Costs and quality of life in multiple sclerosis

We performed a cross-sectional, “bottom-up” observational study of resource use, costs, and quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Germany. Six centers participated in the study. Patients were asked to complete a questionnaire, and a total of 737 patients returned it (response rate 66%). The questionnaire provided information on all resource consumption, medical, and nonmedical, work absence, informal care related to their MS, and quality of life (EuroQol). Simultaneously, medical charts were also abstracted for a subsample of 202 patients for comparison between answers in the questionnaires and registered data. Levels of disability were assessed using the Expanded Disability Status Scale. The mean age of the cohort was 41.9±14.1 years (disease onset 33.4), mean EDSS score 4.4 (range 1.0–9.5), and mean utility measured by EQ-5D 0.552±0.331). Mean total cost per patient and year was 65,400 DM, adjusted for use of interferons, which was higher in this sample than the current average use in Germany. When this cost is extrapolated to an estimated patient population of 120,000, total costs to society are estimated at 7.85 billion DM. Direct costs represented 57.5%, informal care accounted for 12.1% and indirect costs amounted to 42.5%. Public payers pay for an estimated 24,800 DM per patient or 38% of total costs. All types of costs (direct, informal care, indirect) increased with increasing disability, while utilities decreased.