The results of the analysis of medical prescriptions and the drug consumption in patients with lymphogranulomatosis in Ukraine
Authors: Matushchak M. R. , Panfilova H. L. , Tereshchenko L. V. , Tsurikova O. V. , Boboshko L. G. 
Published: April 2021

Aim. To analyze medical prescriptions and the structure of the drug consumption in patients with lymphogranulomatosis in Ukraine.

Materials and methods. The data of medical records (455) of patients with lymphogranulomatosis were studied. The historical, analytical-comparative, systemic, logical, hypothetical-deductive, graphical methods of scientific research, as well as clinical and economic analysis as one of the components of health technology assessment were used.

Results. It was found that, on average, the patients were in the hospital for 32 bed-days, and they received 16,835 medical prescriptions. There were 37 prescriptions per patient. The leaders in the number of prescriptions were drugs from groups L – Antineoplastic and immunomodulating agents, B – Drugs affecting the blood system and hematopoiesis, and A – Drugs affecting the digestive system and metabolism. These groups of drugs accounted for more than half of medical prescriptions (9247 or 54.93 %). The structure of prescriptions was dominated by drugs in the form of solutions or powders for their preparation (62.78 % of all prescriptions or 10569). In accordance with the II level of the ATC classification, the first three positions in the number of prescriptions were drugs used in the chemotherapy and elimination of symptoms of exacerbation of chronic pathologies. These drugs were from the following groups: L01 – Antineoplastic and immunomodulating agents (12.80 % or 2154 prescriptions), B05 – Blood substitutes and perfusion solutions (11.95 % or 2012, respectively), C01 – Drugs for the treatment of heart diseases (9.99 % or 1681, respectively). Antineoplastic prescriptions ranged from 31 (L01C D01 – Paclitaxel) to 289 (L01DB01 – Doxorubicin) ones. The most prescribed drugs were L01DB01 – Doxorubicin, AA01 – Cyclophosphamide, and L01CB01 – Etoposide. It was proven that patients with lymphogranulomatosis received an average of 8.3 prescriptions of antitumor drugs. The general indicator of the drug consumption was 23440.30 thousand UAH or 822.58 thousand US dollars, which, in terms of one patient, amounted to 51,517.14 UAH or 1807.86 US dollars. It was found that 38797,60 UAH or 1361.50 USD were spent on the effective chemotherapy and maintenance of the patient’s body, which was 8.21 and 17.1 times more than the minimum wage and living wage according to the data presented in the state budget for 2020 in Ukraine.

Conclusions. It has been found that medical prescriptions and the consumption of drugs by patients with lymphogranulomatosis reflect the nature of the therapy, namely the need for intensive courses of chemotherapy, polymorbidity of patients, as well as the severity of the pathological process. Considering the high cost of the treatment the solution to the issue of increasing the level of its availability requires a systemic solution in various directions.

Key words: clinical and economic analysis; medical prescriptions; lymphogranulomatosis; Hodgkin’s disease; antineoplastic drugs; health technology assessment.