title: Using patient-centered endpoints to determine the cost-effectiveness of triptans for acute migraine therapy.
abstract: The objective of this study was to use the patient-centered efficacy measurements of sustained pain free and sustained pain free with no adverse events to compare the relative cost-effectiveness of 6 oral triptans in the treatment of acute migraine. Adverse event and sustained pain-free rates were obtained from a comprehensive meta-analysis of 53 clinical trials of oral triptans. Efficacy and tolerability were assumed to be independent. Average wholesale prices were in US dollars as of May 10, 2004. The meta-analysis of oral triptans reported that almotriptan 12.5 mg (Axert) exhibited the highest sustained pain-free rate (25.9%), with the lowest rate associated with eletriptan 20 mg (Relpax) (10.6%). In addition, almotriptan 12.5 mg possessed the lowest overall absolute adverse event rate (14.2%), with the highest adverse event rate exhibited by eletriptan 80 mg (53.9%). To attain 100 sustained pain-free patients, almotriptan 12.5 mg and rizatriptan 10 mg (Maxalt) proved to be the most cost-effective triptans, costing $7120 and $7427, respectively; the least cost-effective were naratriptan 2.5 mg (Amerge) ($13,736) and eletriptan 20 mg ($16,104). To attain 100 sustained pain-free with no adverse events patients, almotriptan 12.5 mg was the most cost-effective triptan ($8298) and the least cost-effective were eletriptan 20 mg ($25,521) and eletriptan 80 mg ($29,614). At average wholesale prices as of May 10, 2004, almotriptan 12.5 mg achieved the highest level of cost-effectiveness using either sustained pain free or sustained pain free with no adverse events as endpoints.
authors.affiliation: Headache Center of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30342, USA. lkelman@mindspring.com
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kelman
authors.forename: Randal L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Von Seggern
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D016527:Drug Costs; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics*; D010594:Pharmacies; D014363:Tryptamines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014363:Tryptamines