Deutsch
Callhoff group
Health services research helps to improve outcomes of rheumatic diseases
Health Services Research
Our research group investigates the health care of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases in Germany.
Using data from the nationwide German database (NDB) of the Regional Cooperative Arthritis Centers and with health insurance data from a large public health insurance company, we investigate questions relevant to health care regarding the frequency of rheumatic diseases, their medical care and the burden of disease for those affected.
We make this information available to patients, physicians, and decision-makers in health policy.In the NDB, clinical and patient-reported data of more than 10,000 patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases are annually collected since 1993. This continuous documentation of rheumatology care depicts how new therapies and changes in medical guidelines reach routine care. It also allows to identify deficits in health care and to correlate them with age, gender and other parameters. The participating facilities use the documentation for internal quality assurance by comparing their results with those of other documenting centers
Recent findings
Using data from the NDB, we showed that the patient questionnaire RAID (Rheumatoid Arthritis Impact of Disease) is suitable for other inflammatory rheumatic diseases beyond RA to measure the disease impact on the quality of life of those affected. We analysed this with questionnaires from patients with spondyloarthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, Sjögren’s syndrome, lupus erythematosus and myositis. For many years, patients from the NDB have answered the RAID questions regarding pain, functional impairment, fatigue, sleep, physical and psychological well-being, as well as coping with the disease.
In cooperation with a large German health insurance fund, we are examining claims data of persons with inflammatory rheumatic diseases. This provides an insight into health care for patients with rheumatic diseases, regardless of specialist or general care.
In the TARISMA (Targeted Risk Management in Musculoskeletal Diseases) network, funded from 2020-2023 by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, we investigate the occurrence of comorbidities and their impact on the rheumatic diseases. When an inflammatory rheumatic disease such as Sjögren’s syndrome or lupus erythematosus is diagnosed, other chronic diseases such as hypertension, osteoporosis or depression are often already present. The care of multimorbid patients is demanding due to the large number of prescribed medications and the high burden of disease for those affected, and requires interdisciplinary cooperation. In the TARISMA network, we cooperate closely with the Pharmacoepidemiology and Pediatric Rheumatology and Health Services Research groups of the DRFZ.
With the claims data, we demonstrated that approximately 2% of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis have interstitial lung disease. Various disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs were prescribed, and in addition, many affected individuals were prescribed glucocorticoids and pain medication including opioids. Persons in rheumatological care received therapy with a biologic DMARD more frequently than persons without rheumatological specialist contact.
Group leader
Dr. Johanna Callhoff
Scientists
Katinka Albrecht, MD
Katja Thiele, Project coordination
Doctoral student
Carlo Veltri
Data management
Nora Baer
Research assistant
Sabine Achtelstetter
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie und klinische Immunologie e. V. (DGRh)
- Deutsche Rheuma-Liga (DRL)
- Dr. Ursula Marschall, Abteilung Medizin und Versorgungsforschung, BARMER Institut für Gesundheitssystemforschung bifg, Wuppertal
- Prof. Dr. Ulrike Haug, Leibniz Institut für Präventionsforschung und Epidemiologie – BIPS, Bremen
- Prof. Dr. Falk Hoffmann, Department für Versorgungsforschung, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg
- Prof. Dr. Carsten Oliver Schmidt, Institut für Community Medicine, Universität Greifswald
- Institut für Sozialmedizin, Epidemiologie und Gesundheitsökonomie, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin
- Prof. Dr. med. Tobias Alexander, Med. Klinik m. S. Rheumatologie und Klinische Immunologie, Rheumatologische Fachambulanz, Berlin
- Prof. Dr. med. Rieke H. E. Alten, Schlosspark-Klinik, Innere Medizin II – Rheumatologie, Berlin
- Prof. Dr. med. Martin Aringer, Universitätsklinikum Carl-Gustav-Carus, Med. Klinik und Poliklinik III, Rheumatologie, Dresden
- Dr. med. Martin Bohl-Bühler, Rheumahaus, Potsdam
- Dr. med. Elvira Decker, MVZ Alsfeld
- PD Dr. med. Jacqueline Detert, Rheumatologisch-immunologische Praxis, Templin
- Dr. med. Thorsten Eidner, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Klinik für Innere Medizin III – Rheumatologie/Osteologie, Jena
- PD Dr. med. Martin Feuchtenberger, MED BAYERN OST GmbH, Med. Versorgungszentrum Burghausen – Altötting, Burghausen
- Prof. Dr. med. Jörg Henes, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Innere Medizin II – Rheumatologie, Tübingen
- Prof. Dr. med. Jürgen Braun, Dres. med. Kirsten Karberg, Annalina Avram, RVZ Steglitz, Berlin
- Prof. Dr. med. Uta Kiltz, Universitätsklinikum der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Rheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet, Herne
- Dres. med. Benjamin Köhler, Andreas Dormann, Rheumazentrum Ratingen, Rheumatologische Gemeinschaftspraxis, Ratingen
- Prof. Dr. med. Andreas Krause, Immanuel-Krankenhaus GmbH, Rheumaklinik Berlin-Buch, Rheumatologie und klinische Immunologie, Berlin
- Prof. Dr. med. Jutta Richter, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Poliklinik und Funktionsbereich Rheumatologie & Hiller-Forschungszentrum Rheumatologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Düsseldorf
- Dr. med. Guido Schäfer, ICH MVZ Grindel, Hamburg
- Dr. med. Susanna Späthling-Mestekemper, Rheumapraxis München-Pasing, München
- Dres. med. Mirco Steinmüller, Katrin Bastian-Richter, StudienTeam Lahn-Dill-Siegerland, Wetzlar und Burbach
- Dr. med. Silke Zinke, Berlin
[Rheumatological care in Germany : Memorandum of the German Society for Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology 2024]. Braun J, Albrecht K, Callhoff J, Haase I, Krause A, Lakomek HJ, Meyer-Olson D, Schmale-Grede R, Wagner U, Zeidler J, Zinke S, Voormann A, Specker C; die Kommission Versorgung der DGRh. Z Rheumatol. 2024 Aug;83(Suppl 2):249-284. doi: 10.1007/s00393-024-01539-2. Epub 2024 Aug 13. PMID: 39136764 German.
[Sex-specific aspects in rheumatology]. Albrecht K, Ohrndorf S, Strangfeld A. Z Rheumatol. 2024 Nov;83(9):749-759. doi: 10.1007/s00393-024-01527-6. Epub 2024 Jun 13. PMID: 38869669 German.
[Current data on rheumatological care: annual report from the National database (NDB) of the regional collaborative arthritis centres in Germany]. Albrecht K, Thiele K, Alexander T, Aringer M, Eidner T, Henes J, Hoese G, Karberg K, Kiltz U, Krause A, Ochs W, Richter JG, Späthling-Mestekemper S, Steinmüller M, Wassenberg S, Strangfeld A, Callhoff J. Z Rheumatol. 2024 Oct;83(8):666-674. doi: 10.1007/s00393-024-01497-9. Epub 2024 Apr 3. PMID: 38568444 Free PMC article. German.
Kerndokumentation der regionalen kooperativen Rheumazentren – Versorgungstrends 2024. Thiele K, Albrecht K, Alexander T, Aringer M, Eidner T, Henes J, Hoese G, Karberg K, Kiltz U, Krause A, Ochs W, Richter JG, Späthling-Mestekemper S, Steinmüller M, Wassenberg S, Callhoff J. https://doi.org/10.17169/refubium-41983
Systematic review to estimate the prevalence of inflammatory rheumatic diseases in Germany. Albrecht K, Binder S, Minden K, Poddubnyy D, Regierer AC, Strangfeld A, Callhoff J. Z Rheumatol. 2024 Feb;83(Suppl 1):20-30. doi: 10.1007/s00393-022-01302-5. Epub 2023 Feb 7. PMID: 36749363 Free PMC article.
