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Cost and health related quality of life consequences of multiple sclerosis

Innovus Research Inc. 1016 A Sutton Drive, Burlington, Ontario, Canada, L7L 6B8

G W Torrance

Innovus Research Inc. 1016 A Sutton Drive, Burlington, Ontario, Canada, L7L 6B8, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada, Health Utilities Inc., Dundas, ON, Canada

G Francis

Montreal Neurological Institute, Mon treal, QC (now at Serono Laboratories Inc., 100 Longwater Circle, Norwell, MA 02061-1616)

G Rice

London Health Sciences Centre, 339 Windermere Road, Lon don, ON, Canada, N6A 5A5, Canada

A J Rosner

Innovus Research Inc. 1016 A Sutton Drive, Burlington, Ontario, Canada, L7L 6B8

L Lafortune

Hoechst Marion Roussel Canada Research Inc., Laval QC, Cana da, H7L 4A8

Objectives: To (i) quantify the cost of multiple sclerosis (MS) to the Canadian health care system and society; (ii) measure health utility in MS patients, and (iii) examine the influence of disability on patient utility and health care costs. Materials and methods: A comprehensive patient survey and chart review of relapsing MS patient in remission, relapse and recalling a relapse. Results: Annual remission costs increased with EDSS level ($7596 at EDSS 1, $33 206 at EDSS 6). At all EDSS levels the largest costs were due to inability to work, which increased with EDSS. The average relapse cost for all EDSS levels was $1367. An inverse correlation was found between EDSS level and patient utility for patient in remission and relapse. The decrease in remission health utility from EDSS I to 6 was 0.24, which is 25% greater than the difference in health status between an average 25 and 85 year-old. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that MS produces substantial health care cost and reductions in patient quality of life and ability to work, losses that can be avoided or delayed if disease progression is slowed. These data provide health-care decision-makers with the opportunity to consider the full impact of MS when faced with budget allocation decisions.

Key Words: multiple sclerosis • quality of life • costs • patient survey • chart review • Canada

Multiple Sclerosis, Vol. 6, No. 2, 91-98 (2000)
DOI: 10.1177/135245850000600207


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