title: Medical care and cost outcomes after pentoxifylline treatment for peripheral arterial disease.
abstract: We assessed the medical outcomes and costs associated with the pharmacologic treatment of patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in a population-based historical cohort study of patients enrolled in a health maintenance organization. For up to 2 years, we compared 58 patients who used therapeutic amounts of pentoxifylline with a comparison group of 112 patients who received a minimal subefficacious trial of pentoxifylline. Medical records data were used to assess and control for the severity of PAD and other potentially confounding factors. Continuous use of a therapeutic amount of pentoxifylline during an initial 120-day period significantly reduced the incidence of PAD-related invasive therapeutic and diagnostic procedures in the first year of follow-up (adjusted relative risk, 0.35; 95% confidence interval, 0.12 to 0.99). However, there were no significant differences in the risk of a PAD-related hospitalization or cost of PAD-related care between continuous pentoxifylline users and the comparison group. Pentoxifylline therapy may reduce the risk of vascular surgery while not increasing the total cost of PAD care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stergachis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sheingold
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Luce
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Psaty
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Revicki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010431:Pentoxifylline