[Health-economic assessment of combination therapy for rheumatoid arthritis with methotrexat and etanercept based on the TEMPO Study].

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The TEMPO study has shown that the combination of etanercept and methotrexat (MTX) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is superior to monotherapy. It further suggested that remission of RA is a realistic treatment objective. A health-economic assessment of the combination needs to demonstrate the suitability of the combination for daily clinical practice taking economic aspects into consideration.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

For the 686 patients in the TEMPO study, a re-analysis was carried out in the form of a Monte-Carlo-Markov-Chain simulation. Study types were cost-effectiveness analysis and cost-utility analysis. Comparators were combined etanercept and MTX vs. MTX alone; the perspective was that of society as a whole.

RESULTS:

The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of the combination is <euro>21,300 per life year in remission as compared with MTX alone. The incremental cost-utility ratio of the combination is <euro>38,700 per quality-adjusted life year.

CONCLUSION:

Both health-economic parameters suggest to adopt the combination therapy into daily clinical practice of RA patients.

• Authors: H Schulze-Koops, M Deeg, C Runge, T Volmer, J G Brecht
• Journal: Zeitschrift fur Rheumatologie (Z Rheumatol) Vol. 68 Issue 10 Pg. 836-41 (Dec 2009) ISSN: 1435-1250 [Electronic] Germany
• Vernacular Title: Gesundheitsökonomische Bewertung der Kombinationstherapie der rheumatoiden Arthritis mit Methotrexat und Etanercept auf der Basis der TEMPO-Studie.
• PMID: 19756664 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antirheumatic Agents
• Immunoglobulin G
• Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor
• Etanercept
• Methotrexate

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Antirheumatic Agents (economics, therapeutic use)
• Arthritis, Rheumatoid (drug therapy, economics)
• Cost-Benefit Analysis (statistics & numerical data)
• Drug Costs (statistics & numerical data)
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Etanercept
• Germany
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin G (economics, therapeutic use)
• Methotrexate (economics, therapeutic use)
• Middle Aged
• Monte Carlo Method
• National Health Programs (economics)
• Outcome Assessment, Health Care
• Quality-Adjusted Life Years
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
• Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor (therapeutic use)