Trends in health care of patients with vasculitides, including giant cell arteritis, Takayasu arteritis, ANCA-associated vasculitis and Behçet’s disease: cross-sectional data of the German National Database 2007-2021. Henes J, Richter JG, Thiele K, Kiltz U, Callhoff J, Albrecht K. Rheumatol Int. 2024 Mar;44(3):497-507. doi: 10.1007/s00296-023-05508-x. Epub 2024 Jan 5. PMID: 38180499 Free PMC article.
Mental comorbidities in adolescents and young adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: an analysis of German nationwide health insurance data. Milatz F, Albrecht K, Minden K, Marschall U, Klotsche J, Callhoff J.Pediatr Rheumatol Online J. 2024 Jan 5;22(1):10. doi: 10.1186/s12969-023-00948-y.PMID: 38183044.
Rheuma-VOR study: optimising healthcare of rheumatic diseases by multiprofessional coordinating centres. Dreher M, Witte T, Hoeper K, Assmann G, Proft F, Poddubnyy D, Murawski N, Triantafyllias K, Grodd M, Graf E, Fichtner UA, Binder H, Zeidler J, Hoeper JR, Callhoff J, Karberg K, Trautwein A, Tibyampansha D, Wojnowski L, Schmidt RE, Schwarting A. Ann Rheum Dis. 2023 Oct 27:ard-2023-224205. doi: 10.1136/ard-2023-224205. Online ahead of print. PMID: 37890976.
Diagnostic accuracy of a large language model in rheumatology: comparison of physician and ChatGPT-4. Krusche M, Callhoff J, Knitza J, Ruffer N. Rheumatol Int. 2024; 44 (2): 303-306 doi:10.1007/s00296-023-05464-6.
[With RheMIT rheumatology centers can participate in the German national database-Expansion of the long-term rheumatological documentation]. Callhoff J, Feuchtenberger M, Karberg K, Kiltz U, Aringer M, Baraliakos X, Muth T, Regierer AC, Richter JG, Thiele K, Zinke S, Albrecht K. Z Rheumatol. 2023 Aug;82(6):508-516. doi: 10.1007/s00393-023-01373-y. Epub 2023 Jun 6. PMID: 37280334 Free PMC article. German.
Time interval between the onset of connective tissue disease symptoms and first contact with a rheumatologist: results from the German National Database of collaborative arthritis centers. Kernder A, Thiele K, Chehab G, Schneider M, Callhoff J. Int. 2023 Aug;43(8):1453-1458. doi: 10.1007/s00296-023-05335-0. Epub 2023 Jun 1. PMID: 37258745 Free PMC article. Review.
[Gender-specific differences in the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory rheumatic diseases]. Albrecht K, Strangfeld A. Inn Med (Heidelb). 2023 Aug;64(8):744-751. doi: 10.1007/s00108-023-01484-3. Epub 2023 Mar 6. PMID: 36877237 Review. German.
High burden of polypharmacy and comorbidity in persons with psoriatic arthritis: an analysis of claims data, stratified by age and sex. Albrecht K, Regierer AC, Strangfeld A, Marschall U, Callhoff J. RMD Open. 2023 Mar;9(1):e002960. doi: 10.1136/rmdopen-2022-002960. PMID: 36894195.
Interstitial lung disease in rheumatoid arthritis: incidence, prevalence and related drug prescriptions between 2007 and 2020. Albrecht K, Strangfeld A, Marschall U, Callhoff J. RMD Open. 2023 Jan;9(1):e002777. doi: 10.1136/rmdopen-2022-002777. PMID: 366698.
Identification of rheumatoid arthritis in German claims data using different algorithms: validation by cross-sectional patient-reported survey data. Callhoff J, Albrecht K, Marschall U, Strangfeld A, Hoffmann F. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2022 Nov 8. doi: 10.1002/pds.5562. Online ahead of print. PMID: 36349482.
