[Cost of rheumatoid arthritis in france: comparison leflunomide/etanercept].
Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis was deeply modified with the availability since 1999 of anti-TNFalpha. The clinical superiority of these drugs compared to traditional treatments is proven, but can one make the assumption that the cost of these innovative treatments is partially compensated by a reduction of consumption of other health resources? A retrospective observational study was carried out in the Midi-Pyrenees area, from the point of view of health insurance, to compare the consumed health resources between two cohorts of patients, one treated by etanercept (Enbrel) and the other by leflunomide (Arava). Two hundred and fifty three patients were included in the etanercept cohort and 539 in the leflunomide cohort. The average annual PR cost for a patient treated with etanercept is 13 936 euro and 5 764 euro for a patient treated with leflunomide. The health costs avoided by recourse to etanercept do not compensate the high cost of this drug.
Juillard-Condat
Blandine
B
INSERM U558, Droit de la Pharmacie et Economie de la Santé, and Service Pharmacie, Hôtel Dieu, 2 rue Viguerie, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 9, France. juillard-condat.b@chu-toulouse.fr
Constantin
Arnaud
A
Cambon-Thomsen
Anne
A
Bourrel
Robert
R
Taboulet
Florence
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D000068800:Etanercept; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077339:Leflunomide; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007555:Isoxazoles; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D000077339:Leflunomide; D000068800:Etanercept