Case Study Validates Regional Analysis Approach

This month, we propose to study the distribution of patients by age group and by geographic area. Our targeted indication is ‘C915: Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma [HTLV-1 related],’ which is said to be common in Kyushu and Okinawa, so we are keen to demonstrate this perception with our data.

First, we look at the overall demographic profile of the MDV DPC database using the total patient population collected since the start of MDV Database in 2008:

Data Collection Period: MDV All Data Period (April 2008–January 2024)
Number of Facilities Meeting Basic Criteria: 400 facilities
Next, we compare the distribution of patients by sex and age over the last 10 years, between, 2014 and 2023.

Data Period: Only hospitals with complete data for the specified months from
January 2014 to December 2023 were included.
Number of facilities with basic conditions: 144

As a result of the comparison, there was no significant difference in the sex age distribution over a 10-year period. Next, we look at the changes in the average age of patients over the past 10 years (January 2014 ~ December 2023) to confirm the aging trend of patients in the indication over the past 10 years.

*Duplicate counts of the same patient across different years.

Using MDV specific 8-region division, we then conduct a comparison of the number of patients per facility across the nation for the period from January to December 2023.

Area Composition
【Hokkaido】Hokkaido
【Tohoku】Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima
【Kanto】Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa
【Chubu】Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Yamanashi, Nagano, Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi
【Kinki】Mie, Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, Wakayama
【Chugoku】Tottori, Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi
【Shikoku】Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime, Kochi
【Kyushu・Okinawa】Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, Kagoshima, Okinawa

The survey confirmed the general opinion that Kyushu – Okinawa region presents more patients per hospital seeking treatment for this type of leukemia than in other regions. Next in rank are the Kinki and Kanto areas where large cities are concentrated. Looking at Chugoku and Shikoku regions’ level, compared with Hokkaido for example, it seems difficult to draw the conclusion that there would be a difference with Eastern and Western Japan.

Note: This article was published on May 1, 2024.