Prevalence of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa in Spain: a population-based study using the 3-source capture-recapture method. Evidence of a need for improvement in care.

BACKGROUND

Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB) is a rare disease that represents a heavy burden for both the patient and the health care system. There are currently no data on the prevalence of DEB in Spain.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of DEB in Spain.

METHODS

We used data from 3 incomplete population-based sources (hospital dermatology departments, diagnostic laboratories performing antigenic mapping, genetic testing or both, and the Spanish Association of Epidermolysis Bullosa Patients [DEBRA]) and combined them using the 3-source capture-recapture methodology.

RESULTS

We identified 152 living DEB patients. The estimated prevalence of DEB was 6.0 cases per million (95% CI, 4.2-11.8) in adults and 15.3 (95% CI, 10.4-40.8) in children under 18 years of age. The data indicated that 77% of the patients were not being followed up in specialized centers of reference; 65% had not had a genetic diagnosis, and 76% were not members of DEBRA.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of DEB in Spain is 6.0 patients per million (95% CI, 4.2-11.8), a figure higher than previous estimates in many areas, but similar to those found in other southern Europe countries. The north-south difference may represent real geographic differences in prevalence, but it might be due to the fact that most of the data come from registries with a lower than expected catchment. Many patients are not being followed up in centers of reference, do not have genetic diagnosis, and are not members of patients' associations, suggesting that there is room for considerable improvement in their care.