OBJECTIVES : This study aims to characterize the economic burden and factors associated with costs of IPF management. IPF is a rare, relentlessly progressive and fatal disease, characterized by irreversible loss of lung capacity due to fibrosis. Many patients rely on several supportive treatments, outpatient appointments and hospital visits to manage their disease, which can lead to increased socioeconomic burden. However, evidence regarding costs associated with IPF is scarce, especially for indirect costs such as caregiver costs and work productivity losses.

METHODS : This is a secondary analysis of a large cross-sectional survey (Adelphi IPF Disease Specific Programme) conducted in 2019 in France, Germany, Japan and the USA. Physicians reported on clinical characteristics of patients including healthcare resource use (HCRU) and caregiver support. Patients reported their work productivity. Costs were applied to these data in order to estimate total costs. Germany was used as a proxy for HCRU in order to estimate costs for Spain, Italy and the UK.

RESULTS : 244 physicians reported data on 1,249 patients, 739 of whom provided self-reported data. The estimated average annual total costs of IPF were €29,193, €40,005 and €126,510 for the overall sample in Japan, the EU and the USA, respectively, with indirect costs representing 38%, 16% and 8% of the total costs in these respective regions. Across all countries, indirect costs ranged from €3,025 for part-time employed patients to €11,881 for unemployed patients, driven by work productivity loss and/or caregiver costs. The average annual total (direct and indirect) costs were higher in moderate (€53,380) and severe/very severe patients (€68,530) compared with mild patients (€40,301).

CONCLUSIONS : Costs of IPF management increase with disease severity. Indirect costs are substantial in IPF. For patients of employment age such costs are driven by work impairment. However, for unemployed and retired patients, a significant caregiver burden was demonstrated.