Farmeconomia. Health economics and therapeutic pathways
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Analisi farmacoeconomica del trattamento di pazienti psicotici cronici con olanzapina, antipsicotici atipici e neurolettici tipici: uno studio regionale
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Psychotic disorders are a ravaging and costly mental illness. Treatment of these disorders involves pharmacological and non pharmacological resources. Pharmacological therapy with antipsychotic drugs contribute strongly to relieve psychotic patients symptoms. By the end of 90’s the new atypical antipsychotic have been introduced. This kind of drugs is supposed to be more effective but also more expensive compared with the old typical neuroleptics. OBJECTIVE: To compare costs and outcomes associated with 12 months treatment of psychotic disorders using typical and atypical antipsychotics in addition to psychiatric services. Moreover to extend the same comparison among the atypical drugs currently used in the clinical practice (olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine and clozapine). METHODS AND PATIENTS: A multicentre observational study was carried out in 131 patients affected by psychotic disorders (schizophrenia and bipolar). Data were collected with reference to patients followed by several Psychiatric Services of Regione Puglia (Italy). Patients were classified in five groups (typical neuroleptics, olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine and clozapine) according to their main antipsychotic therapy. Treatment outcomes had been assessed during 12 months of observation considering the patients improvement in their work and social functioning. For these patients we analyzed pharmacological, non pharmacological (medical/ nurse visits, social assistance, rehabilitative sessions) and hospital interventions, choosing the perspective of the Italian Mental Health Centers for costs attribution. Moreover indirect costs (caregiver) and private assistance to the patient had been evaluated for each group of treatment. The study is based on the observation of real clinical behaviours; therefore patients are not randomised to different treatments. RESULTS: The analysis of treatment outcomes didn’t generate significant differences among the groups despite a positive trend in terms of work functioning in favor of olanzapine. The pharmacological interventionts evidentiated an economic significant advantage (
Il costo di una neutropenia febbrile
Get PDFFebrile neutropenia (FN) is one of the most common and severe complications of chemotherapy, particularly when used for the treatment of hematological malignancies and bone marrow transplantation. Estimating its cost for the National Health service (NHS) is difficult, in that the cost of FN is included in the overall reimbursement, which is based on the main DRG declared at discharge. Aim of the present survey, conducted on the patient population treated in two oncology centers in Milan in the years 2001- 2002, was to evaluate the most frequent DRGs associated with neutropenia, with the objective to estimate the mean cost per patient hospitalized with FN. As expected, oncology patients with NF are spread through a wide range of DRGs, but the mean cost per patient resulted comparable in the two considered hospitals ( ~ 9500 euro), as well as the overall distribution among DRGs. The single most frequent DRG was 398 (diseases of reticuloendothelial and immune systems, with complications) which appears to be appropriate, being the closest to the clinical definition of FN available
Analisi di costo efficacia nella terapia della BPCO
Get PDFCurrent practice guidelines for the treatment of COPD recommend the use of combined inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting bronchodilators in severe and very severe patients (GOLD stages III and IV). OBJECTIVES: To analyze the economical and clinical impact of this recommendation, the affordability of its widespread application, as well as the relative pharmacoeconomical performance of the available options for severe and very severe COPD in Italy. METHODS: Published data on the Italian COPD population were fitted in a disease progression model based on a Markov chain representing severity stages and death. Alternative therapeutic options (salmeterol/ fluticasone - SF, formoterol/budesonide - FB, salmeterol alone - S, fluticasone alone - F and control - C) were represented as competing arms in a decision tree. Efficacy data from international trials were expressed in terms of risk reduction. Clinical parameters used were number of exacerbations and symptom-free days. Direct and indirect costs were considered and valued according to present prices and tarifs. The analyses were conducted from National Health System, societal and patient perspectives with time horizons of 1,5, and 10 years, and lifelong. RESULTS: The yearly total direct costs of treating COPD patients in Italy is estimated in approximately 7 billion Euro, with a mean cost/patient/year around 2,400 Euro. Mean survival of the cohort is 11,5 years. The C and F strategies are dominated (i.e. are associated with worse outcomes and higher costs) by all alternatives. S/F and F/B are the most effective strategies, with a slight clinical superiority of the latter, but are also marginally more expensive than S. Incremental cost/effectiveness of S/F vs. S is 679,55 Euro/avoided exacerbation and 3,31Euro/gained symptom-free day. CONCLUSIONS: The recommended use of combined inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting bronchodilators for severe and very severe COPD patients, as compared with current practice, has the potential of improving clinical outcomes without increasing health care costs
