Pharmacoeconomic efficacy of insulin incombination with vildagliptin in patients with type 2 diabetes

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Aim

Pharmacoeconomic evaluation of glucose-lowering therapy with insulin alone or in combination with a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP-4) vildagliptin in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Material and methods

Previously, it was shown that the combination of a DPP-4 inhibitor and insulin can reduce the insulin dose by 18%. Two treatment options were compared in terms of cost-effectiveness (CER - Cost Effectiveness Ratio) at reducing HbA1c levels by 1%. Costs for relief of severe hypoglycemia included the ambulance call and required manipulations.

Results

The addition of vildagliptin to insulin therapy reduces the cost of drug therapy by up to 10.3% in patients who are overweight and receiving high doses of insulin. CER of combination therapy with insulin and vildagliptin was 1.52.8-fold lower compared with that of insulin alone. Upon reaching the same efficacy addition of vildagliptin to insulin reduces the necessary costs by 34.1-64.3%.

Conclusion

The addition of vildagliptin to insulin therapy pharmacoeconomically is more effective medical technology compared with insulin monotherapy.

Key words

Type 2 diabetes, dipeptildyl peptidase-4 inhibitor, vildagliptin, insulin, pharmacoeconomic analysis.