Modeling the economic and health consequences of managing chronic osteoarthritis pain with opioids in Germany: comparison of extended-release oxycodone and OROS hydromorphone.
OBJECTIVE
The Osmotic controlled-Release Oral delivery System (OROS) hydromorphone ensures continuous release of hydromorphone over 24 hours. It is anticipated that this will facilitate optimal pain relief, improve quality of sleep and compliance. This simulation compared managing chronic osteoarthritis pain with once-daily OROS hydromorphone with an equianalgesic dose of extended-release (ER) oxycodone administered two or three times a day.


METHODS
This discrete event simulation follows patients for a year after initiating opioid treatment. Pairs of identical patients are created; one receives OROS hydromorphone the other ER oxycodone; undergo dose adjustments and after titration can be dissatisfied or satisfied, suffer adverse events, pain recurrence, or discontinue the opioid. Each is assigned an initial sleep problems score, and an improved score from a treatment dependent distribution at the end of titration; these are translated to a utility value. Utilities are assigned pre-treatment, updated until the patient reaches the optimal dose or is non-compliant or dissatisfied. The OROS hydromorphone and ER oxycodone doses are converted to equianalgesic morphine doses using the following ratios: hydromorphone to morphine ratio; 1:5, oxycodone to morphine ratio; 1:2. Sensitivity analyses explored uncertainty in the conversion ratios and other key parameters. Direct medical costs are in 2005 euros.


RESULTS
Over 1 year on a mean daily morphine-equivalent dose of 90 mg, 14% were estimated to be dissatisfied with each opioid. OROS hydromorphone was predicted to yield 0.017 additional quality-adjusted life years (QALYs)/patient for a small additional annual cost (E141/patient), yielding an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of E8343/QALY gained. Changing the assumed conversion ratio for oxycodone:morphine to 1:1.5 led to lower net costs of E68 per patient, E3979/QALY, and for hydromorphone to 1:7.5 to savings.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on these analyses, OROS hydromorphone is expected to yield health benefits at reasonable cost in Germany.
Ward
Alexandra
A
Caro Research Institute, Concord, MA 01742, USA. alexward@caroresearch.com
Bozkaya
Duygu
D
Fleischmann
Jochen
J
Dubois
Dominique
D
Sabatowski
Rainer
R
Caro
J Jaime
JJ
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D004091:Hydromorphone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010098:Oxycodone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012890:Sleep; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D010098:Oxycodone; D004091:Hydromorphone