Analisi di costo di pemetrexed vs docetaxel nel trattamento di seconda linea del carcinoma polmonare non a piccole cellule
Get PDFOBJECTIVES: to compare costs of pemetrexed versus docetaxel in patients with non-small cell lung cancer previously treated with chemotherapy paying special attention to the adverse events. MATERIALS AND METHODS: a cost analysis was carried out performing comparison between pemetrexed and docetaxel. Clinical data (overall survival) and resource consumption (chemotherapy drugs, G-CSF, and hospitalizations due to adverse events) were obtained from a randomized phase III trial. The economic evaluation was based on direct costs using local Italian unit costs (euro 2005). The perspective was the National Health Service’s. RESULTS: the study results showed that mean survival of pemetrexed (8,3 months; 0,69 years) was higher than mean survival of docetaxel (7,9 months; 0,66 years). The mean cost of treatment with pemetrexed was 8.684,26 euros and with docetaxel was 6.182,87 euros. This difference was nearly offset by the difference in the costs of adverse events: the mean cost of adverse events due to chemotherapy treatment with pemetrexed (493,93 euros) turned out to be lower than with docetaxel (2.394,34 euros). CONCLUSION: the present cost-analysis could be a stable ground for a further cost-utility analysis, aimed at reaching a more cost-effectiveness management of the chemotherapy-related adverse effects in patients with NSCLC
Rifaximina nel trattamento della malattia diverticolare: potenziale terapeutico ed economico
Get PDFAntibiotics are commonly used to treat major inflammatory complications of diverticular disease, but apparently there is no rationale for the use of antibiotic therapy in uncomplicated disease, where an inflammatory component is by definition excluded. Some observations suggest a possible role of gut microflora in determining some symptoms related to diverticular disease: bacterial overgrowth, amplifying gas production and bacterial degradation of fibres, could determine bloating, pain and high fecal density. Therefore a beneficial antibiotic action on diverticular disease symptoms can be hypothesized. In this paper pharmacokinetic, pharmacodinamic and therapeutic potential of an intestinal antibiotic, rifaximin, are reviewed. Rifaximin is a rifamycin derivative which acts by inhibiting bacterial ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis. It is virtually unabsorbed after oral administration and in vitro data indicate it to possess a broad spectrum of action; bacterial resistance during exposure to rifaximin has been reported but its clinical importance remains to be fully defined. The results of placebo-controlled clinical trials show that cyclic administration of rifaximin is more effective in reducing symptoms and in preventing complications than fibre supplementation alone; the drug appears to be well tolerated and safe. We consider the clinical implications and economical impact of diverticulosis on the Italian National Health System and the patient, with a particular attention on the cost of hospitalization, surgery and global management of diverticulitis and other common disease complications. The hypothetic savings correlated to the reduction of complications incidence, attainable with rifaximin use have been calculated and the comparison between the different acquisition costs of the drug frequently used to treat the diverticular disease is provided. Finally we reviewed some quality of life trials in which the psychological and sociological influence of the disease symptoms and treatments on the patient are assessed
Adefovir dipivoxil nella terapia dell’epatite B cronica: profilo farmacologico clinico ed economico
Get PDFDespite the fact that an effective vaccine against hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been available for over 30 years, the worldwide prevalence of this infection is still very high. Until recently, there were only two effective therapeutic options for chronic hepatitis B (CHB), interferon and lamivudine, but both are considered suboptimal therapies, for different reasons. Adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) is the oral prodrug of adefovir, an acyclic nucleotide analogue that demonstrated virological and clinical effectiveness against HBV in experimental and real world settings. In this paper the main pharmacological and clinical evidence of ADV in CHB is reviewed. Health care economics data on the direct costs of CHB in different countries are presented and potential economical consequences of its introduction in Italy are discussed
