Burden of HPV related anogenital diseases in young women in Germany – an analysis of German statutory health insurance claims data from 2012 to 2017

Most individuals are infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) at least once in their lifetime. Infections with low-risk types can cause genital warts, whereas high-risk types can cause malignant tumors. The aim of this study was to determine the burden of anogenital diseases potentially related to HPV in young women based on German statutory health insurance claims data.

We conducted a retrospective claims data analysis using the “Institute for Applied Health Research Berlin” (InGef) Research Database, containing claims data from approximately 4 million individuals. In the period from 2012 to 2017 all women born in1989–1992, who were continuously insured between the age of 23–25 years were identified. Using ICD-10-GM codes (verified diagnosis in the outpatient sector or primary or secondary diagnosis in the inpatient sector) the administrative prevalence (95% confidence interval) of genital warts (A63.0), anogenital diseases grade I (K62.8, N87.0, N89.0, N90.0), grade II (N87.1, N89.1, N90.1) and grade III (D01.3, D06.-, D06.0, D07.1, D07.2, N87.2, N89.2, N90.2) was calculated (women with diagnosis divided by all women).

From 2012 to 2017, a total of 15,358 (birth cohort 1989), 16,027 (birth cohort 1990), 14,748 (birth cohort 1991) and 14,862 (birth cohort 1992) women at the age of 23–25 were identified. A decrease of the administrative prevalence was observed in genital warts (1.30% (1.12–1.49) birth cohort 1989 vs. 0.94% (0.79–1.10) birth cohort 1992) and anogenital diseases grade III (1.09% (0.93–1.26) birth cohort 1989 vs. 0.71% (0.58–0.86) birth cohort 1992). In anogenital diseases grade III, this trend was especially observed for severe cervical dysplasia (N87.2) (0.91% (0.76–1.07) birth cohort 1989 vs. 0.60% (0.48–0.74) birth cohort 1992). In contrast, anogenital diseases grade I (1.41% (1.23–1.61) birth cohort 1989 vs. 1.31% (1.14–1.51) birth cohort 1992) and grade II (0.61% (0.49–0.75) birth cohort 1989 vs. 0.52% (0.42–0.65) birth cohort 1992) remained stable.

A decrease of the burden of anogenital disease potentially related to HPV was observed in the younger birth cohorts. This was observed especially for genital warts and anogenital diseases grade III. Further research to investigate this trend for the upcoming years in light of varying HPV vaccination coverage for newer birth cohorts is necessary.