Thursday, August 5, 2004

EARLY TREATMENT WITH AVAPRO MAY PROLONG LIFE, REDUCE COSTS IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES, MICROALBUMINURIA

Use of Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and Sanofi-Synthelabo SA's pharmaceutical brand name Avapro (irbesartan) in hypertensive patients who have type 2 diabetes with either microalbuminuria (early intervention) or overt nephropathy (late intervention) may prolong life and lead to cost savings compared with standard therapy, new findings indicate. The best scenario, however, appears to be linked with early intervention.

Using a Markov computer-simulation model, researchers studied seven disease states for the progression of hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes. Avapro 300 mg was given daily, initiated either with microalbuminuria (early) or with overt nephropathy (late), and was compared with standard antihypertensive drug therapy initiated at microalbuminuria.

Compared with standard therapy, the early and late Avapro interventions were projected to save $11,922 per patient and $3,252 per patient, respectively, over 25 years.

The cumulative incidence of end-stage renal disease was reduced by 64 percent with early Avapro treatment and by 20 percent with late Avapro treatment compared with the standard therapy group. ESRD was delayed by 2.1 years with early Avapro and by 0.3 year with late Avapro compared with standard therapy.

Results also showed that early use of Avapro improved life expectancy by 1.48 undiscounted life-years versus late Avapro.

The researchers noted that the findings were robust under a wide range of plausible assumptions.

Complete data can be found in the August issue of Diabetes Care.