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Research Outline

Prepared for Simon H. | Delivered January 11, 2020

Patients with Chronic Disease

Goals

To provide the number of patients in the United States who had, or currently live with Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Early Findings

Multiple Sclerosis
  • In 2017, the National MS Society reported that up to an estimated up to 913,925 Americans were living with Multiple Sclerosis.
  • That represents a prevalence rate of up to 363 per 100,000 Americans.
  • According to the MS Discovery Forum, around 200 new cases of Multiple Sclerosis are diagnosed in the US each week.
  • While Multiple Sclerosis can develop at any time, most Americans are between 20 and 50 years old when they are diagnosed.
  • Multiple Sclerosis prevalence and diagnosis rates vary according to geographic region and are higher in regions farther away from the equator. As a result, states in the northern United States have a higher prevalence rate (110-140 per 100,000 people) than states in the southern United States (57-78 per 100,000 people).
  •  85% of Americans diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis are diagnosed with RRMS (Relapse-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis).
  • In most cases, Multiple Sclerosis does not cause death. Life expectancy for people who have Multiple Sclerosis ranges from the same as someone who does not have the disease, to shorter by six or seven years. In extremely rare cases, MS can progress rapidly and be fatal.
  •  Central New York has the highest prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis in the nation. Syracuse, for example, has a prevalence rate that is roughly twice the national average.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis is the third most common type of arthritis diagnosed in the United States, behind gout and osteoarthritis, with over 1.3 million people affected by it.
  • The annual incidence rate of RA in the United States is 40 new cases diagnosed per 100,000 people, lower than many other countries.
  • Between 2017 and 2027, the US is expected to have one of the highest annual growth rates for new cases of RA. This will primarily be due to changes in the US population as a result of immigration.
  • Women make up approximately 75% of people who have RA.
  • The prevalence of RA varies greatly among populations and ethnic groups, with people of Asian descent having the lowest rates and certain Native American tribes having the highest.
  • While Rheumatoid Arthritis doesn't usually cause death on its own, it can cause complications like heart disease, lung disease, infections, and musculoskeletal conditions, that can lead to death.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
  •  Inflammatory Bowel Disease is the group name for two related diseases: Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
  • In 2015, an estimated 3 million adults (1.3% of the US population), stated they had been diagnosed with IBD.
  • In 2016, 1 in 209 adults and 1 in 1299 children aged 2-17 had IBD
  • Adults are most commonly diagnosed with IBD while in their 20s and 30s.
  • According to the NCBI, the most recent estimates of the prevalence of IBD in the IS were based on data gathered in 2009.
  • The pediatric prevalence rate for IBD grew by 133% between 2007 and 2016.
  • The adult prevalence rate for IBD grew by 123% between 2007 and 2016.
  • During this time frame, boys were more likely to be diagnosed with IBD than girls. Among adults, women are more likely to be diagnosed than men.
  • Data gathered between 2003 and 2007 has been used to forecast future IBD prevalence rates. It is estimated that the prevalence rate of IBD will be four to six times higher in 2030 than it was in 2003.
  • It is also estimated that the IBD will experience an average annual percent change of 5% each year through 2030.
  • While people who have IBD often have a shorter life span and higher mortality rate than people without it, it can not be proven that IBD is the reason why that is. Complications of IBD such as developing liver disease or toxic megacolon could also be important factors.
Cancer
  • Information about the number of patients in the United States who had, or currently live with Cancer was provided in the first request.