Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T09:41:55.409Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Economic Analysis of Treating Depression with Nefazodone v. Imipramine

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

S. A. Montgomery
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, St Mary's Hospital, Praed Street, London W2 1NY
Ruth E. Brown*
Affiliation:
MEDTAP International, Inc., London
Michael Clark
Affiliation:
MEDTAP International, Inc., London
*
Ruth E. Brown, MEDTAP International Inc., 15 Hanover Square, London W1R 9AY

Abstract

Background

It is estimated that treating diagnosed depression costs £420 million annually in England and Wales. This economic study analyses treatment of major depression with nefazodone v. imipramine.

Method

The study updates a previously published model using data obtained from the continuation phase of a double-blind one-year placebo-controlled comparison of nefazodone with imipramine.

Results

Annual costs for nefazodone are lower than those for imipramine, £218 compared to £254; the cost per successfully treated patient is also lower for nefazodone than for imipramine, £242 v. £323. Varying the resources included in the treatment patterns still results in lower costs for nefazodone treatment.

Conclusions

Based on clinical trial data for patients completing six to eight weeks of depression treatment and followed for at least one year, the model shows that the annual costs of nefazodone are lower than those for the less expensive imipramine.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © 1996 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aguglia, E., Casacchia, M., Cassano, G. B., et al (1993) Double-blind study of the efficacy and safety of sertraline versus fluoxetine in major depression. International Clinical Psychopharmacology, 8, 197202.Google Scholar
Anton, S. F., Robinson, D. S., Roberts, D. L., et al (1994) Long-term treatment of depression with nefazodone. Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 30, 165169.Google Scholar
Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) (1992) Health Database 1992, Volume 1, Financial Overview. Specialty Cost Analysis Section 4.3. London: Chameleon Press.Google Scholar
Drug Tariff (1995) March 1995. National Health Service England and Wales. London: HMSO.Google Scholar
Grimsley, S. R. & Jann, M. W. (1992) Paroxetine, sertraline and fluvoxamine: New selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Clinical Pharmacy, 11, 930957.Google Scholar
Hatziandreu, E., Brown, R. E., Revicki, D. A., et al (1994) Cost utility of maintenance treatment of recurrent depression with sertraline versus episodic treatment with dothiepin. Pharmaco Economics, 5, 249264.Google Scholar
Jonsson, B. & Bebbington, P. E. (1994) What price depression? The cost of depression and the cost-effectiveness of pharmacological treatment. British Journal of Psychiatry, 164, 665673.Google Scholar
Kind, P. & Sorensen, J. (1993) The costs of depression. International Clinical Psychopharmacology, 7, 191195.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Montgomery, S. A., Henry, J., McDonald, G., et al (1994) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: meta-analysis of discontinuation rates. International Clinical Psychopharmacology, 9, 4753.Google Scholar
Netten, A. & Dennett, J. (compilers) (1995) Unit Costs of Community Care. University of Kent at Canterbury: Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU).Google Scholar
Simon, G., Wagner, E. & Vonkorff, M. (1995) Cost-effectiveness comparisons using “real world” randomized trials: the case of new antidepressant drugs. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 48, 363373.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Song, F., Freemantle, N., Sheldon, T. A., et al (1993) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors: meta-analysis of efficacy and acceptability. British Medical Journal, 386, 683686.Google Scholar
Stewart, A. (1994) Antidepressant pharmacotherapy: Cost comparison of SSRIs and TCAs. British Journal of Medical Economics, 7, 6779.Google Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.