“You will see below that the treatment of MS if you are female costs less than if you are a male. I suspect this relates to the poorer prognosis, i.e. more disability, seen in males with MS.”
Moccia et al. Predictors of the 10-year direct costs for treating multiple sclerosis. Acta Neurol Scand. 2016 Jun 29.
OBJECTIVES: Disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) constitute the largest direct medical cost for multiple sclerosis (MS). This study aims at investigating predictors of the 10-year economic burden for DMT administration and management.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 537 newly diagnosed, drug naïve relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) patients, followed up for 10.1±3.3 years. Costs for DMT administration and management were calculated, and referred to each year of observation (annual costs). Possible predictors of disease evolution were categorized into early predictors (age, gender, disease duration, baseline expanded disability status scale (EDSS), 1-point EDSS progression within 2 years, and annualized relapse rate -ARR- within 2 years), and long-term predictors (reaching of EDSS 4.0, conversion to secondary progressive -SP-, ARR, number of DMTs, follow-up duration). Association between predictors and study outcome was explored using mixed-effects log-linear regression models.
RESULTS: A 1-point higher EDSS at diagnosis was associated with 13.21% increase in the annual costs (95%CI=4.16-23.04%). Each additional year of age at diagnosis was associated with a 0.74% decrease in the annual costs (95%CI=-1.43 to-0.04%). Female gender was associated with a 12.43% decrease in the annual costs (95%CI=-22.61 to-0.93%). Converting to SP was associated with a 14.26% decrease in the annual costs (95%CI=-14.26 to-2.94%). Each additional year of follow-up was associated with a 3.05% decrease in the annual costs (95%CI=-4.51 to-1.57%).
CONCLUSIONS: An estimate of the 10-year costs associated with DMT administration and management can be calculated by analyzing different factors, and might be of particular interest for planning resources needed for treating people with MS.
Natalizumab and alemtuzumab was mentioned as an effective preventable drugs. What about fingolimod? Some countries it is takeable as first line therapy and some studies suggests as effective as natalizumab.
"It is clear that our 'Brain Health: Time is Brain' message is not appreciated by all neurologists. The use of DMTs as a preventive therapy, i.e. to prevent future disability and to maximise lifelong brain health, has not sunk in yet."Of course it hasn't. Do you think this website and some posters aregoing to make a difference? Better to contact by email and phone every nuero in U.K. and ask them. First by email and then follow up by phone to the non/responders and wrong answer nueros.Science and Technology are little use to medicine if doctors can notapply and communicate their benefit to patients and other MD's.The key word being Communicate.My sister is Radiologist at a major research/clinic facility on theUS West Coast and because of miscommunication between her and a pediatrician over infantile vs. juvenile scoliosis..her own childwound up with a 45 degree spinal curve by just waiting.