title: The Cost-Effectiveness of Pregabalin Versus Gabapentin for Peripheral Neuropathic Pain (pNeP) and Postherpetic Neuralgia (PHN) in China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), a type of peripheral neuropathic pain (pNeP), is the most common complication of herpes zoster. The objective of this analysis was to determine the cost-effectiveness of pregabalin compared with gabapentin in pNeP and PHN in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed a China-localized 12-week simulation model to determine the cost-effectiveness of pregabalin compared to gabapentin in 1000 patients with pNeP and PHN. We utilized a questionnaire of Chinese key opinion leaders to estimate the pre-treatment distribution of pain scores for pNeP and PHN. Treatment outcomes for pregabalin and gabapentin were acquired from the published literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with pregabalin lead to 12-week decreases in pain scores of 0.6 (pNeP) and 0.7 (PHN) when compared to patients receiving gabapentin, at an incremental cost per additional day of mild/no pain of $45. The difference in mean days of no or mild pain, moderate pain, and severe pain was 8.8, -5.7, and -3.1, when comparing pregabalin and gabapentin, respectively. Pregabalin had more mean days with a >30% (7.71 days), 40% (8.97 days), and 50% reduction (9.97 days) in pain when compared with gabapentin. In the pNeP scenario, pregabalin was associated with a lower average pain score compared with gabapentin (3.91 vs. 4.55). The difference in mean days of no or mild pain, moderate pain, and severe pain was 9.39, -5.56, and -3.82, when comparing pregabalin and gabapentin, respectively. Pregabalin had more mean days with a >30% (8.77 days), 40% (9.81 days), and 50% reduction (10.55 days) in pain when compared with gabapentin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregabalin is an effective treatment for PHN and even for pNeP extensively, but at increased cost. It leads to improved outcomes including lower pain scores and more days with no or mild pain.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Pfizer, China.
authors.affiliation: Elysia Group, LLC, New York, NY, USA. bruce.wang@elysiagroup.com.
authors.forename: Bruce C M
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Pfizer Investment Co., Ltd, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Dongdong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Elysia Group, LLC, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Wesley E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Furnback
authors.affiliation: China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bifa
authors.affiliation: Pfizer Investment Co., Ltd, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Pfizer Investment Co., Ltd, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Elysia Group, LLC, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Gregory F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Guzauskas
authors.affiliation: Pfizer Investment Co., Ltd, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Sali
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: Cost-effectiveness; Gabapentin; Peripheral neuropathic pain (pNeP); Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN); Pregabalin