Resource use in patients with Crohn's disease treated with infliximab.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the impact of infliximab (IFX) on hospital resources for patients with Crohn's disease.


METHODS
Resource use data for at least 1 year before (B-IFX) and after (A-IFX) infliximab administration were retrospectively collected for all patients treated with IFX at the Hospital Cabueñes (Spain). Direct costs calculated were: hospital-stays, surgeries, out-patient visits, diagnostic and laboratory tests, pharmacological treatments, and day-care hospitalization for IFX administration.


RESULTS
Patients (n = 34; mean age at treatment: 43.6 years) with 9.8 and 4.3 years (B-IFX and A-IFX, respectively) had their costs estimated. Partial or complete response was achieved in 82% of patients. Total annual B-IFX costs per patient were Euro 4,464, of which 62.4% was for hospitalization, 3.1% for surgery, 8.7% for consultation visits, 16.2% for diagnostic and laboratory tests, and 9.6% for other treatments. Total annual A-IFX costs per patient were Euro 10,594; of which 6.4% was for hospitalization, 0.8% for surgery, 4.2% for consultation visits, 7.6% for diagnostic and laboratory tests, 5.5% for other treatments, and 75.5% for IFX and its administration. The primary cost item was hospitalization (Euro 2,783) during the B-IFX period as opposed to IFX itself (Euro 7,996) during the subsequent A-IFX period.


CONCLUSIONS
In routine practice, IFX appears to be an effective treatment by reducing hospital-stays, but increases overall budgetary cost for patients with Crohn's disease.
Saro
C
C
Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital de Cabueñes, Gijón, Spain.
da la Coba
C
C
Casado
M A
MA
Morales
J M
JM
Otero
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D016527:Drug Costs; D005260:Female; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D000069285:Infliximab; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000069285:Infliximab