Cost and health related quality of life consequences of multiple sclerosis

• Published in: Multiple sclerosis Vol. 6; no. 2; pp. 91 - 98
• Main Authors: Grima, D T, Torrance, G W, Francis, G, Rice, G, Rosner, A J, Lafortune, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thousand Oaks, CA SAGE Publications 01-04-2000; Arnold
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Cohort Studies; Disability Evaluation; Employment; Female; Health Care Costs; Health Status; Health Surveys; Humans; Male; Medical Records; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Multiple Sclerosis - economics; Multiple Sclerosis - physiopathology; Multiple sclerosis and variants. Guillain barré syndrome and other inflammatory polyneuropathies. Leukoencephalitis; Neurology; Quality of Life; Recurrence; Remission Induction; Canada; North America; America; costs; Canada; patient survey; quality of life; chart review; multiple sclerosis; Human; Disability; Nervous system diseases; Costs; Multiple sclerosis; Health economy; Central nervous system disease; Evolution; Professional status; Public health; Inflammatory disease; Quality of life
• ISSN: 1352-4585; 1477-0970
• DOI: 10.1177/135245850000600207

Objectives:
To (i) quantify the cost of multiple sclerosis (MS) to the Canadian health care system and society; (ii) measure health utility in MS patients, and (iii) examine the influence of disability on patient utility and health care costs.
Materials and methods:
A comprehensive patient survey and chart review of relapsing MS patient in remission, relapse and recalling a relapse.
Results:
Annual remission costs increased with EDSS level ($7596 at EDSS 1, $33 206 at EDSS 6). At all EDSS levels the largest costs were due to inability to work, which increased with EDSS. The average relapse cost for all EDSS levels was $1367. An inverse correlation was found between EDSS level and patient utility for patient in remission and relapse. The decrease in remission health utility from EDSS I to 6 was 0.24, which is 25% greater than the difference in health status between an average 25 and 85 year-old.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrates that MS produces substantial health care cost and reductions in patient quality of life and ability to work, losses that can be avoided or delayed if disease progression is slowed. These data provide health-care decision-makers with the opportunity to consider the full impact of MS when faced with budget allocation decisions.