Table 4

Total costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) over the 2-year follow-up period

Tapering csDMARD firstTapering TNF-inhibitor first
Total costs€38 833 (€39 616)€39 442 (€47 271)
Total healthcare costs*€22 484 (€8069)€13 616 (€9162)
 Medication*€19 858 (€7343)€10 648 (€8642)
 Medical consumption€2297 (€1684)€2393 (€1775)
 Hospitalisation€330 (€1319)€575 (€2305)
Total productivity costs€16 349 (€38 277)€25 826 (€46 289)
 Absenteeism€17 581 (€39 576)€23 577 (€45 382)
 Presenteeism€3290 (€9952)€4777 (€14 620)
QALYs (EQ-5D, AUC), mean (SD)1.64 (0.22)1.65 (0.22)
  • All values are indicated as mean (SD).

  • *p<0.0001 (linear regression adjusted for stratified randomisation).

  • AUC, area under the curve; csDMARDs, conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs; EQ-5D, EuroQol questionnaire with 5 dimensions; ; TNF, tumour necrosis factor.