Resumen

CARBALLIDO, J. et al. Economic evaluation of medical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in the specialised care setting in Spain: Application to the cost-effectiveness of two drugs frequently used in its treatment. Actas Urol Esp [online]. 2008, vol.32, n.9, pp.916-925. ISSN 0210-4806.

Objectives: To develop a pharmacoeconomic study in order to know the average cost of BPH diagnosis and follow-up in Spain in the Urology Department setting from the perspective of the public health system, considering two frequently used drugs in the Spanish Healthcare environment, an alpha-blocker (tamsulosin) and the lipido-sterolic extract of Serenoa repens (Permixon^®). Material and methods: Direct healthcare costs of BPH diagnosis and treatment were determined for each clinical stage according to the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS): mild, moderate and severe. Data on the usage and unit costs of healthcare resources were obtained from a semi-structured interview with clinical experts. The clinical efficacy of the medical treatments was obtained from the PERMAL clinical study, where therapeutic equivalence between the two studied drugs was observed. Results: For patients treated in the Urology Department setting, the average annual cost of diagnostic tests and medical visits related to mild, moderate or severe BPH symptoms were, respectively, € 124, € 207, and € 286. The average annual cost of the drugs, including adverse effects treatment, was € 211 for Permixon^® and € 346 for tamsulosin. Discussion: Costs of medical care of BPH increases with symptom intensity. Pharmacological treatment makes up a significant part of the disease’s cost. According to the model used, treatment with Permixon^® is considerably more cost-effective than with tamsulosin, offering average yearly savings of € 135 per patient.

Palabras clave : Benign prostatic hyperplasia; Cost effectiveness analysis; Drug therapy; Healthcare resources; Serenoa repens; Tamsulosin.

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