Clinical, humanistic, and economic burden of systemic lupus erythematosus in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by abnormal immune system activity, primarily affecting the working-age population. The study aimed to evaluate SLE’s burden of disease from a societal perspective in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The burden of disease model was developed using Microsoft Excel® as the analytical tool for a one-year time frame. It was based on various inputs gathered through a literature review, input from key opinion leaders, and one-way sensitivity analysis, followed by local Delphi panel validation. The overall economic burden of SLE proper, lupus nephritis, and lupus central nervous system (CNS) for one year amounted to SAR 46,187,056, SAR 78,776,030, and SAR 19,822,905, respectively. This condition resulted in 263.6 years lived with disability (YLD) and 251.1 years of life lost (YLL), resulting in a total of 514.7 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), valued at SAR 58,768,258 for SLE proper. For lupus nephritis, the burden is 542.96 DALYs (232.12 YLD and 310.85 YLL), amounting to SAR 61,995,057 and 129.67 DALY (10.55 YLD and 119.12 YLL) valued at SAR 14,805,541 for lupus CNS. Event management cost was the primary contributor to the economic burden, followed by high drug acquisition cost, which also significantly adds to overall healthcare expenses. The introduction of biologics to the treatment of SLE is expected to curb the monetary losses due to the humanistic burden of the disease. To address the potential burden of SLE on the Saudi healthcare system, it is recommended to improve access to biologic therapies, enhance disease awareness, and implement targeted policy measures to support effective resource allocation. 1. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with significant implications for the working-age population, yet data on its full burden in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have been limited. 2. This study fills a critical evidence gap by quantifying the clinical, humanistic, and economic burden of SLE in KSA through a comprehensive societal perspective, integrating healthcare costs, productivity loss, and quality-of-life impacts. 3. Findings reveal that SLE imposes a substantial burden on the Saudi healthcare system and society, underscoring the need for improved access to biologics, enhanced disease awareness, and targeted policy interventions to inform HEOR and optimize resource allocation.