Is Misoprostol Cost-effective in the Prevention of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug—Induced Gastropathy in Patients With Chronic Arthritis?

Stucki, Gerold; Johannesson, Magnus und Liang, Matthew H. (1994): Is Misoprostol Cost-effective in the Prevention of Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug—Induced Gastropathy in Patients With Chronic Arthritis? A Review of Conflicting Economic Evaluations. In: Archives of internal medicine, Bd. 154, Nr. 18: S. 2020-2025

Abstract

Whether misoprostol, a synthetic prostaglandin E1 analogue, should be routinely prescribed along with nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) to prevent gastric damage is of great clinical importance and has profound cost implications. No consensus exists on whether misoprostol cotherapy results in a cost-saving, is cost-effective, or is costly. The different conclusions reached by five economic evaluations of misoprostol can be explained solely by the assumed absolute risk reduction of symptomatic ulcer, which was more than seven times greater in the studies that concluded that misoprostol was cost-effective than in a study that concluded misoprostol to be costly. Since no study has directly shown the effectiveness of misoprostol cotherapy in preventing clinically significant ulcer disease (ie, hemorrhage and preforation), it is impossible to judge which assumptions are most appropriate. The absence of firm data on the rate of NSAID-induced gastric ulcers reduced by misoprostol makes it impossible to conclude whether it is cost-effective in patients with chronic arthritis who use NSAIDS.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Medizin
• Themengebiete: 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
• ISSN: 0888-2479
• Signatur: BSB:Path. 46 pm-154,17/23