COST COMPARISONS BETWEEN NAFARELIN AND LEUPROLIDE IN THE TREATMENT OFENDOMETRIOSIS

The objective of this study was to compare the cost and effectiveness of nafarelin versus leuprolide in the treatment of endometriosis. To c ompare the economic impart of treating endometriosis with leuprolide o r nafarelin and to facilitate cost comparisons between the two, we sta tistically analyzed information concerning the costs of medications fo r the treatment of endometriosis, outpatient services, and management of adverse effects, as well as other related costs. A national claims database, MarkelScan(R), was used to obtain data on patients with a pr incipal diagnosis of endometriosis who were treated with either leupro lide or nafarelin. During the calendar years 1982-1994, 114 patients w ith endometriosis had claims for nafarelin, and 343 had claims for leu prolide. There were no significant differences between nafarelin and l euprolide recipients with respect to demographic variables, types of c oncomitant drug used, types of outpatient service received, or major o utpatient diagnostic categorization. In 1994 dollars, the cost of usin g leuprolide was $326.7 greater than that of using nafarelin. The resu lts of this study suggest that nafarelin is a less expensive alternati ve to leuprolide for the treatment of endometriosis.