title: Cost comparison of adding pregabalin or gabapentin for the first time to the therapy of patients with painful axial radiculopathy treated in Spain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper aims to compare the costs of initiating pregabalin or gabapentin in the therapeutic management of patients with painful axial radiculopathy in routine medical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective claim database analysis was carried-out using medical records of patients of both gender aged >18 years with axial painful radiculopathy (ICD-9-CM codes: 353.0 [cervical], 353.3 [thoracic] or 353.1 [lumbar]) who initiated pregabalin or gabapentin therapy between 2006 and 2008. The economic evaluation included healthcare resource utilisation and corresponding costs from a third-payer perspective during 12 months post index date. Estimates of indirect costs due to sick leave were also computed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 571 records were eligible for analysis: 375 (66%) treated with pregabalin and 193 (34%) gabapentin. Time since diagnosis, duration of treatment, prevalence of most co-morbidities and previous use of analgesics were comparable. However, concomitant use of analgesics was higher in the gabapentin cohort; 3.1 (1.7) vs. 2.8 (1.8); p<0.05, mainly due to greater use of opioids (31.1% vs. 21.2%; p<0.05) and non-narcotic drugs (63.7% vs. 52.1%; p<0.01). Adjusted total costs per patient were significantly lower in the pregabalin group; €2.472 (2.101-2.836) vs. €3.346 (2.866-3.825); p=0.005, due to lower absenteeism costs; €1.012 (658-1.365) vs. €1.595 (1.129-2.062); p=0.042, and lower adjusted healthcare costs; €1.460 (1.360-1.560) vs. €1.750 (1.618-1.882); p=0.001.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a population setting, pregabalin-treated patients with painful radiculopathies were considerably less costly for the healthcare payer than those treated with gabapentin in routine clinical practice. Patients treated with pregabalin had significantly fewer days of sick leave than gabapentin-treated patients.
authors: Badalona Serveis Assistencials, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain. asicras@bsa.cat
authors: Antoni
authors: A
authors: Sicras-Mainar
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: Rejas-Gutiérrez
authors: Ruth
authors: R
authors: Navarro-Artieda
authors: Albert
authors: A
authors: Planas-Comes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000588:Amines / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000700:Analgesics / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016527:Drug Costs; D005260:Female; D000077206:Gabapentin; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069583:Pregabalin; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000191:economics; D013030:Spain; D055815:Young Adult; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000588:Amines; D000700:Analgesics; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D000069583:Pregabalin; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin