A special oncological program that enabled fast cancer diagnosis and treatment was introduced in Poland in 2015. Patients in whom a neoplastic disease is suspected receive the so-called DiLO card. ...

To assess the incidence and prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Poland for the period 2013–2021, total and dependent on gender, age, region and serological status. Information on reported National Health Fund (NHF) health services and reimbursed prescriptions were used, defining an RA patient as a person who had at least two visits in different quarters with ICD-10 code M05 or M06 and at the same time filled at least one reimbursed prescription for a drug whose active substance is methotrexate, sulfasalazine, leflunomide or was treated with biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMRDs) or targeted synthetic DMARDs (tsDMARDs) as part of a drug program financed by the National Health Fund. The nationwide standardised incidence rate of RA in 2021 was 29 persons per 100,000 population (18 per 100,000 population of seropositive vs. 11 per 100,000 population of seronegative RA). The prevalence of RA in Poland in 2021 was 689.0 people per 100,000 population, a total of 0.7% (1.1% in women and 0.3% in men). The incidence of seronegative RA was approximately 38%. The majority of new RA diagnoses were in the sixth and seventh decades of life, irrespective of patients’ gender. The results allow RA to be classified as a disease with a significant social impact. A trend of later onset of RA has been observed, which requires special consideration of the needs of patients over 55 years of age.

Increasing evidence supports the observation that multiple sclerosis (MS) has a preclinical period, with various prodromal signs and symptoms more frequently represented in patients with confirmed MS many years later. Considering the apparent gender differences in the incidence and clinical course of MS, it remains unclear whether it could be reflected in prodromal symptom features. This study aimed to compare a broad spectrum of prodromal signs and symptoms between males and females in the 7-year period before the definite diagnosis of MS. Data came from the central register of the national payer of services, financed under the public healthcare system in Poland. They covered a 7-year period of patient health record claims, from 2009 to 2016. The following groups of symptoms were significant with women: musculoskeletal (p < 0.001), ophthalmic (p < 0.001), laryngological (p < 0.001), digestive system (p < 0.001), urinary tract (p < 0.001), mental (p < 0.001), cardiovascular (p < 0.001), complaints and headaches (p < 0.001). There was also a weak correlation with head injuries (p = 0.03) while dermatological and reproductive system complaints did not appear to be significant (p < 0.05). For males, the following groups of symptoms were significant: musculoskeletal (p < 0.001), ophthalmic (p < 0.001), laryngological (p = 0.007), cardiovascular system symptoms (p < 0.001), and headaches (p < 0.001). Interestingly, reproductive system problems were overrepresented in the male population (p = 0.008). There was no significant correlation with MS risk for dermatological, digestive, urinary, and mental complaints. Similarly, head injuries were not significant. Our results shed more light on well-known differences in the epidemiological and clinical characteristics between sexes in multiple sclerosis, and show differences in prodromal complaints before MS onset.

Background: Although the data on psoriasis epidemiology included in the Global Psoriasis Atlas (GPA) provide valuable information on psoriasis prevalence worldwide, the GPA database is still incomplete. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the prevalence, incidence, and mortality rates of psoriasis and its types in Poland based on the data registered by the National Health Fund (NHF). Methods: The study included psoriasis patients registered at least twice in the Polish NHF database between 2010 and 2023. Results: At the end of 2023, 639,662 living psoriasis patients had been registered in the Polish NHF database, which constituted 1.70% of the Polish general population. The percentage of female psoriasis patients was found to be higher (54.95%) than male patients (45.05%). Of all the Polish NHF‐registered psoriasis patients, plaque psoriasis affected 95.66%, pustular psoriasis 3.05%, psoriatic arthritis 7.20%, and guttate psoriasis 0.27%. In comparison to the general Polish population, psoriasis prevalence was observed to be lower in children (0.84%). The all‐cause mortality rate among psoriasis patients was found to be higher in comparison to the general Polish population, with a higher mortality rate noted in male psoriasis patients. Conclusions: The NHF database we studied suggests a direct relationship between the prevalence, incidence, and all‐cause mortality rates in psoriasis and patients' age and sex. However, the study also revealed a decrease in mortality rates and a slow increase in the prevalence of psoriasis in the Polish population, which calls for further studies.

To estimate the actual incidence and prevalence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) within a 9-year timeframe in Poland. Patients were defined as having PsA if they had at least two visits more than 90 days apart with ICD-10 codes M07.0, M07.1, M07.2, M07.3, or L40.5 and filled at least one reimbursed prescription for peripheral or axial PsA-specific treatments during this period (including methotrexate, sulfasalazine, ciclosporin, leflunomide, biologics, targeted synthetic drugs, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Data was obtained from the nationwide public payer database, considering gender, age, and region of residence. We observed an incidence rate of 1.1 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2021, compared to 13.2 in 2013. Regarding the age of the first diagnosis, the peak incidence rate decreased, with a more pronounced decline in men. The prevalence of PsA rose from 72.5 individuals per 100,000 in 2013 to 95.5 in 2021, representing approximately 0.1% of the total population in Poland, with a significant predominance of women among patients over 55 years of age. The decline in PsA incidence may be influenced by a strict case definition and improved access to treatment. Higher prevalence in older women suggests potential gender-related differences. The lower peak incidence and younger diagnosis age in men raise questions about whether lower PsA prevalence in older males is linked to higher mortality due to longer disease duration and comorbidities. Further research is needed to clarify these findings.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is most often diagnosed in women of childbearing age. Therefore, it is important to examine the impact of pregnancy on the course of MS and to enable patients to make decisions about motherhood based on reliable data. The main objective of this study was to assess the impact of pregnancy on the course of MS by comparing the frequency of MS-related hospitalizations during pregnancy and 40 weeks postpartum versus 40 weeks before pregnancy. We used administrative health claims to identify female patients with MS, their deliveries, and their MS-related hospital admissions and calculated the frequency of MS-related hospital admissions before, during, and after pregnancy. We observed that MS is diagnosed approximately three times less often during pregnancy than before or after pregnancy. The number of MS-related hospital admissions decreased during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. In contrast with other studies, we did not observe an increased level of MS-related admissions postpartum. The number of hospitalizations reported with steroid injections and emergency department visits also decreased during pregnancy. Our results show that pregnancy has a protective effect on the course of MS.