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BACKGROUND: The study aimed to examine the direct medical cost and impact of tocilizumab (TOZ) versus adalimumab (ADM) and etanercept (ETC) on reducing the levels of two inflammatory markers (e.g., C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)) among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using real-world data from Saudi Arabia. METHOD: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study in which data for biologic-naïve RA patients aged ≥ 18 years and treated with TOZ, ADM, ETC were retrieved from the electronic medical records (EMRs) of a university-affiliated tertiary care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Patients were followed up at least one year after the treatment initiation. Bottom-up microcosting was utilized to estimate the direct medical costs. Additionally, inverse probability treatment weighting and bootstrapping with 10,000 replications were conducted to generate 95% confidence levels for costs and the mean reductions in CRP and ESR levels. RESULTS: The number of patients who met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis was 150 patients (TOZ (n = 56), ADM (n = 41), ETC (n = 53)). Patients on TOZ had 3.96 mg/L (95% CI: -0.229-4.95) and 11.21 mm/hr (95% CI: 10.28-18.11) higher mean reductions in the CRP and ESR levels compared to their counterparts on ADM, ETC, respectively. However, this was associated with mean annual incremental costs of USD 10,087.88 (95% CI: 9494.50-11,441.63) in all cost-effectiveness bootstrap distributions. CONCLUSION: Tocilizumab has shown better effectiveness in reducing the levels of CRP and ESR but with higher costs. Future studies should examine whether the reduction of these two inflammatory markers is associated with quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gains.
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BACKGROUND: Psoriasis, an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory disease primarily affecting skin and joints, has varying prevalence rates globally. It manifests in five types, with chronic plaque psoriasis being the most common. Treatment, which has no definitive cure, aims for complete resolution of skin symptoms and depends on disease extent, severity, and impact on patients' lives. Biologics are an emerging treatment for psoriasis, targeting specific inflammatory pathways for potentially safer, more effective outcomes. However, these come with significant costs, necessitating more research to ensure value for money. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of Risankizumab versus Adalimumab, the most commonly utilized biologic for managing psoriasis in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This study retrospectively compared the effectiveness and direct medical cost of Risankizumab and Adalimumab in treating chronic plaque psoriasis in adults from two Saudi Arabian healthcare centers. The Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and body surface area (BSA) were used to assess treatment effectiveness, with patient data sourced from electronic medical records. Multiple regression analysis was performed to examine various factors affecting treatment outcomes. An economic evaluation was conducted to examine the cost-effectiveness of the two drugs, considering four scenarios with varying dosage patterns and costs. Analysis was performed from the perspective of public healthcare payers and considered all utilized health services. RESULTS: The data for 70 patients were analyzed, with comparable baseline characteristics between groups. While Risankizumab led to a greater reduction in PASI scores and BSA affected, these results were not statistically significant. The annual treatment cost for Risankizumab was higher than Adalimumab. Various scenarios were studied, considering real acquisition costs, double dosing for Adalimumab, and the use of biosimilars. A scenario assuming double dosing for Adalimumab and a 40% discount for Risankizumab demonstrated both cost and efficacy advantages in 71.25% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: This study compared the effectiveness and cost of Risankizumab and Adalimumab for treating chronic plaque psoriasis in Saudi Arabian hospitals. Although Risankizumab showed a greater reduction in symptoms, the difference was not statistically significant. However, under certain scenarios, Risankizumab demonstrated cost and efficacy advantages. These findings may influence treatment decisions for psoriasis, but further research is needed.
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BACKGROUND: Lack of recognition of labeled drug-drug interactions (DDIs) is a type of medication error of particular relevance to the treatment of psychiatric patients. Pharmacists are in a position to detect and address potential DDIs. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore pharmacists' role in the identification and management of DDIs among psychiatric patients in psychiatric outpatient clinics of a university-affiliated tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. METHOD: This study was a retrospective, cross-sectional medical chart review of patients visiting outpatient psychiatric clinics. It utilized medical records of patients who were taking any psychotropic medications and were prescribed at least one additional drug. The hospital Computerized Physician Order Entry system was used to identify DDIs and determine the pharmacists' interventions. The Beers criteria were applied to detect inappropriate prescribing among older patients. RESULTS: On average, the pharmacists intervened in 12 out of 213 (5.6%) cases of major or moderate DDIs. Older age, higher number of prescription medications, the severity of DDIs, and the utilization of lithium and anticoagulants were positively associated with the pharmacist undertaking an action. CONCLUSION: Future studies should explore the prevalence rate of harmful DDIs among psychiatric patients on a large scale and examine the effectiveness of different pharmacy policies in the detection and management of DDIs.