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ABSTRACT
Background: The main objective of this article is to estimate the global cost related to the use of the two drugs (associated drugs, specialist visits, hospital admissions, plasma drug monitoring).
Methods: The drug prescriptions were extracted from the Information System of the Pharmaceutical Prescriptions of the Marche Region for each ATC code in the years 2008–2012 and the number of patients per year and other outcomes measure were obtained.
Results: 13,574 patients were treated with theophylline and 19,426 patients with doxophylline. The number of patients treated was approximately 5,000 per year. Co-prescription with other drugs, use of corticosteroids, mean number of visits and hospital admissions (per 100 patients) were lower for doxophylline vs theophylline (1.55vs5.50, 0.3vs0.7, 2.05vs3.73 and 1.57vs3.3 respectively). The annual mean cost per patient was €187.4 for those treated with doxophylline and €513.5 for theophylline.
Conclusions: In our study, doxophylline resulted to be associated with a reduction of the overall cost.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by an unrestricted grant from ABC Farmaceutici Italy.
Declaration of interest
FS Mennini was consultant for ABC Farmaceutici. AP Caputi was consultant for ABC Farmaceutici. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.