Health burden of multisystem autoimmune disease, version 1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluating the health burden of multisystem autoimmune disease: An epidemiological analysis of comorbidities in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis and systemic lupus erythematosus
IRAS ID
187108
Contact name
Shifa Sarica
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 2 months, 31 days
Research summary
Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)associated vasculitis (AAV) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are multisystem autoimmune disorders which affect 10-20/million and 16-50/million persons, respectively. These disorders were considered invariably fatal prior to the advent of immunosuppressive therapy. Although patients now have increased longevity, they still need to live with a considerable health burden which is yet to be quantified.
The term comorbidity describes the burden of additional illnesses that co-occur with an index disease. Comorbid conditions such as infections and cardiovascular disease, rather than the underlying active autoimmune disease, are increasingly identified as major contributors of premature mortality and health burden among AAV and SLE patients. However, information available on comorbid conditions in the literature is limited, and the generalisability of existing studies is questionable due to methodological issues such as unrepresentative study setting, small sample size and study design.
Comorbid conditions inevitably dictate the clinical management of the primary disease of interest. Without a clear understanding of comorbidities, it would be impossible to implement efficient management strategies for AAV and SLE patients.
We aim to evaluate the health burden of SLE and AAV by investigating the occurrence of comorbid conditions in these patients using routinely collected healthcare data. To do this, we will first contextualise comorbid conditions in AAV and SLE patients. This will be done by comparing the occurrence of comorbidities in these patients to the general population. Secondly, we will explore the putative risk factors of the most common comorbidities.The results of this study will help attain a clearer picture of the health burden in AAV and SLE. This increased understanding will help inform clinical management of these conditions contributing to improved care for patients with AAV and SLE.
REC name
Scotland A: Adults with Incapacity only
REC reference
15/SS/0152
Date of REC Opinion
1 Oct 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion