Background: Botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) is an effective treatment for patients with upper limb spasticity (ULS), which is a debilitating feature of upper motor neuron lesions. BoNT-A preparations available in the UK are associated with different costs.
Methods: We developed a budget impact model to assess the effect of changing market shares of different BoNT-A formulations - abobotulinumtoxinA, onabotulinumtoxinA, and incobotulinumtoxinA - and best supportive care, from the UK payer perspective, over a 5-year time horizon. Epidemiological and resource use data were derived from published literature and clinical expert opinion. One-way sensitivity analyses were performed to determine parameters most influential on budget impact.
Results: Base-case assumptions showed that an increased uptake of abobotulinumtoxinA resulted in a 5-year savings of £6,283,829. Treatment with BoNT-A costs less than best supportive care per patient per year, although treating a patient with onabotulinumtoxinA (£20,861) and incobotulinumtoxinA (£20,717) cost more per patient annually than with abobotulinumtoxinA (£19,800). Sensitivity analyses showed that the most influential parameters on budget were percentage of cerebral palsy and stroke patients developing ULS, and the prevalence of stroke.
Conclusion: Study findings suggest that increased use of abobotulinumtoxinA for ULS in the UK could potentially reduce total ULS cost for the health system and society.
Keywords: cerebral palsy; multiple sclerosis; stroke; traumatic brain injury.