Incremental cost-effectiveness of pharmacotherapy and two brief cognitive-behavioral therapies compared with usual care for panic disorder and noncardiac chest pain.

The aim of this study was to assess the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) of two brief cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)-based interventions and a pharmacological treatment, compared with usual care, initiated in the emergency department (ED) for individuals with panic disorder (PD) with a chief complaint of noncardiac chest pain. A total of 69 patients were followed up to 6 months. The primary outcome variables were direct and indirect costs of treatment and PD severity. Panic management (PM) had an ICER of $124.05, per the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, severity score change (95% confidence interval [CI], $54.63-$314.57), compared with pharmacotherapy (paroxetine), with an ICER of $213.90 (95% CI, $133.51-$394.94), and brief CBT, with an ICER of $309.31 (95% CI, $151.27-$548.28). The pharmacological and CBT interventions were associated with a greater clinical improvement compared with usual care at posttest. PM presented a superior ICER, suggesting that it may be a promising treatment option to implement in EDs.

[Studies of cost/effectiveness of pharmacological and psychological treatment of anxiety disorders: a literature review]. / Les études de coûts-efficacité des traitements pharmacologiques et psychologiques des troubles anxieux : une recension des écrits.

This article reviews the literature on economic studies of evidence-based cognitive-behavioral treatment and pharmacotherapy for anxiety disorders. Articles were identified through electronic search of medical and psychological databases between 1980 and 2008. Seven studies were identified and included panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, specific phobia and social phobia. Results show that evidence-based cognitive-behavior therapy and pharmacotherapy are cost-effective, usually more than usual care. Although the evidence base needs to be strengthened, it appears beneficial in increasing access to evidence-based treatments for anxiety disorders from a societal perspective.