Pharmacoeconomic analysis of treatment of asthma patients with Symbicort Turbuhaler

Abstract

The study involved 287 BA patients (66 adolescents and 221 adults) aged 10 to 70 yrs, having BA symptoms not less once a week and peak expiratory flow rate less than 50 % of predicted values just before the study. The researchers questioned the patients and registered their drug consumption for the previous month effecting the airways. Then the patients were given Symbicort Turbuhaler 320/9 meg daily in mild BA and 640/18 meg daily in moderate to severe BA. Salbutamol was also used to solve the BA symptoms. The patients kept taking other basic antiasthmatic drugs if needed (cromones, antileukotrienes, long-acting theophyllines). To assess the treat­ ment efficacy we chose BA control degree scored according to ACQ questionnaire as the main parameter. To assess the economic efficiency we calculated the cost-effectiveness for the drug consumption before and after the study. The administration of Symbicort Turbuhaler was clinically and economically approved in patients need­ ed high doses of fluticazone (more than 500 meg daily) and economically justified in children and adolescents provided with its additional advantages (better complains, simple inhalation maneuver, adaptable dosing, etc.).