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The prevalence of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases in Canadian pediatric populations: administrative database estimates

  • Short Communication - Epidemiology of RMD
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Abstract

To estimate systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease (SARD) prevalence using administrative data for pediatric populations in four Canadian provinces. Physician billing claims and inpatient hospitalizations from Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec, and Saskatchewan were used to define cases aged ≤18 years with a SARD diagnosis code in: one or more hospitalization, two or more physician visits within 2 years and at least 2 months apart, or one or more physician visit to a rheumatologist. Estimates ranged from 15.9/100,000 in Quebec [95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) 14.1, 18.0] to 23.0/100,000 in Manitoba (95 % CI 17.9, 29.2). SARDs were more common in females than in males across all provinces. There was a slightly higher prevalence among those living in urban compared to rural areas of Alberta (rate difference 14.4, 95 % CI 8.6, 20.1) and Saskatchewan (rate difference 13.8, 95 % CI 1.0, 26.6). Our results provide population-based prevalence estimates of pediatric SARDs in four Canadian provinces.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are indebted to Manitoba Health for the provision of data (HIPC 2007/08-26). The results and conclusions are those of the authors, and no official endorsement by Manitoba Health is intended or should be inferred. This study is based in part on de-identified data provided by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health. The interpretation and conclusions contained herein do not necessarily represent those of the Government of Saskatchewan or the Ministry of Health.

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None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatrics, Royal University Hospital, University of Saskatchewan, 103 Hospital Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0W8, Canada

    Natalie Jane Shiff

  2. Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, S113-750 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0W3, Canada

    Lisa M. Lix

  3. Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Royal Victoria Hospital, Canada Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), McGill University, V Pavillion, 687, Avenue des Pins Ouest, Montreal, QC, H3A 1A1, Canada

    Lawrence Joseph & Patrick Belisle

  4. Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, University of Ottawa, 401 Smyth Rd, Rm 1420 Max Keeping Wing, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L1, Canada

    Ciaran Duffy

  5. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, BC Children’s Hospital, University of British Columbia, 4480 Oak Street, Rm K4-120, Vancouver, BC, V6H 3V4, Canada

    Lori B. Tucker

  6. Alberta Health, Surveillance and Assessment Branch, Alberta Ministry of Health, 10025 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, AB, T5J 1S6, Canada

    Lawrence W. Svenson

  7. School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Lawrence W. Svenson

  8. Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Lawrence W. Svenson

  9. Divisions of Rheumatology and Clinical Epidmemiology, Royal Victoria Hospital, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), McGill University, V Pavillion 687, Avenue des Pins Ouest, Montreal, QC, H3A 1A1, Canada

    Sasha Bernatsky

  10. Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Royal Victoria Hospital, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), McGill University, V Pavillion 687, Avenue des Pins Ouest, Montreal, QC, H3A 1A1, Canada

    Sasha Bernatsky

Authors
  1. Natalie Jane Shiff
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  2. Lisa M. Lix
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  3. Lawrence Joseph
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  4. Ciaran Duffy
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  5. Lori B. Tucker
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  6. Lawrence W. Svenson
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  7. Patrick Belisle
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  8. Sasha Bernatsky
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Natalie Jane Shiff.

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Shiff, N.J., Lix, L.M., Joseph, L. et al. The prevalence of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases in Canadian pediatric populations: administrative database estimates. Rheumatol Int 35, 569–573 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-014-3136-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-014-3136-6

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