title: Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761 in the treatment of dementia: a pharmacoeconomic analysis of the Austrian setting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We used efficacy data from three clinical trials to investigate the pharmacoeconomic implications of treating noninstitutionalized Austrian dementia patients with a drug based on EGb 761R, a standardized extract from Gingkgo biloba. In a separate analysis, we compared the pharmacoeconomic aspects of achieving treatment success with EGb 761R and cholinesterase inhibitors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A fixed-effect model was used to conduct a metaanalysis of activities of daily living data from 1,201 patients diagnosed with dementia and treated with either EGb 761R (240 mg/day) or matched placebo for 22 or 24 weeks under double-blind conditions. From this analysis, the delay in activities of daily living (ADL)-based disease progression was estimated. Current Austrian drug reimbursement prices, physician fees, and federal subsidies for seven stages of home care were applied to calculate overall costs in four scenarios. For the comparison with cholinesterase inhibitors, metaanalysis data pertaining to overall clinical impression as published by the Cochrane Group were compared to corresponding data from our EGb 761R studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The benefit of treatment with EGb 761R (240 mg/day) corresponds to a delay in ADL deterioration by 22.3 months compared to placebo. Overall net savings with EGb 761R treatment ranged from EUR 3,692 to EUR 29,577, mainly driven by delays in progression towards higher home care subsidies. For one additional therapy success with EGb 761R, EUR 530.88 was required. In a tentative cost comparison, cholinesterase inhibitors required higher expenses to achieve treatment success.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Memory Clinic, Sozialmedizinisches Zentrum Ost - Donauspital, Karl-Landsteiner-Institut für Gedächtnis- und Alzheimer-Forschung, Langobardenstrasse 122, 1220 Vienna, Austria. michael.rainer@wienkav.at
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rainer
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mucke
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schlaefke
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D003704:Dementia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D017850:Economics, Pharmaceutical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005251:Fees, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015995:Prevalence; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; C063170:Ginkgo biloba extract; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract