Glaucoma costs in Denmark in treatment naive patients

To describe the costs and providers of glaucoma treatment in Denmark.

Analyses were based on National Register data. Glaucoma/OHT patients were identified by their first prescription for glaucoma medication (ATC-codes) in the Danish Register of Medicinal Product Statistics 2002-2007. Patients had used no glaucoma medication for 6 months. Data for 2007 were sampled cross-sectionally for a budgetary analysis of glaucoma (ICD10 code) medication and services consumed in the primary and secondary health care services. Patients were categorized according to their number of treatment changes.

The Danish annual incidence rate of glaucoma was estimated at 1.2 per 1000 adult persons. Thirty-seven per cent of patients (men 44%, mean age 68 years; women 56%, mean age 71 years) persisted with their initial treatment regimen, 21% had changed to a second regimen, and 43% had experienced ≥ 3 regimens. Treatment costs increased with the number of sequential regimens. Annual glaucoma costs (health care sector perspective) were €305 for patients under their initial regimen, increasing to €740 with ≥ 3 regimens. Drug costs accounted for 57% of total cost.

Drugs represented the major cost of glaucoma, and those costs increased, obviously, with the number of treatment changes.