Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International

Despite the substantial economic burden of acne, little is known about healthcare costs in Medicaid-enrolled pediatric patients with acne. The objective of this study is to examine factors associated with healthcare costs in Medicaid-enrolled pediatric patients with acne. As a retrospective analysis, patients were included if they: (1) had at least one medical claim containing a code for a diagnosis of acne; (2) had at least one acne-related medication claim; and (3) were aged 17 years and younger. The Marketscan Medicaid Database was used. The dependent variables were prescription costs, outpatient visit costs, and total healthcare costs. The independent variables were age, gender, race/ethnicity, the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), medication type, medication refills, and medication adherence. Generalized linear models with a gamma distribution, a log-link function, and two-part model were conducted. Among 21,846 patients included, the mean total healthcare costs were $109 (SD=134) during the 90-day post index periods. The predictive mean acne-related total healthcare costs in patients aged 12 to 17 years ($117) and blacks ($115) was higher than those aged less than 5 years ($90), 6 to 11 years ($81), and whites ($109). Gender and CCI were not associated with changed total healthcare costs. Oral antibiotics and oral contraceptive use was associated with decreased costs, while use of topical antibiotics, retinoids, and glucocorticoids was associated with increased costs. Age group, race/ethnicity, acne-related medication type, acne-related medication refills, and acne-related medication adherence were associated with acne-related total healthcare costs.