Rheumatoid arthritis prevalence in Quebec

BMC Research Notes

Lawrence Joseph²  Debbie Ehrmann Feldman⁷  Louise Bergeron⁴  Patrick Belisle²  Ann L Chetaille⁵  Sonia Jean³  Louis Bessette⁸  Paul R Fortin⁵  Gilles Boire¹  Christian A Pineau⁶  Marie Hudson⁹  Alaa Dekis⁶  Sasha Bernatsky⁶ 

[1] Department of Medicine, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada;Division of Clinical Epidemiology, McGill University Health Centre, 687 Pine Avenue West, V-Building, V2.09, Montreal, QC H3A 1A1, Canada;Chronic Disease Surveillance Division, National Institute of Public Health of Québec, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada;Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance, Ile Perrot, Quebec, Canada;Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada;Division of Rheumatology, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada;Université de Montréal, École de réadaptation, Montreal, Quebec, Canada;Rheumatology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec (CHUQ) Research Centre, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada;Jewish General Hospital and Lady David Research Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

关键词: Rheumatoid Arthritis;    Epidemiology;    Arthritis;   

Others  :  1122772
DOI  :  10.1186/1756-0500-7-937

 received in 2013-07-29, accepted in 2014-01-31,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

To estimate rheumatoid arthritis (RA) prevalence in Quebec using administrative health data, comparing across regions.

Methods

Cases of RA were ascertained from physician billing and hospitalization data, 1992–2008. We used three case definitions: 1) ≥ 2 billing diagnoses, submitted by any physician, ≥ 2 months apart, but within 2 years; 2) ≥ 1 diagnosis, by a rheumatologist; 3) ≥1 hospitalization diagnosis (all based on ICD-9 code 714, and ICD-10 code M05). We combined data across these three case definitions, using Bayesian hierarchical latent class models to estimate RA prevalence, adjusting for the imperfect sensitivity and specificity of the data. We compared urban versus rural regions.

Results

Using our case definitions and no adjustment for error, we defined 75,760 cases for an over-all RA prevalence of 9.9 per thousand residents. After adjusting for the imperfect sensitivity and specificity of our case definition algorithms, we estimated Quebec RA prevalence at 5.6 per 1000 females and 4.1 per 1000 males. The adjusted RA prevalence estimates for older females were the highest for any demographic group (9.9 cases per 1,000), and were similar in rural and urban regions. In younger males and females, and in older males, RA prevalence estimates were lower in rural versus urban areas.

Conclusions

Without adjustment for error inherent in administrative databases, RA prevalence in Quebec was approximately 1%, while adjusted estimates are approximately half that. The lower prevalence in rural areas, seen for most demographic groups, may suggest either true regional variations in RA risk, or under-ascertainment of cases in rural Quebec.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Bernatsky et al.; licensee BioMed Central.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

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