title: ENCOMS: Argentinian survey in cost of illness and unmet needs in multiple sclerosis.
abstract: The objective of the study was to assess the cost of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in Argentina categorized by disease severity using a societal perspective.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study including MS patients from 21 MS centers in 12 cities of Argentina. Patients were stratified by disease severity using the expanded disability status scale (EDSS) (group 1 with EDSS score between 0 and 3; group 2 with EDSS >3 and <7; group 3 with EDSS ≥7). Direct and indirect costs were analyzed for the second quarter of 2012 from public sources and converted to US Dollars.
  
  
  RESULTS
  266 patients were included. Mean annual cost per MS patient was USD 36,025 (95%CI 31,985-38,068) for patients with an EDSS between 0-3; USD 40,705 (95%CI 37,199-46,300) for patients with EDSS >3 and <7, and USD 50,712 (95%CI 47,825-62,104) for patients with EDSS ≥7.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first Argentine study evaluating the costs of MS considering disease severity.
authors.affiliation: Fleni, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Celica
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ysrraelit
authors.affiliation: Instituto Neurociencias de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Caceres
authors.affiliation: Private Office, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.affiliation: Private Office, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Marcela Parada
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Marcilla
authors.affiliation: Private Office, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blanche
authors.affiliation: Hospital San Bernardo, Argentina.
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burgos
authors.affiliation: Private Office, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ignacio Casas
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Parera
authors.affiliation: Private Office, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.affiliation: Private Office, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ernesto
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Crespo
authors.affiliation: Hospital Fernandez, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Norma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Deri
authors.affiliation: Private Office, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Patricio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Labal
authors.affiliation: Private Office, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maluendez
authors.affiliation: Private Office, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.affiliation: SMYL, Argentina.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Melcon
authors.affiliation: Centro Regional Integral de Neurociencia, Argentina.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nofal
authors.affiliation: Hospital Julio Mendez, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Edgardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reich
authors.affiliation: Fundacion Favaloro, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Vladimiro
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sinay
authors.affiliation: Private Office, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tarulla
authors.affiliation: Private Office, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vetere
authors.affiliation: Private Office, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barboza
authors.affiliation: Instituto Argentino de Investigación Neurologica, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rey
authors.affiliation: Centro Neurologico Integral, Argentina.
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Neurociencias Cordoba, Cordoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bacile
authors.affiliation: Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Juan I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.affiliation: Novartis, Argentina.
authors.forename: Gaston
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kuperman
authors.affiliation: Novartis, Argentina.
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Resk
authors.affiliation: Novartis, Argentina.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seifer
authors.affiliation: Novartis Latinoamerica & Canada, Argentina.
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Machinicki
authors.affiliation: Novartis, Argentina.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cuneo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001118:Argentina; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000191:economics*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult