title: Cost-minimization comparison of darunavir plus ritonavir and lopinavir/ritonavir in HIV-1 infected treatment-naïve women of childbearing age.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Guidelines from the Department of Health and Human Services in the US recommend ritonavir-boosted lopinavir (LPV/r) as a preferred protease inhibitor (PI) for HIV-positive antiretroviral-naїve pregnant women. These guidelines also cite ritonavir-boosted darunavir (DRV + RTV) as an alternative PI in this clinical scenario. The purpose of this analysis was to compare economic outcomes for regimens based on these two treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  An existing discrete event simulation (DES) model was adapted to conduct a cost-minimization analysis comparing the two regimens in HIV-infected women of childbearing age (WOCBA), from the perspective of a healthcare payer in the US.
  
  
  METHODS
  The DES model was used to represent disease states, health events, healthcare encounters, pregnancy, and treatment choices in HIV-infected WOCBA starting treatment with regimens based on either LPV/r or DRV + RTV. It also incorporated parameters for individual patient characteristics, and for antiretroviral (ARV) treatment effectiveness, treatment sequencing, clinical progression, and resource use. Potential events included scheduled physician visits; viral suppression; viral rebound; AIDS-related complications; CHD events; treatment discontinuation and switching; ARV treatment side-effects (SE); and death. The primary outcomes were discounted 5-year and 10-year healthcare costs. Alternative scenarios considered different rates of switching from DRV + RTV to LPV/r upon conception.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with DRV + RTV, LPV/r was associated with similar clinical outcomes while offering savings at the 5- and 10-year horizons (of $24,904 and $43,502 per patient, respectively), and in extensive sensitivity analyses. The main driver of the savings was the difference in cost between PIs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Starting HIV-infected ARV-treatment-naїve WOCBA on an LPV/r-based regimen is cost-saving and provides similar patient outcomes compared to a DRV + RTV-based regimen.
authors.affiliation: Evidera , Modeling, London , UK.
authors.forename: Jörgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.forename: Kamal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: Kit
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Baran
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Van de Steen
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dietz
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gooch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D000069454:Darunavir; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D061466:Lopinavir / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008390:Markov Chains; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D019438:Ritonavir / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014481:United States; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors; D013449:Sulfonamides; D061466:Lopinavir; D019438:Ritonavir; D000069454:Darunavir