Open AccessThe economic impact of intermittent high‐dose intravenous versus oral corticosteroid treatment of juvenile dermatomyositis
Author(s) -
KleinGitelman Marisa S.,
Waters Teresa,
Pachman Lauren M.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
arthritis care & research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1529-0131
pISSN - 0004-3591
DOI - 10.1002/1529-0131(200012)13:6<360::aid-art5>3.0.co;2-q
Subject(s) - medicine , juvenile dermatomyositis , dermatomyositis , corticosteroid , myositis , surgery
Objective To perform a cost‐identification and cost‐effectiveness analysis comparing oral corticosteroids (OCS) with high‐dose intermittent intravenous corticosteroid (IVCS) regimens in the treatment of juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM). Methods Children previously diagnosed and treated for JDM (without myositis‐specific or myositis‐associated autoantibodies) at a single medical center by a single provider were identified. Two treatment protocols were compared: OCS and IVCS. Data on initial disease severity, time to remission, resource use, and costs generated were collected from patient records. Incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios (ICE) were constructed. Results Patients treated with IVCS achieved median remission 2 years earlier at median increased cost of $13,736. The ICE ratio comparing IVCS to OCS is $6,868 per year of disease avoided. Conclusion This study suggests that, although IVCS treatments are costly, they are cost‐effective.