title: [Pharmacoeconomic evaluation for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To conduct pharmacoeconomic evaluations for the two therapies of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
  
  
  METHODS
  An expert survey was conducted on the cost and effectiveness of two RA therapies of methotrexate (MTX) alone and recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-α receptor II:IgG Fc fusion protein (rhTNFR:Fc) plus MTX, followed by simulation estimates, and cost-effectiveness analysis on the basis of pharmacoeconomic Markov model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MTX alone and rhTNFR:Fc plus MTX cost RMB 1422 Yuan and RMB13 000 Yuan respectively per treatment cycle (3 months). Five-year Markov model showed that the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of rhTNFR:Fc plus MTX was RMB 99 662 Yuan per QALY when compared with MTX alone. And it was lower than the threshold of willingness to pay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The patients with RA on the combined treatment of rhTNFR:Fc and MTX may have potential long-run economic advantage over those on the treatment of MTX alone.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. liub@fudan.edu.cn
authors.forename: Bao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiao-xia
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D008727:Methotrexate