Frida Hjalte|Anna-Carin Berggren|H. T. G. Bergendahl|Catharina Hjortsberg
The Direct and Indirect Costs of Opioid-Induced Constipation
Swedish Institute for Health Economics|Mundipharma (Sweden)|Karolinska University Hospital|Swedish Institute for Health Economics
h2abstracth2h3contexth3 treatment strong opioids connected frequent problematic side effects one common side effects opioidinduced constipation oic discomfort oic limit effectiveness pain therapy constipation typically persists long opioid therapy administered effects quality life qol patients need taken seriously data published studies cost implications oic however scarce h3objectivesh3 estimate direct indirect costs oic defined patient population treatment strong opioids h3methodsh3 study based patient data swedish noninterventional study uppsikt cost analysis based 197 patients treated strong opioids sixmonth period direct indirect costs article calculated per patientmonth cost oic estimated difference mean costs months without constipation h3resultsh3 total costs per patientmonth patients severe constipation significantly higher patients mild moderate constipation patients severe constipation highest total costs euro eur 1525 per patientmonth whereas patients mild moderate problems cost eur 1196 eur 1088 eur 1034 respectively h3conclusionh3 opioid use costly society costs vary oic severity oic discomforting affects qol patients limit effective pain therapy