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The Impact of Losartan on the Lifetime Incidence of End-Stage Renal Disease and Costs in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Nephropathy

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Abstract

Introduction: The RENAAL (Reduction of Endpoints in Non-insulin dependent diabetes with the Angiotensin II Antagonist Losartan) study demonstrated that, in hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and nephropathy, treatment with losartan plus conventional antihypertensive therapy (CT) reduced the relative risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) by 29% versus placebo over the time span of the study (mean patient follow-up of 3.4 years). The objective of this study was to project the effect of losartan compared with placebo on the lifetime incidence of ESRD and associated costs (from a US healthcare system perspective).

Methods: To estimate lifetime incidence of ESRD, we used a competing risks method to account for the risk of death without ESRD. We estimated the cost ($US, year 2002 values) associated with ESRD by combining the cumulative incidence of ESRD with the lifetime cost associated with ESRD. Total cost was estimated as the sum of the cost associated with ESRD, the cost of losartan study therapy and other costs (non-ESRD/non-losartan) expected for patients with type 2 diabetes. Survival was estimated by weighting the life expectancies with and without ESRD by the cumulative risk of ESRD. Costs and outcomes were discounted by 3% per annum.

Results: We projected a lower lifetime incidence of ESRD for losartan patients (66%) compared with placebo patients (83%). This reduction in ESRD resulted in a decrease in cost associated with ESRD of $US31 803 per patient and a gain of 0.99 life-years per patient (0.70 discounted). After accounting for the cost of losartan and the additional cost associated with greater survival, we projected that treatment with losartan would result in a lifetime net saving of $US24 632 per patient.

Conclusion: Treatment with losartan plus CT in patients with type 2 diabetes and nephropathy reduced the within-trial incidence of ESRD and is projected to result in lifetime reductions in ESRD and associated costs, and increased survival, versus placebo.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by a research grant from Merck & Co., Inc.

G.W. Carides, E.J. Dasbach, W.F. Keane, W.C. Gerth and C.M. Alexander are employed by, and own stock in, Merck & Co., Inc.

S. Shahinfar was formerly employed by, and currently owns stock in, Merck & Co., Inc.

W.H. Herman has consulted with and received lecture fees from Merck & Co., Inc.

B.M. Brenner has received a research grant and consultancy fees from Merck & Co., Inc.

All authors made substantial contributions to the intellectual content of the paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co Inc., BL 2-3, Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, 19422, USA

    George W. Carides, Shahnaz Shahinfar, Erik J. Dasbach, William F. Keane, William C. Gerth & Charles M. Alexander

  2. Departments of Internal Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    William H. Herman

  3. Renal Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Barry M. Brenner

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  1. George W. Carides
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  2. Shahnaz Shahinfar
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  3. Erik J. Dasbach
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  4. William F. Keane
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  5. William C. Gerth
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  6. Charles M. Alexander
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  7. William H. Herman
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  8. Barry M. Brenner
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Correspondence to George W. Carides.

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Carides, G.W., Shahinfar, S., Dasbach, E.J. et al. The Impact of Losartan on the Lifetime Incidence of End-Stage Renal Disease and Costs in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Nephropathy. Pharmacoeconomics 24, 549–558 (2006). https://doi.org/10.2165/00019053-200624060-00003

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00019053-200624060-00003

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