Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by MAGNUSSON, S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by MAGNUSSON, S.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 1996 British Society for Rheumatology

other

TREATMENT OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS—DOES IT AFFECT SOCIETY'S COST FOR THE DISEASE?

S. MAGNUSSON

Department of Internal Medicine, Sundsvall Hospital S-851 86 Sundsvall, Sweden

To assess whether the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis reduces the cost to society of the disease, 62 patients were studied retrospectively over an 18 month period. The first 6 months (period 1) was the time before treatment with remission-inducing drugs (RID). The following 6 month period (period 2) was the time when RID treatment was started and suitable doses were evaluated. The last 6 month period (period 3) was the follow-up period when the results of the treatment were evaluated. The cost for drugs, surgical treatment, out-patient visits, blood tests and hospitalization days during periods 2 and 3 was calculated as 1.6 million SEK. During the same period, the cost for loss of productivity to society was reduced by 1.5 million SEK, assuming that the cost to society would have been unchanged, compared to period 1, if therapy had not been given. In a small group of patients who entered remission, the net saving for society exceeded the cost of treatment. The study indicates that the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis can lead to a reduced cost to society.

KEY WORDS: Rheumatoid arthritis, Treatment, Costs to society


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Med Decis MakingHome page
B. Fautrel, A. E. Clarke, F. Guillemin, V. Adam, Y. St-Pierre, T. Panaritis, P. R. Fortin, H. A. Menard, C. Donaldson, and J. R. Penrod
Costs of Rheumatoid Arthritis: New Estimates from the Human Capital Method and Comparison to the Willingness-to-Pay Method
Med Decis Making, March 1, 2007; 27(2): 138 - 150.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Rheumatology (Oxford)Home page
G. F. Ferraccioli, E. Gremese, P. Tomietto, G. Favret, R. Damato, and E. Di Poi
Analysis of improvements, full responses, remission and toxicity in rheumatoid patients treated with step-up combination therapy (methotrexate, cyclosporin A, sulphasalazine) or monotherapy for three years
Rheumatology, August 1, 2002; 41(8): 892 - 898.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Ann Rheum DisHome page
G F FERRACCIOLI, L CASATTA, E DI POI, R DAMATO, E BARTOLI;, and J. R O'DELL
Combination DMARD therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Full or low DMARD doses?
Ann Rheum Dis, May 1, 1997; 56(5): 336a - 337.
[Full Text]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.