Study looks at costs for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis

(HealthDay)—Most patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (MSPP) are prescribed medications, with six-month total direct costs of $11,291 per patient, according to a study published in the October issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Caroline P. Schaefer, M.B.A., from Covance Market Access Services Inc. in Gaithersburg, Md., and colleagues examined current health care resource use, productivity, and costs among patients with MSPP. Two hundred adults with MSPP actively seeking care were enrolled in nine U.S. sites. Using standard algorithms, costs were assigned to health care resource use and lost productivity.

The researchers found that 79.5 percent of patients were prescribed one or more MSPP medications (mean, 1.5). Overall, 36.0 percent of patients received self-administered biologics and 9.0 percent received systemic therapy. Patients received a mean of 12.3 nonprescription treatments. For overall work and activity impairment, there were differences by Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) (P < 0.02). Per patient, the six-month total MSPP direct costs were $11,291; indirect costs differed across PASI groups (P = 0.0008) and were $2,101 overall.

"Despite treatment, a number of patients with MSPP continue to experience moderate to severe PASI scores, impaired functioning, and high costs, suggesting a need for new treatment options," the authors write.

The study was funded by Pfizer. Several authors are employees of Covance Market Access Services, which was paid by Pfizer to design and execute the study. Other authors were employees of Pfizer and Pharmaceutical Product Development.

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