title: Cost of therapy for allergic rhinitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the cost of medicines used in the treatment of allergic rhinitis in South Africa.
  
  
  METHODS
  MIMS was used as the reference for the list of drugs, drug formulation and size, and recommended dosage. These figures were then checked against the package insert of each agent. The cost of each agent was originally derived from the same source, but for standardisation purposes the blue book price was used. Measure of effectiveness was derived from the International Consensus Report on the Diagnosis and Management of Rhinitis. Costs per treatment periods of 10 days (course) and 30 days (month) were calculated. The 'cost' differs from the 'price' in that it takes efficacy into account.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cost of drugs used in the treatment of allergic rhinitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The least costly treatments for allergic rhinitis are the intranasal corticosteroids. Sodium cromoglycate was the most costly, being nearly 20 times more expensive than the nasal steroids. Anticholinergic sprays and topical decongestants were also more costly than nasal steroids, as were the antihistamines. The older-generation antihistamine, ketotifen, was not only more costly than the four oral newer-generation agents in this class but has the added disadvantage of greater sedative side-effects. All oral antihistamines were outclassed by the topical antihistamine, levocabastine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study in no way aims to recommend treatment for allergic rhinitis. However, it highlights the need to consider efficacy of a drug before unit price in the selection of treatment regimens. It is therefore a comment on practical issues in drug selection in the treatment of allergic rhinitis.
authors.affiliation: Parklane Clinic, Johannesburg.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wessels
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Luyt
mesh_terms: D004304:Dosage Forms; D016527:Drug Costs; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000145:classification / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D004304:Dosage Forms; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists