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Mariottini A, Nozzoli C, Carli I, Landi F, Gigli V, Repice AM, Ipponi A, Cecchi M, Boncompagni R, Saccardi R, Massacesi L. Cost and effectiveness of autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Neurol Sci 2024; 45:3379-3387. [PMID: 38277051 PMCID: PMC11176212 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-024-07308-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) is a highly effective one-off treatment for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RR-MS), potentially representing an optimal front-loading strategy for costs. OBJECTIVE Exploring cost/effectiveness of AHSCT and high-efficacy disease-modifying treatments (HE-DMTs) in RR-MS, estimating costs at our centre in Italy, where National Health Service (NHS) provides universal health coverage. METHODS Costs (including drugs, inpatient/outpatient management) for treatment with AHSCT and HE-DMTs were calculated as NHS expenditures over 2- and 5-year periods. Cost-effectiveness for each treatment was estimated as "cost needed to treat" (CNT), i.e. expense to prevent relapses, progression, or disease activity (NEDA) in one patient over n-years, retrieving outcomes from published studies. RESULTS Costs of AHSCT and HE-DMTs were similar over 2 years, whereas AHSCT was cheaper than most HE-DMTs over 5 years (€46 600 vs €93 800, respectively). When estimating cost-effectiveness of treatments, over 2 years, mean CNT of HE-DMTs for NEDA was twofold that of AHSCT, whereas it was similar for relapses and disability. Differences in CNT were remarkable over 5 years, especially for NEDA, being mean CNT of HE-DMTs €382 800 vs €74 900 for AHSCT. CONCLUSIONS AHSCT may be highly cost-effective in selected aggressive RR-MS. Besides priceless benefits for treated individuals, cost-savings generated by AHSCT may contribute to improving healthcare assistance at a population level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Mariottini
- Department of Neurosciences, Drug and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
- Department of Neurology 2 and Tuscan Region Multiple Sclerosis Referral Centre, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
| | - Chiara Nozzoli
- Cell Therapy and Transfusion Medicine Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Ilaria Carli
- Hospital Management, UOC Controllo Direzionale, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Filippo Landi
- Hospital Management, UOC Controllo Direzionale, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Valentina Gigli
- Hospital Management, UOC Controllo Direzionale, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Repice
- Department of Neurology 2 and Tuscan Region Multiple Sclerosis Referral Centre, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Michele Cecchi
- Hospital Pharmacy, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Riccardo Boncompagni
- Cell Therapy and Transfusion Medicine Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Riccardo Saccardi
- Cell Therapy and Transfusion Medicine Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Luca Massacesi
- Department of Neurosciences, Drug and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
- Department of Neurology 2 and Tuscan Region Multiple Sclerosis Referral Centre, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
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Singer BA, Feng J, Chiong-Rivero H. Early use of high-efficacy therapies in multiple sclerosis in the United States: benefits, barriers, and strategies for encouraging adoption. J Neurol 2024; 271:3116-3130. [PMID: 38615277 PMCID: PMC11136864 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12305-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by progressive neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration from disease onset that, if left untreated, can result in the accumulation of irreversible neurological disability. Early intervention with high-efficacy therapies (HETs) is increasingly recognized as the best strategy to delay or mitigate disease progression from the earliest stages of the disease and to prevent long-term neurodegeneration. Although there is growing clinical and real-world evidence supporting early HET intervention, foregoing this strategy in favor of a traditional escalation approach prioritizing lower-efficacy disease-modifying therapies remains a common approach in clinical practice. This review explores potential health care professional- and patient-related barriers to the early use of HETs in patients with MS in the United States. Barriers can include regulatory and reimbursement restrictions; knowledge gaps and long-term safety concerns among health care professionals; and various individual, cultural, and societal factors affecting patients. Potential strategies for overcoming these barriers and encouraging early HET use are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barry A Singer
- The MS Center for Innovations in Care, Missouri Baptist Medical Center, St Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Jenny Feng
- Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
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Murley C, Tinghög P, Teni FS, Machado A, Alexanderson K, Hillert J, Karampampa K, Friberg E. Excess costs of multiple sclerosis: a register-based study in Sweden. THE EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS : HEPAC : HEALTH ECONOMICS IN PREVENTION AND CARE 2023; 24:1357-1371. [PMID: 36418785 PMCID: PMC9685028 DOI: 10.1007/s10198-022-01547-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Population-based estimates of the socioeconomic burden of multiple sclerosis (MS) are limited, especially regarding primary healthcare. This study aimed to estimate the excess costs of people with MS that could be attributed to their MS, including primary healthcare. METHODS An observational study was conducted of the 2806 working-aged people with MS in Stockholm, Sweden and 28,060 propensity score matched references without MS. Register-based resource use was quantified for 2018. Annual healthcare costs (primary, specialised outpatient, and inpatient healthcare visits along with prescribed drugs) and productivity losses (operationalised by sickness absence and disability pension days) were quantified using bottom-up costing. The costs of people with MS were compared with those of the references using independent t-tests with bootstrapped 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to isolate the excess costs of MS from the mean difference. RESULTS The mean annual excess costs of MS for healthcare were €7381 (95% CI 6991-7816) per person with MS with disease-modifying therapies as the largest component (€4262, 95% CI 4026-4497). There was a mean annual excess cost for primary healthcare of €695 (95% CI 585-832) per person with MS, comprising 9.4% of the excess healthcare costs of MS. The mean annual excess costs of MS for productivity losses were €13,173 (95% CI 12,325-14,019) per person with MS, predominately from disability pension (79.3%). CONCLUSIONS The socioeconomic burden of MS in Sweden from healthcare consumption and productivity losses was quantified, updating knowledge on the cost structure of the substantial excess costs of MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantelle Murley
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Petter Tinghög
- Department of Health Sciences, Swedish Red Cross University, 141 21, Huddinge, Sweden
- Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Fitsum Sebsibe Teni
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alejandra Machado
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kristina Alexanderson
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan Hillert
- Division of Neurology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Korinna Karampampa
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Emilie Friberg
- Division of Insurance Medicine, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden
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Bordea E, Hunter RM. Excess Treatment Costs of Multiple Sclerosis: What Can We Learn From Longitudinal Population-Based Data? Neurology 2023; 100:403-404. [PMID: 36564209 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000206804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Bordea
- From the Comprehensive Clinical Trials Unit at UCL (E.B.), Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, United Kingdom; Department of Applied Health Research (R.M.H.), Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, United Kingdom
| | - Rachael Maree Hunter
- From the Comprehensive Clinical Trials Unit at UCL (E.B.), Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology, University College London, United Kingdom; Department of Applied Health Research (R.M.H.), Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, United Kingdom.
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Khakban A, Rodriguez Llorian E, Michaux KD, Patten SB, Traboulsee A, Oh J, Lynd LD. Direct Health Care Costs Associated With Multiple Sclerosis: A Population-Based Cohort Study in British Columbia, Canada, 2001-2020. Neurology 2023; 100:e899-e910. [PMID: 36450607 PMCID: PMC9990437 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000201645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Multiple sclerosis (MS), a leading cause of nontraumatic neurologic disability in young adults, exerts a substantial economic burden on the health care system. The objective of this study was to quantify the excess health care costs of MS in British Columbia, Canada. METHODS A retrospective-matched cohort study of patients with MS was conducted using population-based administrative health data from 2001 to 2020. Patients with MS who satisfied a validated case definition were matched to 5 unique controls without MS on sex, age, and cohort entry date. Patients and controls were followed to the end of 2020 or to their last health care resource use, whichever came first. We calculated the direct medical costs for each individual, including outpatient services use, hospital admissions, and dispensed medications. We used generalized linear models with an identity link and normal distribution to estimate the excess cost of MS as the mean cost difference between patients with MS and controls. All costs were reported in 2020 Canadian dollars. RESULTS A total of 17,071 patients with MS were matched to 85,355 controls. Overall, 72.4% were female, and the mean age at cohort entry date was 46.1 years. The excess cost of MS was $6,881 (95% CI: $6,713, $7,049) per patient-year. Inpatient, outpatient, and medication costs accounted for 25%, 10%, and 65% of excess costs, respectively. Excess costs were higher in patients with MS with at least one disease-modifying therapy (DMT) prescription ($13,267; 95% CI: $12,992-$13,542) compared with non-DMT users ($3,469; 95% CI: $3,297-$3,641) and even higher among frequent DMT users ($24,835; 95% CI: $24,528-$25,141). Patients with MS with a history of at least one relapse requiring hospitalization had higher excess costs ($10,543; 95% CI: $10,136-$10,950) compared with patients with MS without a relapse; hospitalizations accounted for 51% of the costs in this group. The excess cost of hospitalizations was $1,391 lower among frequent DMT users than non-DMT users. DISCUSSION The economic burden of MS is considerable, with medications, particularly DMTs, being the largest cost driver. Future studies should investigate how disease management strategies, including early diagnosis and timely use of DMTs, could offset future and ongoing costs while improving patients' quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Khakban
- From the Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (A.K., E.R.L., K.D.M., L.D.L.), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Division of Neurology (A.T.), Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Department of Community Health Sciences (S.B.P.), University of Calgary, AB; Division of Neurology (J.O.), St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto; and Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences (CHÉOS) (L.D.L.), St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Elisabet Rodriguez Llorian
- From the Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (A.K., E.R.L., K.D.M., L.D.L.), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Division of Neurology (A.T.), Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Department of Community Health Sciences (S.B.P.), University of Calgary, AB; Division of Neurology (J.O.), St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto; and Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences (CHÉOS) (L.D.L.), St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kristina D Michaux
- From the Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (A.K., E.R.L., K.D.M., L.D.L.), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Division of Neurology (A.T.), Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Department of Community Health Sciences (S.B.P.), University of Calgary, AB; Division of Neurology (J.O.), St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto; and Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences (CHÉOS) (L.D.L.), St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Scott B Patten
- From the Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (A.K., E.R.L., K.D.M., L.D.L.), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Division of Neurology (A.T.), Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Department of Community Health Sciences (S.B.P.), University of Calgary, AB; Division of Neurology (J.O.), St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto; and Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences (CHÉOS) (L.D.L.), St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Anthony Traboulsee
- From the Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (A.K., E.R.L., K.D.M., L.D.L.), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Division of Neurology (A.T.), Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Department of Community Health Sciences (S.B.P.), University of Calgary, AB; Division of Neurology (J.O.), St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto; and Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences (CHÉOS) (L.D.L.), St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jiwon Oh
- From the Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (A.K., E.R.L., K.D.M., L.D.L.), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Division of Neurology (A.T.), Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Department of Community Health Sciences (S.B.P.), University of Calgary, AB; Division of Neurology (J.O.), St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto; and Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences (CHÉOS) (L.D.L.), St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Larry D Lynd
- From the Collaboration for Outcomes Research and Evaluation (A.K., E.R.L., K.D.M., L.D.L.), Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Division of Neurology (A.T.), Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver; Department of Community Health Sciences (S.B.P.), University of Calgary, AB; Division of Neurology (J.O.), St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto; and Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences (CHÉOS) (L.D.L.), St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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Dahham J, Kremer I, Hiligsmann M, Hamdan K, Nassereddine A, Evers SMAA, Rizk R. Valuation of Costs in Health Economics During Financial and Economic Crises: A Case Study from Lebanon. APPLIED HEALTH ECONOMICS AND HEALTH POLICY 2023; 21:31-38. [PMID: 36287378 PMCID: PMC9596339 DOI: 10.1007/s40258-022-00769-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
In 2019, we embarked on a study on the economic burden of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Lebanon, in collaboration with a premier Lebanese MS center. This coincided with a triple disaster in Lebanon, comprising the drastic economic and financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the consequences of the explosion of Beirut's port. Specifically, the economic and financial turmoil made the valuation of costs challenging. Researchers could face similar challenges, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where economic crises and recessions are recurrent phenomena. This paper aims to discuss steps taken to overcome the fluctuation of the prices of resources to get a valid valuation of societal costs during times of a financial and economic crisis. In the absence of local costing data and guidelines for conducting cost-of-illness (COI) studies, this paper provides empirical recommendations on the valuation of costs that are particularly relevant in LMICs. We recommend (1) clear reporting and justification of the country-specific context, year of costing, assumptions, data sources, and valuation methods, as well as the indicators used to adjust cost for inflation during different periods of fluctuation of prices; (2) collecting prices of each resource from multiple and various sources; (3) conducting a sensitivity analysis; and (4) reporting costs in local currency and Purchasing Power Parity dollars (PPP$). Precision and transparency in reporting prices of resources and their sources are markers of the reliability of the COI studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jalal Dahham
- Department of Health Services Research, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ingrid Kremer
- Department of Health Services Research, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Mickaël Hiligsmann
- Department of Health Services Research, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Kamal Hamdan
- Consultation and Research Institute, Beirut, Lebanon
| | | | - Silvia M. A. A. Evers
- Department of Health Services Research, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Centre for Economic Evaluations and Machine Learning, Trimbos Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rana Rizk
- Department of Natural Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
- Institut National de Santé Publique, d’Épidémiologie Clinique et de Toxicologie (INSPECT-Lb), Beirut, Lebanon
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Simoens S. Societal economic burden of multiple sclerosis and cost-effectiveness of disease-modifying therapies. Front Neurol 2022; 13:1015256. [PMID: 36341111 PMCID: PMC9631775 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.1015256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In an era of scarce resources, policy makers, neurologists and other stakeholders need to be aware of the economic burden of multiple sclerosis and the cost-effectiveness of disease-modifying therapies. The aim of this article is to provide a mini-review of these health economic facets of multiple sclerosis. Methods An umbrella review was conducted by searching PubMed and Google Scholar from 2002 until June 2022 for peer-reviewed systematic and narrative literature reviews. Results An extensive body of evidence corroborates that multiple sclerosis is associated with a substantial economic burden within and outside the health care sector, that costs of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis exceed those of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, that costs increase with disease severity and are influenced by the occurrence of relapses and therapy adherence. However, cost estimates and their breakdown into various components vary between countries. Economic evaluations show that disease-modifying therapies for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis are generally not cost-effective, but these results depend on the local setting. Cost-effectiveness of disease-modifying therapies improves when a societal perspective is taken and efficacy does not wane over a lifetime horizon, when oral administration forms or dosing strategies requiring less maintenance are introduced, and when generic versions enter the market. Reimbursement recommendations related to disease-modifying therapies also differ between countries. Conclusion The local context matters when calculating the societal economic burden of multiple sclerosis and the cost-effectiveness of disease-modifying therapies.
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Zarghami A, van der Mei I, Hussain MA, Claflin SB, Bessing B, Simpson-Yap S, Ponsonby AL, Lechner-Scott J, Broadley S, Blizzard L, Taylor BV. Long-term trajectories of employment status, workhours and disability support pension status, after a first episode of CNS demyelination. Mult Scler 2022; 28:1793-1807. [PMID: 35549477 DOI: 10.1177/13524585221089900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People with multiple sclerosis face significant employment-related challenges, with little known of the drivers of these outcomes. OBJECTIVE We examined prospective trajectories of employment-related outcomes up to 11 years following a first episode of central nervous system (CNS) demyelination (FCD). METHODS Participants were aged 18-59 years, at FCD, with at least two observations and were employed at study entry or anytime during follow-up (n = 207). Outcomes were employment status (full-time, part-time and unemployed), average workhours per week and disability support pension (DSP; receiving/not receiving). We used group-based trajectory modelling to identify groups with common trajectories. Factors associated with trajectory membership were explored using log-multinomial regression. RESULTS Distinct trajectories were identified for employment (4), workhours (4) and DSP (2). Compared with stable full-time, female sex was strongly associated with being in the stable part-time trajectory (risk ratio (RR): 5.35; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.56-11.20; p < 0.001). A greater level of disability at 5-year review (RR: 1.35; 95% CI = 1.19-1.53) and having more than two comorbidities at baseline (RR: 2.77; 95% CI = 1.37-5.64) were associated with being in early and late deteriorated employment trajectories, respectively. Compared with the increased part-time trajectory, every additional relapse during the 5 years post-FCD was associated with a 10% increased risk of being in the reduced part-time trajectory (RR = 1.10; 95%CI = 1.00-1.22). For every additional EDSS point at 5-year review, the risk of being in the DSP trajectory increased (RR = 1.21; 95% CI = 1.05-1.41). CONCLUSION These trajectories indicate substantial heterogeneity and the complex impact of MS on employment from its earliest timepoints. Understanding these trends could enable better targeting of interventions to facilitate workforce retention, particularly for females, those with a higher number of comorbidities, more frequent relapses and greater rate of disability accrual.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Zarghami
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Ingrid van der Mei
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Mohammad Akhtar Hussain
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia/Central Coast Public Health Unit, Central Coast Local Health District, New South Wales Health, Gosford, NSW, Australia
| | - Suzi B Claflin
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Barnabas Bessing
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Steve Simpson-Yap
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia/Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC, Australia
| | - Anne-Louise Ponsonby
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia/Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Jeanette Lechner-Scott
- School of Medicine and Public Health, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia/Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - Simon Broadley
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Leigh Blizzard
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Bruce V Taylor
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
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Willems LM, Hochbaum M, Zöllner JP, Schulz J, Menzler K, Langenbruch L, Kovac S, Knake S, von Podewils F, Hamacher M, Hamer HM, Reese JP, Frey K, Rosenow F, Strzelczyk A. Trends in resource utilization and cost of illness in patients with active epilepsy in Germany from 2003 to 2020. Epilepsia 2022; 63:1591-1602. [PMID: 35305026 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To calculate epilepsy-related direct, indirect, and total costs in adult patients with active epilepsy (ongoing unprovoked seizures) in Germany and to analyze cost components and dynamics compared to previous studies from 2003, 2008 and 2013. This analysis was part of the Epi2020 study. METHODS Direct and indirect costs related to epilepsy were calculated with a multicenter survey using an established and validated questionnaire with a bottom-up design and human capital approach over a 3-month period in late 2020. Epilepsy-specific costs in the German health care sector from 2003, 2008 and 2013 were corrected for inflation to allow for a valid comparison. RESULTS Data on the disease-specific costs for 253 patients in 2020 were analyzed. The mean total costs were calculated at € 5,551 (± € 5,805; median: € 2,611; range: € 274 to € 21,667) per three months, comprising mean direct costs of € 1,861 (± € 1,905; median: € 1,276; range: € 327 to € 13,158) and mean indirect costs of € 3,690 (± € 5,298; median: € 0; range: € 0 to € 11,925). The main direct costs components were hospitalization (42.4%), anti-seizure medication (42.2%) and outpatient care (6.2%). Productivity losses due to early retirement (53.6%), part-time work or unemployment (30.8%) and seizure-related off-days (15.6%) were the main reasons for indirect costs. However, compared to 2013, there was no significant increase of direct costs (-10.0%), and indirect costs significantly increased (p<0.028, +35.1%), resulting in a significant increase in total epilepsy-related costs (p<0.047, +20.2%). Compared to the 2013 study population, a significant increase of cost of illness could be observed (p=0.047). SIGNIFICANCE The present study shows that disease-related costs in adult patients with active epilepsy increased from 2013 to 2020. As direct costs have remained constant, this increase is attributable to an increase in indirect costs. These findings highlight the impact of productivity loss caused by early retirement, unemployment, working time reduction and seizure-related days off.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent M Willems
- Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main and Department of Neurology, Goethe-University and University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Personalized Translational Epilepsy Research (CEPTeR), Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Maja Hochbaum
- Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main and Department of Neurology, Goethe-University and University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Personalized Translational Epilepsy Research (CEPTeR), Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Johann Philipp Zöllner
- Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main and Department of Neurology, Goethe-University and University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Personalized Translational Epilepsy Research (CEPTeR), Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Juliane Schulz
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Katja Menzler
- Epilepsy Center Hessen and Department of Neurology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Lisa Langenbruch
- Epilepsy Center Münster-Osnabrück, Department of Neurology with Institute of Translational Neurology, Westfälische Wilhelms-University, Münster, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Klinikum Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Stjepana Kovac
- Epilepsy Center Münster-Osnabrück, Department of Neurology with Institute of Translational Neurology, Westfälische Wilhelms-University, Münster, Germany
| | - Susanne Knake
- Epilepsy Center Hessen and Department of Neurology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Felix von Podewils
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Mario Hamacher
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Hajo M Hamer
- Epilepsy Center and Department of Neurology, Friedrich-Alexander-University, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jens-Peter Reese
- Institute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Frey
- Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main and Department of Neurology, Goethe-University and University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Personalized Translational Epilepsy Research (CEPTeR), Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Felix Rosenow
- Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main and Department of Neurology, Goethe-University and University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Personalized Translational Epilepsy Research (CEPTeR), Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Adam Strzelczyk
- Epilepsy Center Frankfurt Rhine-Main and Department of Neurology, Goethe-University and University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,LOEWE Center for Personalized Translational Epilepsy Research (CEPTeR), Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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