Abstract
Background and objective Little is known about the epidemiology and cost of bronchiectasis in Asia. This study describes the disease burden of bronchiectasis in Singapore.
Methods A nationwide administrative dataset was used to identify hospitalisations with bronchiectasis as a diagnosis. Population statistics and medical encounter data were used to estimate the incidence, mortality, prevalence and direct medical costs associated with hospitalisation-requiring bronchiectasis.
Results There were 420 incident hospitalised bronchiectasis patients in 2017, giving an incidence rate of 10.6/100 000. Age-standardised incidence declined on average by 2.7% per year between 2007 and 2017. Incidence rates increased strongly with age in both men and women. Tuberculosis was a secondary diagnosis in 37.5% of incident hospitalisations in 2007, but has declined sharply since then. Patient survival was considerably lower in both men (5-year Relative Survival Ratios (RSR) of 0.63 (95% CI, 0.59 to 0.66)) and women ((5-year RSR of 0.75 (95% CI, 0.72 to 0.78)). The point prevalence of bronchiectasis was 147.1/100,000 in 2017, and increased sharply with age, with more than 1% of people aged 75 years and older having bronchiectasis. Total first-year costs among incident bronchiectasis patients in 2016 varied widely, with an average of $7331 (standard deviation of $8863). About 10% of the patients admitted in 2016 had total first-year costs of more than $14 380.
Conclusion Bronchiectasis is common and imposes a substantial burden on health care costs and survival rates of patients in Singapore.
Footnotes
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Conflict of interest: Hwee Pin Phua has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Wei-Yen Lim has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Ganga Ganesan has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Joanne Yoong has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Kelvin Bryan Tan has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: John Arputhan Abisheganaden has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Albert Yick Hou Lim has nothing to disclose.
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- Received May 15, 2021.
- Accepted July 16, 2021.
- Copyright ©The authors 2021
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