Cost analysis of drug therapy in rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

With the aim to compare the cost of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis therapy with desease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) for a 48-month period, were studied five different treatment stage based on clinical protocols recommended by the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology, and then five therapy cycles. The analytical model based on the Markov Analysis, considered chaces for the patient continue in some stages or change between them according with a positive effect on outcomes. Only direct costs were comprised in the analyzed data, like drugs, materials and tests used for monitoring these patients. The results of the model show that the stage in with metotrexato drug is used like monotherapy was cost-effective (R$ 113,900.00 for patient during 48 months), followed by refractory patient (R$ 1,554,483.43), those that use therapy triplicate followed by infleximabe drug (R$ 1,701,286.76), the metotrexato intolerant patient (R$ 2,629,919.14), and final the result from that use metotrexato and infliximabe in the beginning (R$ 9,292,879.31). The sensitivity analysis confirm this results, when alternate the efficacy of metotrexato and infliximabe.