Open AccessIntroduction and objective: ziconotide is the first-in-class drug of selective N-type voltage-sensitive calcium-channel blockers used to control severe chronic pain. The present study is developed in order to analyze clinical and economical outcomes of spinal neuromodulation with ziconotide continuous infusion in cancer pain in a real clinical practice.
Methods: costs and effects of ziconotide are compared with those of traditional neuromodulation with morphine and adjuvant drugs, administered by intrathecal infusion.
Effectiveness and resources consumption data were retrospectively collected in 22 patients with severe complex cancer pain followed by one Italian centre from the day of port implantation to drop-out , due to death or consent withdrawal. 11 patients received morphine regimens and the other 11 were treated with ziconotide. The evaluation of the number of days with controlled pain (i.e., with an at least 30% reduction on the Numeric Rating Scale-Pain Intensity, NRSPI) is the primary outcome of the analysis. The evaluated consumed health resources include drugs, visits, port maintenance, and pump recharge and amortization. Current Italian prices, real practice acquisition and remuneration costs borne by the third payer are applied.
Results: patients receiving ziconotide lived significantly more days with controlled pain (78% vs 40%; p < 0.05). Average weekly cost is about 232 € for ziconotide and 120 € for morphine; the main driver being the pharmaceutical cost (respectively 81% and 65% of the total). Higher ziconotide acquisition costs are partially offset by minor expenses for adjuvant therapies, as ziconotide-treated patients on average receive a lower number of drugs than those receiving a traditional regimen. The incremental cost for one further day with controlled pain resulted of 42,30 €.
Conclusions: ziconotide permits effective treatment of extremely difficult-to-manage pain, with a mild increment of cost, as compared to intrathecal morphine-based therapy.