Pharmacoeconomic analysis of biologics and methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis from the standpoint of the number needed to treat concept under the Japanese health insurance system

Table 2 Changes in DAS28-ESR, CDAI, NNT, total health care cost, and cost per NNT

	N	DAS28-ESR		Patient number of remissions	Remission rate	ARR	NNT	Mean total health care costs^a (mean ± SD)	Mean costs per NNT^a
	N	Baseline	24 weeks	Patient number of remissions	Remission rate	ARR	NNT	Mean total health care costs^a (mean ± SD)	Mean costs per NNT^a
bDMARDs	55	4.36	1.92	42	0.764	0.157	6.380	9834 ± 3808	62,741
TCZ	20	4.50	1.57	18	0.900	0.293	3.415	6926 ± 1452	23,652
GLM	16	4.11	2.70	10	0.625	0.018	55.556	15,034 ± 2696	835,229
ETN	13	4.35	2.05	10	0.769	0.162	6.169	8111 ± 1004	50,036
Others	6	4.62	2.38	4	0.667	0.060	16.800	10,388 ± 1587	174,518
MTX	66	3.75	2.29	42	0.636	0.029	34.222	715 ± 155	24,469

	N	CDAI		Patient number of remissions	Remission rate	ARR	NNT	Mean total health care costs^a (mean ± SD)	Mean costs per NNT^a
	N	Baseline	24 weeks	Patient number of remissions	Remission rate	ARR	NNT	Mean total health care costs^a (mean ± SD)	Mean costs per NNT^a
bDMARDs	55	17.47	4.31	25	0.454	0.241	4.157	9834 ± 3808	40,880
TCZ	20	19.00	2.94	11	0.550	0.336	2.979	6926 ± 1452	20,633
GLM	16	15.23	5.10	5	0.313	0.099	10.101	15,034 ± 2696	151,858
ETN	13	18.30	4.52	7	0.538	0.324	3.085	8111 ± 1004	25,022
Others	6	15.33	6.58	2	0.333	0.119	8.400	10,388 ± 1587	87,259
MTX	66	15.90	5.19	16	0.242	0.028	35.538	715 ± 155	25,410

bDMARDS biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, ARR absolute risk reduction, CDAI clinical disease activity index, DAS28-ESR disease activity score in 28 joints using erythrocyte sedimentation rate, ETN etanercept, GLM golimumab, MTX methotrexate, SD standard deviation, NNT number needed to treat, TCZ tocilizumab
^aUS$/24 weeks/patient

ISSN: 1478-7547