Costs of pregabalin or gabapentin for painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy

J Med Econ. 2012;15(2):361-70. doi: 10.3111/13696998.2011.650773. Epub 2012 Jan 9.

Abstract

Objective: To characterize and compare healthcare resource utilization and costs among patients with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (pDPN) newly prescribed pregabalin or gabapentin in a real-world clinical setting.

Study design: Retrospective cohort analysis using the MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters and Medicare Supplemental Databases (2007-2009).

Methods: Patients with new prescriptions for pregabalin or gabapentin (index event) in 2008 and ≥1 healthcare encounter with an ICD-9 code for pDPN (250.6 or 357.2) within 30 days prior to the first prescription were identified and propensity score matched; continuous enrollment 12 months pre- and post-index was required. Pre- to post-index changes in 12-month all-cause and pDPN-attributable resource utilization and costs were compared between pregabalin and gabapentin using a difference-in-difference (DID) approach.

Results: A total of 910 pregabalin patients (48.6% female; mean age 63.3 ± 12.1 years) were matched with 910 gabapentin patients (48.8% female; mean age 63.3 ± 12.1 years). The DID showed no significant differences between cohorts for pre- to post-index changes in any of the all-cause resource utilization categories. While prescription costs increased significantly more with pregabalin (DID -$563; p < 0.0001), the DID of $1603 for total healthcare costs per patient indicated that the pre- to post-index increases of $3081 for pregabalin and $4684 for gabapentin patients were comparable (p = 0.8474). Total pDPN-attributable healthcare costs were significantly higher with pregabalin (DID -$385; p < 0.0001), resulting from higher prescription costs (DID -$432; p < 0.0001). Limitations of this study include the inability to specifically link pDPN with medication prescribing; differences between groups despite propensity score matching; use of proxy measures for adherence parameters; and inability to capture efficacy outcomes.

Conclusions: Among patients initiating pregabalin or gabapentin, there were no significant differences between the drugs in the pre- to post-index changes in all-cause total healthcare costs, despite the increase in prescription costs for pregabalin.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Amines / economics*
  • Amines / therapeutic use
  • Analgesics / economics*
  • Analgesics / therapeutic use
  • Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / economics*
  • Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / therapeutic use
  • Databases, Factual
  • Diabetic Nephropathies / drug therapy*
  • Diabetic Nephropathies / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Gabapentin
  • Health Resources / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pain / drug therapy*
  • Pregabalin
  • Prescription Fees
  • Retrospective Studies
  • United States
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / economics
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Amines
  • Analgesics
  • Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids
  • Pregabalin
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
  • Gabapentin