Comparison of physician and artificial intelligence-based symptom checker diagnostic accuracy. Gräf M, Knitza J, Leipe J, Krusche M, Welcker M, Kuhn S, Mucke J, Hueber AJ, Hornig J, Klemm P, Kleinert S, Aries P, Vuillerme N, Simon D, Kleyer A, Schett G, Callhoff J. Rheumatol Int. 2022 Dec;42(12):2167-2176. doi: 10.1007/s00296-022-05202-4. Epub 2022 Sep 10. PMID: 36087130 Free PMC article.
Is the Rheumatoid Arthritis Impact of Disease (RAID) score a meaningful instrument for other inflammatory rheumatic diseases? A cross-sectional analysis of data from the German National Database. Thiele K, Albrecht K, Zink A, Aringer M, Karberg K, Späthling-Mestekemper S, von Hinüber U, Callhoff J. RMD Open. 2022 Jul;8(2):e002342. doi: 10.1136/rmdopen-2022-002342. PMID: 35793877.
Therapiespektrum älterer Menschen mit rheumatoider Arthritis. Albrecht K, Thiele K, Späthling S, Ochs W, Krause A, Callhoff J.Arthritis + Rheuma. 2022; 42: 8-14. doi: 10.1055/a-1672-2067
[Prescription frequency of physical therapy for inflammatory rheumatic diseases]. Albrecht K, Marschall U, Zink A, Callhoff J. Z Rheumatol. 2022 Jun;81(5):360-368. doi: 10.1007/s00393-022-01180-x. Epub 2022 Mar 22. PMID: 35316384 German.
[Is the prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis truly on the rise?]. Albrecht K, Callhoff J, Strangfeld A. Z Rheumatol. 2022 May;81(4):323-327. doi: 10.1007/s00393-022-01192-7. Epub 2022 Mar 31. PMID: 35359174.
[Celebrating 33 years of the DRFZ: Epidemiology and Health Services Research]. Strangfeld A, Albrecht K, Regierer A, Callhoff J, Zink A, Minden K. Z Rheumatol. 2022 Apr 5. doi: 10.1007/s00393-022-01187-4. Online ahead of print. PMID: 35380251 Review. German.
[New aspects on treatment of RA]. Albrecht K, Krüger K. Z Rheumatol. 2022 Mar;81(2):91-93. doi: 10.1007/s00393-022-01168-7. Epub 2022 Mar 3. PMID: 35239022 German.
Association between RA disease activity and periodontitis defined by tooth loss: longitudinal and cross-sectional data from two observational studies. Albrecht K, de Pablo P, Eidner T, Hoese G, Wassenberg S, Zink A, Callhoff J. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2021 Sep 30. doi: 10.1002/acr.24799. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34590439.
Comorbidity and healthcare utilisation in persons with incident systemic lupus erythematosus followed for 3 years after diagnosis: analysis of a claims data cohort. Albrecht, K., Redeker, I., Aringer, M., Marschall, U., Strangfeld, A., Callhoff, J. Lupus Sci Med 2021 8: p. e000526-e000526.
Prescription of analgesics in patients with rheumatic diseases in [Prescription of analgesics in patients with rheumatic diseases in Germany : A claims data analysis. German version]. Albrecht K, Marschall U, Callhoff J. Z Rheumatol. 2021 Apr;80(3):243-250. doi: 10.1007/s00393-021-00962-z. Epub 2021 Feb 26. PMID: 33635407 German.
[Development of quality standards for patients with axial spondyloarthritis for use in Germany]. Kiltz U, Buschhorn-Milberger V, Albrecht K, Lakomek HJ, Lorenz HM, Rudwaleit M, Schneider M, Schulze-Koops H, Baraliakos X, Behrens F, Brandt-Jürgens J, Haibel H, Hammel L, Karberg K, Kellner H, Krause D, Lange U, Märker-Herrmann E, Poddubnyy D, Sieper J, Syrbe U, Braun J. Z Rheumatol. 2021 Aug 11. doi: 10.1007/s00393-021-01019-x. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34379181 German.
