Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences

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UTILIZATION PATTERNS OF DISEASE-MODIFYING ANTIRHEUMATIC DRUGS (DMARDS) IN PATIENTS WITH AUTOIMMUNE RHEUMATIC DISEASES

LAURA-ALEXANDRA ANGHEL 1, DANIEL-CORNELIU LEUCUTA 2*, ANDREEA MARIA FARCAS 3, RADU NICOLAE OPREAN 1

1.Analytical Chemistry and Instrumental Analysis, Faculty Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu of Hatieganu”, 4th Pasteur Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
2.Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu Hatieganu”, 6th Louis Pasteur Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
3.Drug Information Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Iuliu Hatieganu”, 6th Louis Pasteur Street, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

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We conducted a retrospective observational study with the purpose to evaluate disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) prescription trends and patterns in real-life setting and determine DMARDs prescriptions costs in Romania. We used a pharmacy claim database (all prescriptions 2011-2014), and looked at four diseases: rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and seven drugs. Out of a total number of prescriptions (486 700), 5375 (1.1%) were for DMARDs in 1085 patients. Leflunomide was most often prescribed (30.14%), followed by methotrexate (24.84%), sulfasalazine (18.67%) and hydroxychloroquine (16.10%). 77.2% of all prescriptions were for monotherapy. 95% of DMARDs prescriptions costs were for RA and PsA prescriptions. Results showed an increase in DMARDs prescribing trend, with particular variations that was mainly influenced by the temporary absence of methotrexate from the Romanian market. DMARDs prescriptions costs had a steady increase during the study period.