Systematic screening for multimorbidities in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases enhanced preventive medication use and reduced hospitalisations: an exposed-non-exposed study.

rationalStudies are needed to determine if multimorbidity screening and management reduce the rate of multimorbidity accumulation in patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD).

objectivesThis study evaluates the impact of systematic screening programme on patient care and hospitalisation rates.

methodsPatients with IRD who participated in the screening programme (exposed patients) were identified within the French national health database and matched with controls. Two sets of analysis were performed: one with multivariate analysis and a second using a propensity score matching to ensure comparability between exposed patients and controls. The primary endpoint (PE) was a composite score assessing the dispensation of multimorbidity-preventing drugs, including vaccines, lipid-lowering agents, antiosteoporotic medications and antiplatelet drugs, during the year following the index date.

resultsThe first analysis included 286 exposed patients and 858 controls, demonstrating a higher rate of meeting the PE in exposed patients (adjusted OR=1.6 (1.2-2.2), p<0.01). Propensity score matching resulted in 281 exposed patients and 281 controls. Exposed patients exhibited a significantly higher rate of meeting the PE compared with controls (54.8% vs 44.5%; OR=1.5; p=0.015), with increased utilisation of vaccines, cholesterol-lowering drugs and antiosteoporotic medications. Furthermore, emergency admission and hospitalisations for fracture, cardiovascular events or infection were significantly less frequent in the exposed group (7.1% vs 15.3%; OR=0.42, p<0.01), with a reduction in severe infections (0.7% vs 3.9%; p=0.03).

conclusionSystematic multimorbidity screening in patients with IRD boosted preventive medication use and reduced hospital admissions, justifying time and resource allocation for screening.