A Cost-Consequences analysis of the effect of Pregabalin in the treatment of peripheral Neuropathic Pain in routine medical practice in Primary Care settings

Table 4 Baseline values and change on use of medical visits, hospitalizations, and decreased work productivity after 12 weeks by group.

Resource	Non-PGB (N = 157)^§		PGB monotherapy (N = 577)^§		PGB add-on (N = 575)^§		p between groups
Number of medical visits	Baseline	Change	Baseline	Change	Baseline	Change	Baseline	Change^$
Total	8.8 (7.0)	-2.4 (6.3)	9.6 (8.1)	-4.3 (6.4)	10.3 (7.1)	-4.3 (6.3)	0.050	0.001
Primary care	5.9 (4.1)	-1.2 (4.5)	6.7 (4.9)	-2.3 (4.6)	7.1 (4.8)	-2.2 (4.3)	0.011	0.064
Pain unit	0.5 (0.9)	0.0 (0.8)	0.7 (1.6)	-0.5 (1.4)	0.6 (1.2)	-0.3 (1.1)	0.164	0.003
Specialist	1.4 (1.7)	-0.5 (1.5)	1.2 (1.5)	-0.8 (1.4)	1.5 (1.7)	-0.8 (1.7)	0.033	0.007
Emergency room	1.6 (2.8)	-0.7 (1.9)	1.5 (3.1)	-1.0 (2.3)	1.6 (2.4)	-1.0 (2.1)	0.847	0.012
Hospitalized (N, %)	11 (7.7)	4 (2.8)	9 (1.8)	1 (0.2) ^╪	34 (6.4)	14 (2.6) ^┼	0.001	0.074
Productivity	Baseline	Change	Baseline	Change	Baseline	Change	Baseline	Change
Days of absenteeism due to pain	15.7 (21.7)	-5.4 (18.7) ^┼	19.1 (23.4)	-10.4 (18.8)*	24.4 (26.9)	-12.9 (20.4)*	0.001	0.059
Days working with pain	35.0 (29.0)	-11.8 (26.6)*	40.3 (30.2)	-23.7 (28.6)*	43.2 (29.9)	-22.6 (28.6)*	0.012	0.001
Labour productivity^£	48.1 (21.3)	+16.8 (79.7) ^╪	46.9 (21.1)	+21.6 (24.0)*	43.4 (21.6)	+18.7 (23.2)*	0.007	0.064
LWDE	31.4 (25.9)	-14.0 (22.8)*	35.9 (26.7)	-22.1 (23.2)*	41.6 (28.3)	-23.1 (24.3)*	<0.001	0.005

Values expressed as means (standard deviation); LWDE: Lost -workdays equivalents; * p < 0.0001; ^┼ p < 0.001; ^╪ ^p<0.05 vs. intragroup baseline values. ^§Total number of analyzed patients; some patients did not report all data; ^$Between groups changes comparison adjusted by baseline values and number of previous drugs. ^£In days working with pain.

ISSN: 1471-2377