title: Comparative cost-effectiveness analysis of oral triptan therapy for migraine in four European countries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the differences in the cost-effectiveness of oral triptan therapy for migraines among European countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cost-effectiveness analysis of triptan therapy for migraine was conducted from a health-care payer perspective in four European countries (France, Italy, Spain and the UK). The study included those orally administered triptans available in all of these countries (almotriptan, brand-name sumatriptan, generic sumatriptan, zolmitriptan), and it was performed using a decision-tree model that incorporated costs of the drugs and probabilities associated with the possible events and outcomes. Average cost-effectiveness ratios were calculated in two different scenarios.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average cost-effectiveness ratio showed wide variations across the different countries, these differences being up to 131 % (almotriptan), 77 % (brand-name sumatriptan), 153 % (generic sumatriptan) and 77 % (zolmitriptan). Generic sumatriptan was the most cost-effective drug analysed in the studied countries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Caution must be taken when trying to transfer conclusions of pharmacoeconomics studies on migraines even in neighbouring countries. This cross-country variability is a concern for decision-makers and also for the elaboration of international recommendations and clinical practice guidelines.
authors.affiliation: Rare Diseases Research Institute, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Monforte de Lemos 5 (Pabellon 11), 28029, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hens
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villaverde-Hueso
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Abaitua
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Posada de la Paz
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003663:Decision Trees; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014363:Tryptamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics*
chemical_list: D014363:Tryptamines