title: Cost comparison of psoriasis treatments.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Knowledge of the cost of various psoriasis therapeutic options is essential to the prescribing clinician.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the cost of various psoriasis treatments over a 10-year period in the province of Ontario, Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a hypothetical patient with plaque-type psoriasis of moderate severity with a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index of 10, body surface area of 20%, and no joint involvement. The costs to treat this hypothetical patient with different therapeutic regimens were compared in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In a 60 kg patient, alefacept was the most costly form of therapy, based on two 12-week treatments per year, followed by infliximab 5 mg/kg. In a 90 kg patient, infliximab 5 mg/kg was the most costly, followed by alefacept. The least costly treatment was ultraviolet B phototherapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With the knowledge of these data, informed prescribing by the dermatologist may reduce the financial burden to the patient, the provincial health care system, and insurance companies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Dermatology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada. dalia_mikhael@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Dalia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mikhael
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Babcock
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: DesGroseilliers
mesh_terms: D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000191:economics*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000191:economics*; D008297:Male; D009819:Office Visits / Q000191:economics; D009864:Ontario; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000191:economics*; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents