Pharmacoeconomic Evaluation of Long-term Treatment with Typical and Atypical Antipsychotics for Patients with Chronic Schizophrenia / 신경정신의학

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to compare clinical outcomes, work status and total costs of care associated with typical and atypical treatment in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Cost data for services and prescription use were retrieved retrospectively for 40 and 27 patients with schizophrenia who were initiated on typical or atypical antipsychotics after registration in 1994 and 2000, respectively. Each patient was followed for 3 year after initiation of therapy. Direct and indirect cost were calculated for both groups and analyzed by SAS 8.2. RESULTS: There was not significant difference in clinical outcomes between two groups except the number of admission was higher in typical antipsychotics group (p<0.05). As for direct cost, patients prescribed on atypical antipsychotics have paid almost two-fold more than typical groups. However, the proportion of unemployment was higher in typical group than in atypical group, leading to much loss of productivity. Therefore, considered offset by lower indirect costs, total costs per patients over the study were 19% higher in typical treatment group than in aytpical treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: Atypical antipsychotics were estimated to be of advantage over typical antipsychotics, by offsetting the big difference of medication cost between two classes.