COST COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF DEXAMETHASONE-CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE PULSE THERAPY AND RITUXIMAB THERAPY IN PEMPHIGUS IN A GOVERNMENT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN NORTHERN INDIA.

Abstract

Pemphigus vulgaris is the most common autoimmune blistering disorder and the prevalence varies from 0.18 to 6.96 cases per 1,00,000 population worldwide [3].Pulse therapy with high doses of Corticosterids and Cyclophosphamide (most commonly Dexamethasone Cyclophosphamide Pulse (DCP)) for the treatment of pemphigus remained mainstay therapy for past few decades. Targeted immuno-modulation is becoming popular with advent of biological therapies like Rituximab due to lower side effects but its cost is a limiting factor. There is a little literature available on comparison of cost of these therapies which lead us to compare cost of these therapies. In a country like India where cost is a greater parameter to decide therapy a cost effective therapy carries a better compliance and effectiveness as compared to an expensive therapy like Rituximab. In the study we observed DCPtherapy was three times cheaper than Rituximab