Gli antagonisti del recettore GPIIb/IIIa: farmacologia, clinica ed economia nelle sindromi coronariche acute NSTEMI e nelle rivascolarizzazioni per via percutanea
Get PDFInhibition of platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (GP IIb/IIIa) receptor prevents platelet aggregation by controlling its final common pathway, the cross-binding of fibrinogen, bridging across adjacent platelets. Three pharmacological agents capable of inhibiting GP IIb/IIIa are available for use in Italy: abciximab, eptifibatide and tirofiban. In this paper, some relevant studies on the pharmacology of GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors are summarized, as well as the main clinical trials assessing their use in the management of unstable angina (UA) and during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). Furthermore, the recommendations on their appropriate use in UA and PCI issued by authoritative scientific societies are presented. Finally, some of the pharmacoeconomic evidence published in the international literature is reviewed and implications in the Italian health care setting are discussed
Costi e bisogni sanitari degli anziani non autosufficienti presso le strutture residenziali: strategie e interventi per una popolazione che invecchia
Get PDFCONTEXT: The number of elderly is constantly increasing in the western world and many of this people spend the last years of their life in a nursing home with physical and/or mental disabilities. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the Health Service resource and direct costs for Community Residential Care (CRC) disabled elderly people. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted between January 2002 and December 2002 among all CRC (23 CRC and 1665 disabled residential elderly population REP) of the Local Health Authority n° 9 of Treviso. For each CRC data regarding patients, hospitalisation, clinical analysis, general practitioner and hospital medical doctor assistance, drug utilisation were collected and analysed. RESULTS: Males were 27% and female 73% with an average age 78 and 86 years old respectively. Frequency of hospitalisation, clinical analysis and drug utilisation vary widely between the CRC and an inverse correlation is observed between cost of hospitalisation and drug plus clinical analysis. The first causes of hospitalisation are pneumonia 7.2% and cardiovascular disease 4.9% both considered preventable cause of hospitalisation. Regarding the drug consumption analysis enalapril, furosemide, omeprazole are the most used molecules with a consumption of 308, 185, 166 DDD/1000 REP/die; systemic antibiotics are the more expensive drugs with a cost of 0.3 euro/REP/die. Unexpected laxatives consumption is lower than data from literature with a 17% of the total REP exposed. Finally average annually cost for a REP in CRC is 16,445 euros and beside the direct sponsor of local health authority to the CRC hospitalisations cost are the most important (899 euros) while drugs, medical assistance and sanitary material cost are similar with an annual cost of 530 euros, 492 euros, 450 euros respectively. Hypnotic and anxiolytic consumption appear to be correct with literature data with about 30% population exposed. CONCLUSION: Females are disabled about 10 years after males, many hospitalisation could be avoided with correct sanitary programs and finally and inverse correlation of drug consumption and hospitalisation is observed
Razionalizzare la spesa ospedaliera: Day-Hospital, ADI, Hospice
Get PDFIn the modern age, advances in processes, technology and clinical imperatives generated an evolution of the health care organization, particularly regarding hospitals, born as generic shelter and poor house. Nowadays the availability of high technologies and the intensity of intervention on patients are the main factors to warrant the modern hospital for acute care. This evolution trend brings out the need for new models of health care, focused on people’s different request about assistance (e.g. day-hospital, day-surgery, integrated home care, hospice). The present study gives an outline of the Italian situation, which is deeply changed in the latest years. New models of heath care emerged in Italy, as it had previously in the United States and other European countries, as able to improve assistance and reduce costs: the average hospital stay decreased, while the number of day-hospital and day-surgery increased. In spite of the rise observed in the last 3-4 years, both integrated home care and hospice availability remain still limited, especially considering the high potential request of the elderly population and the oncologic patients