Cost-effectiveness analyses for mirtazapine and sertraline in dementia: randomised controlled trial
Year: 2012
Type: article
Study design: Clinical Trial
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Depression is a common and costly comorbidity in dementia. There are very few data on the cost-effectiveness of antidepressants for depression in dementia and their effects on carer outcomes. AIMS: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of sertraline and mirtazapine compared with placebo for depression in dementia. METHOD: A pragmatic, multicentre, randomised placebo-controlled trial with a parallel cost-effectiveness analysis (trial registration: ISRCTN88882979 and EudraCT 2006-000105-38). The primary cost-effectiveness analysis compared differences in treatment costs for patients receiving sertraline, mirtazapine or placebo with differences in effectiveness measured by the primary outcome, total Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) score, over two time periods: 0-13 weeks and 0-39 weeks. The secondary evaluation was a cost-utility analysis using quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) computed from the Euro-Qual (EQ-5D) and societal weights over those same periods. RESULTS: There were 339 participants randomised and 326 with costs data (111 placebo, 107 sertraline, 108 mirtazapine). For the primary outcome, decrease in depression, mirtazapine and sertraline were not cost-effective compared with placebo. However, examining secondary outcomes, the time spent by unpaid carers caring for participants in the mirtazapine group was almost half that for patients receiving placebo (6.74 v. 12.27 hours per week) or sertraline (6.74 v. 12.32 hours per week). Informal care costs over 39 weeks were £1510 and £1522 less for the mirtazapine group compared with placebo and sertraline respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In terms of reducing depression, mirtazapine and sertraline were not cost-effective for treating depression in dementia. However, mirtazapine does appear likely to have been cost-effective if costing includes the impact on unpaid carers and with quality of life included in the outcome. Unpaid (family) carer costs were lower with mirtazapine than sertraline or placebo. This may have been mediated via the putative ability of mirtazapine to ameliorate sleep disturbances and anxiety. Given the priority and the potential value of supporting family carers of people with dementia, further research is warranted to investigate the potential of mirtazapine to help with behavioural and psychological symptoms in dementia and in supporting carers.
Authors: Renee Romeo, Martin Knapp, Jennifer Hellier, Michael Dewey, Clive Ballard, Robert Baldwin, Peter Bentham, Alistair Burns, Chris Fox, Clive Holmes, Cornelius Katona, Claire Lawton, James Lindesay, Gill Livingston, Niall McCrae, Esme Moniz-Cook, Joanna Murray, Shirley Nurock, John O'Brien, Michaela Poppe, Alan Thomas, Rebecca Walwyn, Kenneth Wilson, Sube Banerjee
Institutions: Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, King's College London, London School of Economics and Political Science, University of Manchester, University of Birmingham, University of East Anglia, University of Southampton, University College London, University of Cambridge, University of Leicester, Hull York Medical School, Alzheimer's Society, Newcastle University, University of Liverpool
Language: English
Subfield: Economics and Econometrics
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,920
Funders: Pfizer, London School of Economics and Political Science, Alzheimer's Society, National Institute for Health and Care Research, University of East Anglia, University of Leicester, University of Southampton, King's College London, University College London, Newcastle University, University of Sussex, Health Technology Assessment Programme
Award: G2470312857
OpenAlex ID: W2124599804