OBJECTIVES

: Ankylosing Spondylitis is an inflammatory rheumatoid disease that primarily affects the spine causing chronic back pain that may be accompanied by inflammation, pain and stiffness in other body parts leading in advanced cases to fusion of spine bones in a fixed, immobile position causing disability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the costs of secukinumab versus infliximab from health care provider perspective over a time horizon of 6 months.

METHODS

: A cost minimization analysis was conducted for patients with ankylosing spondylitis without extra- articular manifestations over 6 months. Direct medical costs were collected from the Cairo University's Hospitals. Treatment costs were calculated for a patient weighing an average of 78 kg. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed.

RESULTS

: The study revealed that estimated total cost of treatment of one patient with ankylosing spondylitis is EGP35, 932 for secukinumab and EGP52, 146 for infliximab. One way sensitivity analyses showed that reasonable deviations from the used acquisition cost data doesn't affect the net results. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses favoured the use of secukinumab in 99.5% of simulations.

CONCLUSIONS

: Secukinumab yields the lowest cost per course of 6 months compared to infliximab in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis from the health care provider perspective.