Economic analysis of four triple regimens for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori-related peptic ulcer disease in in-patient and out-patient settings in Hong Kong.
BACKGROUND
One-week triple regimens have been shown to be effective for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori-related peptic ulcer disease.


OBJECTIVE
To conduct an economic analysis of four triple regimens for the treatment of H. pylori-related peptic ulcer disease from the perspective of a public health organization in Hong Kong.


METHODS
Records of 200 patients with H. pylori-related peptic ulcer disease, who had previously participated in a randomized comparison of ranitidine bismuth citrate (RBC) with amoxicillin and clarithromycin (RAC), omeprazole with amoxicillin and clarithromycin (OAC), RBC with metronidazole and tetracycline (RMT), or, colloidal bismuth subcitrate with metronidazole and tetracycline (BMT) in either in-patient or out-patient setting were reviewed.


RESULTS
Fifty patients were excluded because of incomplete documentation or lack of peptic ulcer. In the out-patient group (n=72), the median direct costs of the RAC group (HK $ 5094) were lower those of the BMT (HK $ 5400), RMT (HK $ 5394), or OAC (HK $ 5440) groups, but the difference was significant only between the RAC and BMT groups (P < 0.05). In the in-patient group (n=78), the median direct costs of the RMT group (HK $ 8524) were significantly lower than those of the OAC (HK $ 13 871) and RAC (HK $ 12 092) groups (P < 0.05), but were similar to those of the BMT group (HK $ 8758).


CONCLUSIONS
RAC and RMT are the least costly regimens for out-patient and in-patient treatment, respectively, of H. pylori-related peptic ulcer disease in Hong Kong.
You
J H
JH
School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. joyceyou@cuhk.edu.hk
Lee
K K
KK
Ho
S S
SS
Sung
J J
JJ
Kung
N N
NN
Yung
M
M
Lee
C
C
Yee
G C
GC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics*; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000382:microbiology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents