% (12.0%) and 29.8% (26.3%) with an overall work productivity impairment of 30.6% (27.0%) and activity impairment of 38.3% (31.3%). Corresponding values for Germany were 7.4% (20.0%), 27.9% (25.7%), 30.5% (26.6%) and 36.4% (28.5%), respectively. In UK, mean time loss due to absenteeism was 9.9% (23.2%), presenteeism 33.1% (30.0%), overall work productivity impairment 35.3% (30.9%) and activity impairment 39.5% (30.3%). In the Netherlands, corresponding values were 2.3% (8.9%), 19.9% (25.4%), 20.7% (26.8%) and 31.0% (27.9%), respectively. The highest percentage of time missed due to CSU/CIU was reported in patients with moderate and severe CSU/CIU.

CONCLUSIONS: The results are consistent among the countries and demonstrate that symptomatic patients with CSU/CIU experience a substantial impact on their daily activities and that many employed patients are affected at work by their disease.