The European Journal of Public Health Advance Access originally published online on December 26, 2008
The European Journal of Public Health 2009 19(1):106-110; doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckn127
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Miscellaneous |
Epidemiology and cost of treatment of genital warts in Spain
Xavier Castellsagué1, Catherine Cohet2, Luis M Puig-Tintoré3, Luis Olmos Acebes4, Jesus Salinas5, Maria San Martin6, Lusine Breitscheidel7 and Vanessa Rémy8
1 Cancer Epidemiology Research Program (PREC), Institut Català d’Oncologia (ICO), IDIBELL, CIBERESP, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain
2 Sanofi Pasteur MSD, Epidemiology Unit, Lyon, France
3 Hospital Clínic, Obstetric and Gynaecology Department, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
4 Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Dermatology Department, Facultad de Medicina UCM, Madrid, Spain
5 Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Urology Department, Madrid, Spain
6 Sanofi Pasteur MSD, Madrid, Spain
7 Kendle, Munich, Germany
8 Sanofi Pasteur MSD, Health Economics Unit, Lyon, France
Correspondence: Vanessa Remy, Sanofi Pasteur MSD, 8 rue Jonas Salk, 69367 Lyon cedex 07, France, tel: +33 4 37 28 41 78, fax: +33 4 37 28 44 43, e-mail: vremy{at}spmsd.com
Received August 7, 2008 , accepted November 21, 2008
Background: Genital warts (GW) are common and increasing in young people. Ninety percent of GW are due to Human Papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11. The objective of this study was to assess the epidemiology and management costs associated with GW in Spain.
Methods: A 1-year (2005) retrospective observational study was performed among a sample of gynaecologists, dermatologists and urologists in six autonomous regions in Spain. Men and women with newly diagnosed, recurrent or resistant GW were included. We estimated the incidence (new and recurrent cases) and prevalence (also including resistant cases) of GW. Healthcare resource use were collected and combined with unit costs to assess the mean cost of GW management per patient. These figures were extrapolated to the 14- to 64-year-old Spanish population to estimate the total cost of GW management from the Third Party Payer (TPP) and societal perspectives.
Results: The overall annual incidence of GW was estimated at 160.4 cases per 100 000. Overall prevalence was calculated as 182.1 cases per 100 000, corresponding to 56 446 GW cases annually (14- to 64-year-old population). The mean management cost was 
833 and 1056 per patient from the TPP and societal perspective, respectively. The overall annual cost was estimated at 47 million and 59.6 million, from the TPP and societal perspective, respectively.
Conclusion: This study provides a first overview of the burden of GW in Spain. A quadrivalent HPV vaccine that prevents HPV 6, 11, 16, 18 related diseases will have the potential to significantly decrease the socio-economic burden associated with GW in Spain.
Keywords: genital warts, epidemiology, costs, human papillomavirus, Spain