Treatment and comorbidities of multiple sclerosis in an employed population in Japan: analysis of health claims data.

AIM: Use real-world data to investigate the treatment, comorbidities and prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in an employed Japanese population.

METHODS

Data from the Japanese Medical Data Center health insurance claims database were analyzed (January 2005-November 2014). Patients with claims associated with an MS diagnosis were identified (n = 494) and comorbidities and prescribed treatments were investigated. MS prevalence within the database was calculated for each calendar year (2011-2013)

Results

IFN-β and prednisolone were the most commonly prescribed treatments. Common comorbidities included astigmatism and gastric ulcer. Within the database, MS prevalence increased from 0.015 to 0.016%.

CONCLUSION

MS prevalence increased from 2011 to 2013. Some comorbidities were considered unrelated to MS owing to how physicians use disease codes for reimbursement.