title: Pharmacoeconomic assessment of specific immunotherapy versus current symptomatic treatment for allergic rhinitis and asthma in France.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The therapeutic benefit of specific immunotherapy (SIT) in allergic rhinitis and asthma has been endorsed by expert consensus. This study compared the cost/efficacy (C/E) of SIT with current symptomatic treatments (CST) for allergic rhinitis and asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A C/E analysis was performed using a decision tree model. The decision tree and medical and economic hypotheses were defined by a panel of experts. The perspective adopted was that of the French Social Security. The costs and efficacy of SIT and CST were compared for dust-mite and pollen allergies, in adults and children. Direct medical costs included diagnosis and follow-up, consultations, CST and SIT. End-point economic criteria were cost per stabilised patient and cost per asthma case avoided. A sensitivity analysis was performed for each model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In adults, the incremental costs per asthma case avoided with injectable SIT were 393 Euro and 1327 Euro for dust-mite and pollen allergy, respectively, over a 6-year period. For sublingual SIT, the costs per asthma case avoided were 3158 Euro and 1708 Euro, respectively. In children, over a 7-year period, the incremental costs per asthma case avoided with injectable SIT were 583 Euro and 597 Euro for dust-mite and pollen allergy, respectively. For sublingual SIT the incremental costs were 3938 Euro and 824 Euro.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared to CST, SIT is a cost-effective treatment in pollen and dust-mite-induced allergic rhinitis and asthma. Sublingual SIT is an attractive option in pollen-induced rhinitis, particularly in children. SIT appears to be an economically relevant strategy compared to CST.
authors.affiliation: AREMIS, Neuilly sur Seine, France.
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Omnes
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bousquet
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scheinmann
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Neukirch
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jasso-Mosqueda
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chicoye
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Champion
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fadel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000191:economics*; D017850:Economics, Pharmaceutical; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000191:economics*; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents