title: Disease activity-guided dose optimisation of adalimumab and etanercept is a cost-effective strategy compared with non-tapering tight control rheumatoid arthritis care: analyses of the DRESS study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A disease activity-guided dose optimisation strategy of adalimumab or etanercept (TNFi (tumour necrosis factor inhibitors)) has shown to be non-inferior in maintaining disease control in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared with usual care. However, the cost-effectiveness of this strategy is still unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a preplanned cost-effectiveness analysis of the Dose REduction Strategy of Subcutaneous TNF inhibitors (DRESS) study, a randomised controlled, open-label, non-inferiority trial performed in two Dutch rheumatology outpatient clinics. Patients with low disease activity using TNF inhibitors were included. Total healthcare costs were measured and quality adjusted life years (QALY) were based on EQ5D utility scores. Decremental cost-effectiveness analyses were performed using bootstrap analyses; incremental net monetary benefit (iNMB) was used to express cost-effectiveness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  180 patients were included, and 121 were allocated to the dose optimisation strategy and 59 to control. The dose optimisation strategy resulted in a mean cost saving of -€12 280 (95 percentile -€10 502; -€14 104) per patient per 18 months. There is an 84% chance that the dose optimisation strategy results in a QALY loss with a mean QALY loss of -0.02 (-0.07 to 0.02). The decremental cost-effectiveness ratio (DCER) was €390 493 (€5 085 184; dominant) of savings per QALY lost. The mean iNMB was €10 467 (€6553-€14 037). Sensitivity analyses using 30% and 50% lower prices for TNFi remained cost-effective.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Disease activity-guided dose optimisation of TNFi results in considerable cost savings while no relevant loss of quality of life was observed. When the minimal QALY loss is compensated with the upper limit of what society is willing to pay or accept in the Netherlands, the net savings are still high.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  NTR3216; Post-results.
authors.affiliation: Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wietske
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kievit
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Sint Maartenskliniek, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Noortje
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: van Herwaarden
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Sint Maartenskliniek, Nijmegen, The Netherlands Department of Rheumatology, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Frank Hj
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: van den Hoogen
authors.affiliation: ClinTRID, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ronald F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: van Vollenhoven
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology & Immunology, Utrecht University Medical Centre, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Johannes Wj
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Bijlsma
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Sint Maartenskliniek, Nijmegen, The Netherlands Department of Pharmacy, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bart Jf
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: van den Bemt
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Sint Maartenskliniek, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Aatke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van der Maas
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Sint Maartenskliniek, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alfons A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: den Broeder
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D000368:Aged; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D000068800:Etanercept / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D000068879:Adalimumab; D000068800:Etanercept
keywords: Anti-TNF; Economic Evaluations; Outcomes research; Rheumatoid Arthritis