[Analysis of direct costs in therapy of Parkinson disease]

The increasing prevalence of Parkinson syndrome and its cost-intensive modern therapies make for a growing economic burden. Studies on cost to date have limited validity owing to the various methods employed (retrospective, focus on partial expenses, minimal case numbers, etc.). The present study collected data pertaining to direct costs. Seventy-seven patients were followed for 10 months. They had been outpatients when enrolled in the study. Hospitalization or comparable changes during the course of observation were registered accordingly. The most significant result revealed by the study is that expenses for medication by far take up the biggest share of the direct costs. In the early stage of the disease (H and Y I), the monthly costs of drug treatment amount to 397.67 Euros. With advancing ailment, costs rose to 561.56 Euros in H and Y 2, 588.30 Euros in H and Y 3, 604.86 Euros in H and Y 4, and 645.77 Euros in H and Y 5. (Average costs for disease remedies amount to 25.46 Euros.) Inpatient costs were 13.47 Euros (with DBS, 19.04 Euros). Adjuvants aggregated to 3.50 Euros per month, medical technical diagnostic workup to 18.74 Euros (47.60 Euros including DBS), and medical services to 15.73 Euros.