Candida Enteritis Diagnoses in the United States: Prevalence and Clinical Insights from a Large Commercial Insurance Database

BACKGROUND: Candida overgrowth in the small intestine can cause non-specific gastrointestinal symptoms mimicking those of other conditions, making diagnosis challenging. AIMS: To describe the characteristics of patients with Candida-related intestinal illness in a large US commercial health insurance claims dataset. METHODS: We used the Merative™ MarketScan® Commercial/Medicare Database to identify patients who received Candida enteritis diagnosis codes. RESULTS: We identified 3,710 patients. Rates were higher among women (20.3/100,000), patients ages 35-44 (19.3/100,000) and in the West (28.1/100,000). Fatigue (44%) and abdominal pain (26%) were common symptoms. Few patients (6%) received an esophagogastroduodenoscopy, the preferred diagnostic method, and 38% received systemic antifungal therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Increased healthcare provider awareness about proper diagnosis and treatment of intestinal Candida overgrowth could be beneficial.