[Apps in rheumatology : Is there a need for an app in therapy for axial spondyloarthritis?]. Strunz PP, Maire ML, Heusinger T, Hammel L, Gernert M, Schwaneck EC, Callhoff J, Portegys J, Schmalzing M, Tony HP, Froehlich M. Z Rheumatol. 2021 Oct 7. doi: 10.1007/s00393-021-01104-1. Online ahead of print. PMID: 34618212 German.
Factors Associated with Survey Non-Response in a Cross-Sectional Survey of Persons with an Axial Spondyloarthritis or Osteoarthritis Claims Diagnosis. Callhoff J, Jacobs H, Albrecht K, Saam J, Zink A, Hoffmann F. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Dec 9;17(24):E9186. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17249186.
[Perspectives for rheumatological health services research at the German Rheumatism Research Center]. Albrecht K, Milatz F, Callhoff J, Redeker I, Minden K, Strangfeld A, Regierer A. Z Rheumatol. 2020 Dec;79(10):1003-1008. doi: 10.1007/s00393-020-00907-y. Epub 2020 Dec 1. PMID: 33258978 Free PMC article. Review. German.
[Register and cohort studies : Overview of the most important data sources at the German Rheumatism Research Center]. Meißner Y, Milatz F, Callhoff J, Minden K, Regierer A, Strangfeld A. Z Rheumatol. 2020 Dec;79(10):983-995. doi: 10.1007/s00393-020-00906-z. Epub 2020 Dec 1. PMID: 33258976 Review. German.
Use of Physical Therapy in Patients With Osteoarthritis in Germany: An Analysis of a Linkage of Claims and Survey Data. Jacobs H, Callhoff J, Albrecht K, Postler A, Saam J, Lange T, Goronzy J, Günther KP, Hoffmann F. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2021 Jul;73(7):1013-1022. doi: 10.1002/acr.24365. PMID: 32609432.
Trends in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: cross-sectional data from the German National Database. Albrecht K, Huscher D,Callhoff J, Richter JG, Alexander T, Henes J, Zink A.Rheumatol Int. 2020 Oct;40(10):1639-1647. doi: 10.1007/s00296-020-04634-0. Epub 2020 Jun 27.
Comorbidity and health care utilisation in persons with Sjögren’s syndrome: a claims data analysis. Albrecht K, Dörner T, Redeker I, Karberg K, Marschall U, Zink A,Callhoff J. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2020 Jul-Aug;38 Suppl 126(4):78-84. Epub 2020 Sep 18.
Which disease-related factors influence patients’ and physicians’ willingness to consider joint replacement in hip and knee OA? Results of a questionnaire survey linked to claims data. Postler A, Goronzy J, Günther KP, Lange T, Redeker I, Schmitt J, Zink A, Callhoff J. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2020 Jun 5;21(1):352. doi: 10.1186/s12891-020-03368-1.
Profiling of IgG antibodies targeting unmodified and corresponding citrullinated autoantigens in a multicenter national cohort of early arthritis in Germany. Vordenbäumen S, Brinks R, Schriek P, Lueking A, Richter JG, Budde P, Schulz-Knappe P, Zucht HD,Callhoff J, Schneider M.Arthritis Res Ther. 2020 Jul 6;22(1):167. doi: 10.1186/s13075-020-02252-6.
Osteoporosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: trends in the German National Database 2007-2017. Lindner L,Callhoff J, Alten R, Krause A, Ochs W, Zink A, Albrecht K.Rheumatol Int. 2020 Dec;40(12):2005-2012. doi: 10.1007/s00296-020-04593-6. Epub 2020 May 6.
Disease Burden of Patients With Osteoarthritis: Results of a Cross-Sectional Survey Linked to Claims Data. Callhoff J, Albrecht K, Redeker I, Lange T, Goronzy J, Günther KP, Zink A, Schmitt J, Saam J, Postler A. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020 Feb;72(2):193-200. doi: 10.1002/acr.24058.
