ECONOMIC-EVALUATION OF NOOTROPIL(R) IN THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE STROKE IN FRANCE

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the economic im pact of treatment of acute ischaemic stroke with piracetam us placebo according to the societal perspective in France. Socio-demographic, cl inical and resource utilisation data for piracetam and placebo patient s during the acute phase following stroke was obtained from the Pirace tam Acute Stroke Study (PASS) clinical trial database. The economic an alysis was based on the population defined as being treated within 6 h 59 min following stroke and presenting an initial Orgogozo score of l ess than 55. Resource utilisation data concerning the rehabilitation p hase, outpatient follow-up and institutionalisation was obtained from decision tree analysis. There was a higher percentage of autonomous pa tients in the piracetam group (27.8%) compared to placebo (22.9%). The mean duration of hospitalisation (autonomous 21.8 days; non-autonomou s 30.3 days) and the cost of an autonomous patient was lower than a no n-autonomous patient. The total cost per stroke patient receiving pira cetam was estimated at 103 KF during the 6-month period, compared to 1 06 KF per placebo patient. The major cost driver was hospitalisation d uring the acute phase, representing approximately 50% of the total cos t per patient. In patients with moderate to severe stroke treated with in 6.59 h, piracetam was cost-effective compared to placebo over the 6 -month study period. (C) 1997 The Italian Pharmacological Society.