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Background: Pricing of drugs plays a very important role in a developing country like India especially in the management of chronic conditions. There exists a huge price variation among the different brands of the same drug. Hence this study was planned to find out variation in prices of antipsychotic drugs marketed in India. The objective was to compare the percentage price variation and cost ratio of various formulations of oral and parenteral antipsychotic drugs available in the Indian market.Methods: Cost of oral and parenteral antipsychotic drugs available in the Indian market manufactured by different companies, in the same strength, number and dosage form was obtained from http://www.medguideindia.com. The percentage price variation and cost ratio of each formulation was calculated.Results: Among the typical group of antipsychotic drugs, Tab Haloperidol 0.25mg shows maximum price variation of 650% and a cost ratio of 7.5 followed by Tab Trifluoperazine 1mg having a price variation of 555.5% and a cost ratio of 6.55. Among the atypical group of drugs, tab Risperidone 3mg shows a price variation of 2282.35% with a cost ratio of 23.82 followed by Tab Risperidone 4mg with a price variation of 1976.92 % and a cost ratio of 20.76.Conclusions: There is a wide variation between the minimum and maximum cost among the different brands of the same drug in the same formulations. Combined efforts are needed from the regulatory authorities, pharmaceutical companies, physicians and pharmacist towards controlling the prices and attaining maximum economic benefits for the patient.

Background: Nasal and non-nasal symptoms in allergic rhinitis (AR) can be assessed by measuring health related quality of life (HRQOL). Present study was to assess the impact of use of antihistaminic in AR which will affect the work productivity, sleep, frequent visits to health care professional and expenditure on medicines. For this evaluation, Rhinoconjuctivits Quality Of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) has been used.Methods: In this study 52 patients with AR were randomized in an open-label, 4-arm, parallel group, single center study. Questionnaire information was obtained about allergy-related RQLQ. Subjects received either Tablet Cetirizine 5 mg, Levocetirizine 5 mg, Loratidine 5 mg or Fexofenadine 120 mg. Changes from baseline until the end of study visit (1 week following) were evaluated by RQLQ.Results: When compared between treatment groups using one-way ANOVA it was observed that there is no variation in RQLQ overall Score in all the four treatment groups and there is no difference from treatment to treatment. Overall RQLQ score was reduced maximum in Levocetirizine group. Individual symptoms of RQLQ that is sleep score, non-hay fever, practical problem, nasal symptom score, Eye symptom Score, activities Score, and emotion score were also improved in the Levocetirizine group.Conclusions: Patients of all four study groups showed an improved perception of their HRQL according to the RQLQ. Significant improvements are reported in nasal symptoms, daily activities, sleep and psychological impact. Our results provide support for an AR and its impact on quality of life. Our recommendation stipulating that levocetirizine is superior to rest drug group for the treatment of AR with safety and tolerability.

Background: The study was done with the objective to study whether the physician’s global evaluation of the consultation corelates with patient’s self-evaluation to patient outcome concerning symptom relief of nasal congestion by using visual analogue scale.Methods: A total of 52 patients completed a visual analogue score questionnaire presented at the consultation. 52 patients were reached in a seven days follow-up after the consultation. Patient’s outcome measures conducted at MIMER Medical College and Dr. Bhausaheb Sardesai Hospital in rural Maval Taluka in Pune district of Maharashtra state.Results: Physician’s self-evaluation of the consultation was much more strongly associated with outcome than the patient’s evaluation.Conclusions: The difference between the physician’s and patient’s evaluation of the consultation to predict patient outcomes indicates that the physician’s self-evaluation of the consultation is of importance.

Background: This study was to assess the usefulness of nasal smear as a quick, easy and inexpensive diagnostic method for allergic rhinitis and for assessment of the cost effectiveness of antihistaminics.Methods: This study was conducted in rural setting of tertiary care hospital. Nasal smears were taken from 52 patients with a clinical history of nasal allergy having nasal congestion score of at least 3 or more. Nasal smears were stained with Hematoxilin-Eosin and examined by pathologists.Results: A total of 52 patients 13 in each groups of the age group 18 to 65 years (Mean age, 33.73±10.23 years); 48.08% are Female and 51.92% are Male were randomized and received either Cetirizine, Levocetirizine, Loratadine, or Fexofenadine over a period of one week. The association of eosinophil before and after the treatment was obtained using logistic regression analysis for each treatment separately. Eosinophil is marginally associated with Cetirizine before and after treatment.Conclusions: Evaluation of eosinophils in nasal smear is an insensitive but cheaper test for the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis and use as a simple tool for comparison of cost effectiveness among commonly used oral antihistaminics. pharmacoeconomic analysis of present comparative clinical study shows that cetirizine is a better choice in comparison with levocetrizine, loratidine and fexofenadine due to its cost effectiveness.