State of Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis in Field Practice and Its PharmacoeconomicAspects

Overview

The present paper aims to analyze therapeutic trends in allergic rhinitis and their relationships toselected pharmacoeconomic parameters.Health and Disease out-patient records from three out-patient allergologic-immunologic surgeries in the towns of Trenčín,Nové Zámky,and Bratislava weresurveyed.The analysis is based on the recorded prescription of drugs prescribed to the patients inthe period of his or her „most recent season “in the years 1999 –2000.Altogether 279 records (164females,115 males)were evaluated.The highest percentage of pollinotics was dispensed inBratislava (73 %)followed by Nové Zámky (55 %)and Trenčín (31 %).In all three out-patientsurgeries,the dominant therapy was a combination of specific immunotherapy (SIT)and antihistanime treatment (AH,70 –75 %).Average costs for one day of treatment of allergic rhinitis in theout-patient surgeries under study did not significantly differ (22.20 –24.50 Sk,the average value ofthe daily defined dose being 23.20 Sk).Due to confusedly kept records,the economic analysis didnot take into account the financial costs connected with SIT.The present analysis shows a positivestate in the field of diagnostics,connected with improved identification of the inducing allergen andapplication of causal therapy based on SIT (72 %).Approximately one third of patients (27 %)received only solo medicamentous therapy without application of SIT,and the SIT therapy alonewas received by less than 2 %of patients (1.4 %).

Key words:
pharmacoeconomics –perennial allergic rhinitis – pollinosis – specificimmunotherapy – antihistamines