title: Treatment plan comparison in acute and chronic respiratory tract diseases: an observational study of doxophylline vs. theophylline.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The main objective of this article is to estimate the global cost related to the use of the two drugs (associated drugs, specialist visits, hospital admissions, plasma drug monitoring).
  
  
  METHODS
  The drug prescriptions were extracted from the Information System of the Pharmaceutical Prescriptions of the Marche Region for each ATC code in the years 2008-2012 and the number of patients per year and other outcomes measure were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  13,574 patients were treated with theophylline and 19,426 patients with doxophylline. The number of patients treated was approximately 5,000 per year. Co-prescription with other drugs, use of corticosteroids, mean number of visits and hospital admissions (per 100 patients) were lower for doxophylline vs theophylline (1.55vs5.50, 0.3vs0.7, 2.05vs3.73 and 1.57vs3.3 respectively). The annual mean cost per patient was €187.4 for those treated with doxophylline and €513.5 for theophylline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our study, doxophylline resulted to be associated with a reduction of the overall cost.
authors.affiliation: a Economic Evaluation and HTA (EEHTA), CEIS, Faculty of Economics , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy.|b Institute of Leadership and Management in Health - Kingston University London , London , UK.
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Mennini
authors.affiliation: a Economic Evaluation and HTA (EEHTA), CEIS, Faculty of Economics , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy.|c Department of Statistical science, "Sapienza" University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sciattella
authors.affiliation: a Economic Evaluation and HTA (EEHTA), CEIS, Faculty of Economics , University of Rome "Tor Vergata" , Rome , Italy.|b Institute of Leadership and Management in Health - Kingston University London , London , UK.|d National Research Council (CNR) , Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies (IRPPS) , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcellusi
authors.affiliation: e Regional Health Sevice (ASR) Marche , Ancona , Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcobelli
authors.affiliation: f Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , University of Messina , Messina , Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: f Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine , University of Messina , Messina , Italy.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Caputi
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000368:Aged; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016527:Drug Costs; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000503:physiopathology; D013806:Theophylline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D013806:Theophylline; C029797:doxofylline
keywords: Claims database; cost analysis; cost management; economic analysis; real world data