The Cost-effectiveness of Lamotrigine in the Maintenance Treatment of Adults With Bipolar I Disorder

Abstract

For a defined cohort of patients with BD-I, the pharmacoeconomic model indicated that prevention of mood episodes with lithium and lamotrigine is cost effective in patients with a recent manic, mixed, or hypomanic episode. The conclusions with respect to the indirect comparison with olanzapine should be validated if and when direct trial data become available. Cost-effectiveness of maintenance treatments for patients with BD-I (recently depressed as well as recently manic) are likely to improve in models with a broader costing perspective and that take a longer time frame. Further research into the outcome implications of health-related quality of life and other BD subgroups are recommended.