Prevalence of Eosinophilic Gastritis, Gastroenteritis, and Colitis: Estimates From a National Administrative Database

Abstract

Objectives: Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is becoming increasingly more common, but the prevalence of other eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (EGIDs) is unknown. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of eosinophilic gastritis, gastroenteritis, and colitis in the United States.

Methods: We used the IMS Health LifeLink PharMetrics Plus Claims Database, data representative of a US national commercially insured population containing medical and pharmaceutical claims for > 75 million individuals. We restricted our sample to patients ages 0 to 64 with continuous enrollment between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2011. We identified patients with eosinophilic gastritis, gastroenteritis, and colitis as defined by ≥ 1 instance of the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes 535.70, 558.41, and 558.42, respectively. We calculated the prevalence of the codes in the database and then standardized the estimates to the US population by age and sex.

Results: The standardized estimated prevalences of eosinophilic gastritis, gastroenteritis, and colitis were 6.3/100,000, 8.4/100,000, and 3.3/100,000, respectively. The prevalence of eosinophilic gastroenteritis was the highest among children age < 5 years, whereas eosinophilic gastritis was more prevalent among older age groups. We observed no age differences for eosinophilic colitis. Among affected patients, there was a high proportion of coexisting allergic conditions, 38.5% for eosinophilic gastritis, 45.6% for gastroenteritis, and 41.8% for colitis. Concomitant allergic disease was most commonly identified in pediatric patients.

Conclusions: The prevalence of non-EoE EGIDs remains rare in the United States, with < 50,000 total patients affected. There appears to be a female predominance and a high co-occurrence of atopic comorbidities.

Figure 1

(A) Prevalence of gastritis (cases per 100, 000) in the database between July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011 for those enrolled continuously for 24 months, as stratified by sex (males are the black bars and females are the gray bars) and by 5 year increments of age. (B) Prevalence of eosinophilic gastroenteritis (cases per 100, 000) in the database between July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011 for those enrolled continuously for 24 months, as stratified by sex (males are the black bars and females are the gray bars) and by 5 year increments of age. (C) Prevalence of eosinophilic colitis (cases per 100, 000) in the database between July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011 for those enrolled continuously for 24 months, as stratified by sex (males are the black bars and females are the gray bars) and by 5 year increments of age. Data source: IMS Health LifeLink™, PharMetrics Plus™Health Plan Claims Database, January 2001–November 2011, IMS Health Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.

Figure 1

(A) Prevalence of gastritis (cases per 100, 000) in the database between July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011 for those enrolled continuously for 24 months, as stratified by sex (males are the black bars and females are the gray bars) and by 5 year increments of age. (B) Prevalence of eosinophilic gastroenteritis (cases per 100, 000) in the database between July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011 for those enrolled continuously for 24 months, as stratified by sex (males are the black bars and females are the gray bars) and by 5 year increments of age. (C) Prevalence of eosinophilic colitis (cases per 100, 000) in the database between July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011 for those enrolled continuously for 24 months, as stratified by sex (males are the black bars and females are the gray bars) and by 5 year increments of age. Data source: IMS Health LifeLink™, PharMetrics Plus™Health Plan Claims Database, January 2001–November 2011, IMS Health Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.

Figure 1

(A) Prevalence of gastritis (cases per 100, 000) in the database between July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011 for those enrolled continuously for 24 months, as stratified by sex (males are the black bars and females are the gray bars) and by 5 year increments of age. (B) Prevalence of eosinophilic gastroenteritis (cases per 100, 000) in the database between July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011 for those enrolled continuously for 24 months, as stratified by sex (males are the black bars and females are the gray bars) and by 5 year increments of age. (C) Prevalence of eosinophilic colitis (cases per 100, 000) in the database between July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011 for those enrolled continuously for 24 months, as stratified by sex (males are the black bars and females are the gray bars) and by 5 year increments of age. Data source: IMS Health LifeLink™, PharMetrics Plus™Health Plan Claims Database, January 2001–November 2011, IMS Health Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.