Efficacy of nafarelin in assisted reproductive technology: a meta-analysis.

A systematic review identified nine randomized, controlled trials (both published and unpublished) which assessed the efficacy of nafarelin during IVF compared with other gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists. The trials included 1,014 women (nafarelin n = 597) in protocols employing three different dosage regimens, long and short stimulation protocols, and three comparative GnRH agonists (buserelin n = 348; triptorelin n = 14, and leuprolide n = 55). The meta-analysis of the data showed that pregnancy rates per embryo transfer with nafarelin were equivalent to those obtained with other GnRH agonists. Nafarelin and other agonists were also comparable in terms of several intermediate IVF outcomes, including fertilization rates, number of oocytes retrieved, peak oestradiol concentrations, and cycle cancellations. Women treated with nafarelin required fewer ampoules of human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG)/FSH for ovarian stimulation and fewer days of stimulation. Safety results from both the meta-analysis and a qualitative analysis of 12 additional reports suggested that adverse effects were within the accepted tolerance range; the most frequent adverse effects were hypo-oestrogenic symptoms. In conclusion, the overall efficacy of nafarelin was equivalent to that of other GnRH agonists. The possibility that the reduced gonadotrophin requirements in women taking nafarelin will translate into cost savings per IVF treatment cycle requires further study.

Cost comparisons between nafarelin and leuprolide in the treatment of endometriosis.

The objective of this study was to compare the cost and effectiveness of nafarelin versus leuprolide in the treatment of endometriosis. To compare the economic impact of treating endometriosis with leuprolide or nafarelin and to facilitate cost comparisons between the two, we statistically analyzed information concerning the costs of medications for the treatment of endometriosis, outpatient services, and management of adverse effects, as well as other related costs. A national claims database, MarketScan, was used to obtain data on patients with a principal diagnosis of endometriosis who were treated with either leuprolide or nafarelin. During the calendar years 1992-1994, 114 patients with endometriosis had claims for nafarelin, and 343 had claims for leuprolide. There were no significant differences between nafarelin and leuprolide recipients with respect to demographic variables, types of concomitant drug used, types of outpatient service received, or major outpatient diagnostic categorization. In 1994 dollars, the cost of using leuprolide was $326.7 greater than that of using nafarelin. The results of this study suggest that nafarelin is a less expensive alternative to leuprolide for the treatment of endometriosis.

The cost of inpatient endometriosis treatment: an analysis based on the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and cost of endometriosis-related hospitalizations based on the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP-3). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis based on nationwide clinical practice data. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data were obtained for 1991 and 1992 from the HCUP-NIS database, which was a 20% sample of all US hospital discharges. ICD-9 codes (236.0, 617.0 to 617.9) were used to identify females, aged 15 to 54, with endometriosis as a diagnosis. The distribution of endometriosis admissions by admission type, length of stay (LOS), mean total charge, specific types of endometriosis, principal procedures, and other diagnosed diseases was described. RESULTS: In 1991 and 1992, 37,273 (22.6/1000) and 38,834 (23.7/1000) hospital admissions, respectively, were for endometriosis (as any diagnosis). The average LOS and total hospital charges for endometriosis as the primary diagnosis were 3.8 days and $6,597 for 1991, and 3.5 days and $7,450 for 1992. Most endometriosis admissions occurred in females aged 35 to 49. About 87% of the endometriosis hospitalizations were routine admissions. The most common diagnosis was endometriosis of the uterus (51%); the most common procedure was a total abdominal hysterectomy (55%-60%). Older and African-American patients had the longest LOS and the highest total charges. The estimated total hospitalization costs, as represented by hospital charges, for women with endometriosis as the primary diagnosis in the United States were $504 million for 1991 and $579 million for 1992. CONCLUSION: Endometriosis-related hospitalization is a major burden on healthcare systems.