Objective: A one-year cost analysis comparing basal insulin analogues glargine (IG, Lantus) versus detemir (ID, Levemir) in combination with oral antidiabetic drugs (basal supported oral therapy; BOT) in insulin naive Type 2 diabetes patients in Germany based on the results of a randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT). The trial demonstrated equivalent treatment efficacy.
Materials and methods: Total direct diabetes treatment costs were estimated from the perspective of the German statutory health insurance (SHI) for the time horizon of one-year. Simulated resources included medication (insulin, oral antidiabetic drugs) and consumable items (needles, blood glucose test strips and lancets). Initial and final insulin doses per kg body weight and proportion of patients with once/twice daily insulin injection were taken from the above mentioned RCT. Unit costs were taken from official German price lists and sources. Deterministic-(DTA) and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) on resource use and unit costs were performed to test robustness of the results.
Results: Average annual treatment costs per patient (base case) were euro 849 for glargine and euro 1,334 for detemir resulting in cost savings of euro 486 per patient per year (36%). Costs of insulins were euro 469 (IG) and euro 746 (ID). Costs of consumable items amounted at euro 380 (IG) and euro 588 (ID) respectively. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the findings in favor of insulin glargine. PSA results found cost savings ranging from euro 429 to euro 608 (5th/95th percentiles).
Conclusions: The current model estimated that insulin glargine was associated with lower annual treatment costs of euro 486 (36%) compared to the use of insulin detemir while the same glycemic control is expected to be achieved.