Cost-utility of inhaled corticosteroids in patients with moderate-to-severe asthma.
Different inhaled corticosteroids can be used to treat asthma but their relative efficacy on quality of life and relative economic impact are mostly unknown. A decision model compared the cost-utility of beclomethasone, beclomethasone-extrafine, fluticasone and budesonide in adult patients with either moderate or severe persistent asthma. The patients' health state was described by the Asthma Symptom Utility Index. Patients' consumption of healthcare resources, according to the health state, was elicited by a Delphi Panel. Within 2 months, beclomethasone-extrafine prolonged quality-adjusted life by 0.5-2.3 days, as compared with the other inhaled corticosteroids, and reduced asthma-related per patient costs by euro12-67.
Marchetti
Monia
M
IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Laboratory of Medical Informatics, Viale Golgi 19, 27100 Pavia, Italy. marchettim@smatteo.pv.it
Cavallo
Maria
M
Annoni
Elena
E
Gerzeli
Simone
S