The expense of emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and costs not associated with anti-epilepsy drugs (AEDs) seem to account for the high costs of epilepsy care, according to a new study. Presented at the International Society of Pharmacoeconomic Outcomes Research (ISPOR) annual meeting in May, the data show that annual AED-related costs remain stable regardless of disease severity, but the cost of non-drug treatment of epilepsy increases disproportionately with disease severity.
The two-year observational study was based on an analysis of insurance records for 9,163 US-based patients with epilepsy who had filed at least two claims for AEDs. Total costs of AED treatment ranged from $6,000 to $33,000 per year, depending on disease severity. Severity of epilepsy was based on number of ER visits; three or more visits signified “most severe” epilepsy.
The analysis did uncover a 10-fold increase in “other” costs—such as those for ER visits, hospitalizations, lab and radiology tests, and physician visits—from “least severe” epilepsy to “most severe.” The difference between AED and “other” costs increased significantly with epilepsy severity, as well as with increased comorbidities and age. However, the cost difference decreased with better AED compliance.
The study, sponsored by UCB, Inc. was titled, “Health Care Costs Stratified by Epilepsy Severity in a US Commercially Insured Setting.”
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