New Epispadias Research from University Medical Center Ulm Described (A Prevalence Estimation of Exstrophy and Epispadias in Germany From Public Health Insurance Data): Urogenital Diseases and Conditions – Epispadias

2021 NOV 04 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Current study results on epispadias have been published. According to news originating from Ulm, Germany, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “The prevalence of rare diseases is very important for health care research. According to the European Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies (EUROCAT) registers, the live prevalence for exstrophy and/or epispadias (grades 1-3) is reported with 1:23,255 (95% CI: 1:26,316; 1:20,000).”

Financial supporters for this research include Bundesministerium fur Bildung und Forschung; Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from University Medical Center Ulm: “A Europe-wide prevalence evaluation based on reports from excellence centers estimates a prevalence for exstrophies of 1:32,200 and for isolated epispadias of 1:96,800 in 2010. However, the frequency of exstrophy [International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems revision 10 (ICD-10): Q64.1] and epispadias (ICD-10: Q64.0) treated in different age groups in Germany remains unclear. Public health insurance data from 71 million people (approximately 87% of the population) were provided by the German Institute for Medical Documentation and Information (DIMDI) in accordance to the German Social Insurance Code for this research purpose. DIMDI analyzed the data source for the ICD diagnoses exstrophy and epispadias between 2009 and 2011. As provided data were robust over the years, averaged data are mentioned. Detailed subgroup analysis of small numbers was forbidden due to privacy protection. Annually, 126 persons of all ages with epispadias and 244 with exstrophy are treated as inpatients. In the observed population, 34 infants (<1 year of age) with epispadias and 19 with exstrophy (58% male) are treated as outpatients each year. This corresponds to an estimated live prevalence of 1:11,000 (95% CI: 1:14,700; 1:8,400) for EEC (exstrophy-epispadias complex), more specifically a prevalence of 1:17,142 for epispadias and of 1:30,675 for exstrophy. The male-to-female ratio for exstrophy is 1.4:1 for infants and 1.6:1 for all minors. In children and adolescents, 349 epispadias and 393 exstrophies (up to the age of 17) are treated annually, whereas adults with exstrophy and even more with epispadias make comparatively less use of medical care.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “With the help of DIMDI data, the live prevalence of bladder exstrophy and epispadias in Germany could be estimated. The prevalence of epispadias was higher than in previous reports, in which milder epispadias phenotypes (grade 1 or 2) may not have been included. These analyses might enlighten knowledge about nationwide incidence and treatment numbers of rare diseases such as the EEC.”

For more information on this research see: A Prevalence Estimation of Exstrophy and Epispadias in Germany From Public Health Insurance Data. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 2021,9. (Frontiers in Pediatrics - http://journal.frontiersin.org/journal/pediatrics). The publisher for Frontiers in Pediatrics is Frontiers Media S.A.

A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2021.648414.

Our news journalists report that more information may be obtained by contacting Anne-Karoline Ebert, Department of Pediatric Urology, University Medical Center Ulm, University Hospital for Urology and Pediatric Urology, Ulm, Germany. Additional authors for this research include Nadine Zwink, Heiko Martin Reutter, Ekkehart Jenetzky.

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