title: Economic implications of the use of basiliximab in addition to triple immunosuppressive therapy in renal allograft recipients: a UK perspective.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare resource use and costs in renal transplant recipients treated with basiliximab or placebo plus triple immunosuppressive therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  International randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial; economic evaluation undertaken alongside the efficacy trial. The economic evaluation was performed from a UK National Health Service hospital perspective.
  
  
  METHODS
  31 centres in 12 countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  345 renal transplant recipients were enrolled; 340 were randomised (basiliximab 168; placebo 172) and included in the intention-to-treat analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Treatment with placebo or basiliximab (20mg intravenous bolus) on day 0 and day 4 after transplantation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Resource utilisation in multiple categories and treatment costs for basiliximab and placebo-treated patients during the 6-month post-transplantation period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant differences were found in any of the economically important categories of resource use or in the mean cost of treatment per person across the whole trial. The mean cost of treatment, including the cost of basiliximab, was pound 16 095 for basiliximab recipients and pound 15 864 (1997/1998 costs) for placebo recipients, a mean difference of pound 231 (95% CI: - pound 1983 to pound 2446), which was not significant. Basiliximab treatment led to a significant reduction in acute rejection episodes (basiliximab 20.8%; placebo 34.9%; p = 0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Basiliximab therapy confers a significant clinical benefit to renal transplant recipients without increasing overall treatment costs.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK. s.j.walters@sheffield.ac.uk
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Walters
authors.forename: Malcolm
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Whitfield
authors.forename: Ronald L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Akehurst
authors.forename: James B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Chilcott
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics*; D000077552:Basiliximab; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D016527:Drug Costs; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D006295:Health Resources / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000191:economics* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D010919:Placebos; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000077552:Basiliximab