A multicentre, retrospective study of resource utilization and costs associated with glaucoma management in France and Sweden

• Published in: Acta ophthalmologica Scandinavica Vol. 84; no. 1; pp. 74 - 83
• Main Authors: Lindblom, Bertil, Nordmann, Jean‐Philippe, Sellem, Eric, Chen, Enping, Gold, R., Polland, Werner, Williamson, W., Buchholz, Patricia, Walt, John G., Groleau, Danielle, Curry, Alistair, Evans, Stacy J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK; Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Ltd/Inc 01.02.2006
• Subjects: Aged; Antihypertensive Agents; Antihypertensive Agents - economics; Cost-Benefit Analysis; cost‐effectiveness; Drug Costs; economics; Female; France; Glaucoma; Glaucoma, Open-Angle - economics; Glaucoma, Open-Angle - therapy; Health Care Costs; health expenditures; Health Resources; Health Resources - economics; Health Resources - utilization; Humans; Intraocular Pressure; Male; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Ocular Hypertension; Ocular Hypertension - economics; Ocular Hypertension - therapy; Oftalmologi; Open-Angle; Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures - economics; Ophthalmology; Retrospective Studies; Sweden; therapy; treatment costs; utilization; France; Sweden
• ISSN: 1395-3907; 1600-0420
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0420.2005.00560.x

. Purpose:  To assess resource utilization and costs associated with glaucoma management in France and Sweden. Methods:  A total of 267 patient records (121 in France, 146 in Sweden) with diagnoses of primary open‐angle glaucoma (POAG) and ocular hypertension (OH), treated medically, were reviewed for a 2‐year period (beginning during 1997−99) for relevant clinical and resource utilization data. Economic data were applied to estimate treatment costs. Results:  The annual cost of treating glaucoma was estimated at SEK5305 (€531)/patient in Sweden and €390/patient in France. In both countries, medication costs comprised about half of the total costs. Surgical procedures and hospitalizations represented greater proportions of total cost in France (7.0% and 9.6%, respectively) than in Sweden (3.7% and 0.6%, respectively). Conclusion:  Medication costs represent a high proportion of total treatment costs. These findings highlight the relative importance of medical therapy and of assessing the cost‐effectiveness of medications in glaucoma.