title: Economic evaluation of seizures associated with solitary cysticercus granuloma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with solitary cysticercus granuloma (SCG) develop acute symptomatic seizures because of the inflammatory response of the brain and the seizures are self-limiting. Thus seizure disorder associated with SCG provides a good model to study the total cost of illness (COI).
  
  
  METHODS
  COI of new-onset seizures associated with SCG was studied in 59 consecutive patients registered at the epilepsy clinic. Direct treatment-related costs and indirect costs, man-days lost and wages lost were evaluated. The relative cost was calculated as the percentage of per capita gross national product (GNP) at current prices for the year 1997-1998.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total COI, for treating seizure disorder associated with SCG per the period of CT resolution of the lesion per patient was INR 7273.7 (US$ 174.66, I$ 943.16) and he/she would be spending 50.9% of per capita GNP The direct cost per patient was INR 5916 (US$ 137.14, 41.4% of per capita GNP). If the patient had received only AEDs for the period of resolution of CT lesion, the cost would be INR 5702.48 (US$132.2, 40% of per capita GNP). The extra expenditure on albendazole and steroid was INR 213.72 (US$ 4.95), 3.6% of the total direct cost and 20.7% of the medication cost. Indirect cost (average wage loss) per patient was INR 1312.7 (US$ 30.42) and it accounted for 9% of per capita GNP. The one-time expenditure at present costs (adjusted for inflation) to the nation to treat all the prevalence cases is to the tune of INR 1.184 billion (US$ 2.605) and 0.0037% of GNP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that seizure disorder associated with SCG, a potentially preventable disorder, is a good model to study the total COI. The one-time expenditure at present costs to the nation to treat all the prevalence cases of seizure disorder associated with SCG is to the tune of INR 1.184 billion (US$ 2.605 million) and 0.0037% of GNP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The Institute of Neurological Sciences, CARE Hospital, Hyderabad, India. jmkmurthy@satyam.net.in
authors.forename: J M K
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Murthy
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rajshekar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000150:complications; D004180:Direct Service Costs; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000469:parasitology; D017048:Health Care Costs; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017059:Models, Econometric
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants