Aktuelle Aspekte zur Versorgungssituation und zu den Behandlungskosten bei Patienten mit Multipler Sklerose in Deutschland

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease of the central nervous system (CNS) associated with important consequences for health related quality of life and health-care costs. Comprehensive data about cost driving factors are missing.

Methods: A representative database with data from German statutory health insurers was used for an analysis based on 1546 490 insurants between 2006 and 2010. 3007 (0.19 %) of them were continuously insured and confirmed as MS patients. 1295 (43.07 %) of those got at least one prescription of a disease modifying drug (DMD).

Results: Interferon-beta (58.66 % of all prescriptions) and Glatirameracetate (26.85 % of all prescriptions) were the most prescribed DMDs. In 2009, 13.45 % of all prescriptions, but 88.41 % of drug costs for MS patients referred to DMDs. Mean cost for all drugs were 6767 € per year per patient. Mean costs for DMDs were 14 929 € per year for those patients using such drugs, but with considerable differences between DMDs. Symptomatic therapy caused only 1.00 % of total drug costs. MS patients contacted ambulatory medical care 5 - 6 times quarterly (mean) and were hospitalized 0.57 times per year (mean) for 6.7 days (mean). Health insurers paid benefits for sick-leave to 9.01 % of MS patients, 4144 € on average for patients receiving such benefit payment.

Conclusion: DMDs caused the biggest part of all drug costs for MS patient, but DMDs are used less than expected in comparison to previous analyses.