Nationwide prevalence and drug treatment practices of inflammatory bowel diseases in Hungary: A population-based study based on the National Health Insurance Fund database.

Background: Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are chronic inflammatory diseases associated with a substantial healthcare utilization.

Objective: Our aim was to estimate the national prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), CD and UC and to describe current drug treatment practices in CD and UC.

Methods: Patients and drug dispensing events were identified according to international classification codes for UC and CD in in-patient care, non-primary out-patient care and drug prescription databases (2011-2013) of the National Health Insurance Fund.

Results: A total of 55,039 individuals (men: 44.6%) with physician-diagnosed IBD were alive in Hungary in 2013, corresponding to a prevalence of 0.55% (95% CI, 0.55-0.56). The prevalence of CD 0.20% (95% CI, 0.19-0.20), and UC was 0.34% (95% CI, 0.33-0.34). The prevalence both in men and women was the highest in the 20-39 year-olds in CD. Current use of immunosuppressives and biological therapy was highest in the pediatric CD population (44% and 15%) followed by adult CD (33% and 9%), while their use was lowest in elderly patients. Interestingly, current use of 5-ASA (5-aminosalicylates) was high in both UC and CD irrespective of the age group.

Conclusions: The Hungarian IBD prevalence based on nationwide database of the National Health Insurance Fund was high. We identified significant differences in the drug prescription practices according to age-groups.