Analysis of the Health and Budgetary Impact of Chondroitin Sulfate Prescription in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis Compared to NSAIDs and COXIBs

• Main Authors: Rubio-Terrés C (Author), Bernad Pineda M (Author), Herrero M (Author), Nieto C (Author), Rubio-Rodríguez D (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Dove Medical Press, 2020-09-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 1178-6981
• Keywords: osteoarthritis; chondroitin sulfate; glucosamine; budgetary impact; health impact.; Medicine (General); R5-920; Therapeutics. Pharmacology; RM1-950
• Source: ClinicoEconomics and Outcomes Research, Vol Volume 12, Pp 505-514 (2020)

Carlos Rubio-Terrés,1 Miguel Bernad Pineda,2 Marta Herrero,3 Carlos Nieto,3 Darío Rubio-Rodríguez1 1Health Value, Madrid, Spain; 2Rheumatology Department, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain; 3Reig Jofre, Barcelona, SpainCorrespondence: Darío Rubio-RodríguezHealth Value, C/ Virgen de Aránzazu, 21, Madrid 28034, SpainEmail [e-mail]: Chondroitin sulfate, alone or associated with glucosamine (CS), is an effective treatment of osteoarthritis, better tolerated than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitors (COXIBs) at gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and renal levels.Objective: To estimate the health impact (toxicity by NSAIDs/COXIBs avoided with CS with or without glucosamine) and economic impact (savings due to avoided toxicities) of treatment of knee osteoarthritis with CS compared to NSAIDs/COXIBs, as a consequence of the avoidance of mild-moderate or severe gastrointestinal adverse effects (GIAE), ischaemic heart disease (IHD), acute kidney insufficiency (AKI) and chronic kidney failure (CKF).Methods: We compared the current situation (available reimbursed prescription with CS) with a hypothetical situation without CS (treatment only with NSAIDs/COXIBs). The frequency of GIAE, IHD, AKI and CKF with CS and NSAIDs/COXIBs was obtained from published ad hoc studies. The cost of AE management and of the drugs (180 days of treatment) was obtained from Spanish sources. A probabilistic economic model was made for a 3-year period, both at national (NHS) and regional levels. Sensitivity analyses were performed for different durations of treatment (90 and 240 days).Results: In Spain, it is estimated that 519,130, 513,616 and 507,377 patients with knee osteoarthritis will be treated with NSAIDs/COXIBs and 112,775, 114,963 and 117,262 with CS in 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively. Due to better CS tolerability, 55,098 mild-moderate GIAE, 3060 severe GIAE, 204 IHD, 1089 AKI and 733 CKF would be avoided in 3 years. Discounting the cost of the drugs, the three-year savings for the NHS would be 21.8 (12.7– 29.5) million euros.Conclusion: Due to its better tolerability profile, CS treatment is expected to prevent thousands of AEs over the next 3 years, some of which may be life-threatening for patients, while generating considerable savings for the NHS.Keywords: osteoarthritis, chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine, budgetary impact, health impact