Department of Human Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy.
Clin Drug Investig. 2004;24(7):409-20. doi: 10.2165/00044011-200424070-00004.
During the last decade, several agents have proven to be effective in the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), for example interferon-beta (IFNβ) and glatiramer acetate. This study aimed to perform a cost-analysis of the treatment of patients with RRMS in Italy after the introduction of these new agents.
This was a retrospective observational study with systematic patient inclusion.
Data gathered from 630 patients with confirmed RRMS over a 2-year period were evaluated. Overall, the direct cost over 2 years reached €11 073 100 thousand, corresponding to a per-patient cost of €17 576 (year of costing, 2001). The cost of disease-modifying agents represented approximately 77% of the total expenditure. IFNβ accounted for 94% of the expense of disease-modifying agents, corresponding to a 2-year cost per patient of €20 223. Although glatiramer acetate and immunoglobulins were also associated with a high level of expense, these were prescribed in only 3.8% and 1.1% of patients, respectively. Using regression analyses, IFNβ therapy, disability, number of days spent in hospital per year and the frequency of magnetic resonance imaging procedures were the main predictors of total costs.
Based on the results of this study, IFNβ treatment considerably modified the management of RRMS and was associated with a rise in cost of treatment per patient.
在过去的十年中，已有几种药物被证明对治疗复发缓解型多发性硬化症（RRMS）有效，例如干扰素-β（IFNβ）和那他珠单抗。本研究旨在评估这些新药物引入意大利后 RRMS 患者的治疗成本分析。
这是一项回顾性观察研究，采用系统的患者纳入方法。
在 2 年期间，共评估了 630 名确诊 RRMS 患者的数据。总体而言，2 年内的直接成本达到 1107.31 万欧元，每位患者的成本为 17576 欧元（计价年份为 2001 年）。疾病修正治疗药物的费用约占总支出的 77%。IFNβ 占疾病修正治疗药物费用的 94%，每位患者 2 年的治疗费用为 20223 欧元。虽然那他珠单抗和免疫球蛋白也与高昂的费用有关，但这两种药物仅分别占患者的 3.8%和 1.1%。通过回归分析，IFNβ 治疗、残疾、每年住院天数和磁共振成像检查的频率是总费用的主要预测因素。
根据本研究的结果，IFNβ 治疗极大地改变了 RRMS 的管理方式，并且与每位患者的治疗费用增加有关。
