Evaluation of the pharmacoeconomics of drugs used for the treatment of long-term complications of sulfur mustard
Sulfur Mustard (SM), a cytotoxic vesicant chemical warfare agent, has powerful irritant and blistering effects on the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. Since during the Iraq-Iran war, many Iranian soldiers and civilians were exposed to SM, there are several victims still suffering from long-term cut...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PAGEPress Publications
2016-08-01
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| Series: | Italian Journal of Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.italjmed.org/index.php/ijm/article/view/743 |
| _version_ | 1827615764302004224 |
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| author | Yunes Panahi Mostafa Ghanei Milad Vakili Zarch Zohreh Poursaleh Shahram Parvin Ramin Rezaee Amirhossein Sahebkar |
| author_facet | Yunes Panahi Mostafa Ghanei Milad Vakili Zarch Zohreh Poursaleh Shahram Parvin Ramin Rezaee Amirhossein Sahebkar |
| author_sort | Yunes Panahi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sulfur Mustard (SM), a cytotoxic vesicant chemical warfare agent, has powerful irritant and blistering effects on the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. Since during the Iraq-Iran war, many Iranian soldiers and civilians were exposed to SM, there are several victims still suffering from long-term cutaneous, ocular and pulmonary complications. Currently, there is no definite treatment for long-term complications of SM, and only supportive medical care is being taken to minimize the symptoms. In this study, we compared the cost-effectiveness of common drugs that are used against long-term SM-induced complications in Iranian patients. In this review article, electronic databases were checked using the following key words: sulfur mustard, lung, skin, eye, cost-effectiveness, pharmacoeconomics and treatment. Abstracts of non-English papers and proceedings of congresses on SM were also assessed. Among the studied drugs, high-dose oral N-acetyl cysteine and long-acting inhaled corticosteroids against respiratory complications, topical corticosteroids and oral antihistamines against cutaneous complications and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids ophthalmic drops against ocular complications were found to be cost-effective. Usage of different drugs in the treatment of SM injuries in Iran, have imposed a significant economic burden to patients and their families because many drugs that are effective against chemical injuries are not covered by insurance. In addition, the development of more effective drugs in this field is considered as an urgent demand that should be noticed by the pharmaceutical industry. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:15:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f34a6a8cd18b41579b369c45011413c4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1877-9344 1877-9352 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T09:15:21Z |
| publishDate | 2016-08-01 |
| publisher | PAGEPress Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Italian Journal of Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-f34a6a8cd18b41579b369c45011413c42023-12-02T07:12:09ZengPAGEPress PublicationsItalian Journal of Medicine1877-93441877-93522016-08-0111210211310.4081/itjm.2016.743570Evaluation of the pharmacoeconomics of drugs used for the treatment of long-term complications of sulfur mustardYunes Panahi0Mostafa Ghanei1Milad Vakili Zarch2Zohreh Poursaleh3Shahram Parvin4Ramin Rezaee5Amirhossein Sahebkar6Chemical Injuries Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, TehranChemical Injuries Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, TehranSchool of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, IsfahanChemical Injuries Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, TehranChemical Injuries Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, TehranDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, BojnurdBiotechnology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, MashhadSulfur Mustard (SM), a cytotoxic vesicant chemical warfare agent, has powerful irritant and blistering effects on the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. Since during the Iraq-Iran war, many Iranian soldiers and civilians were exposed to SM, there are several victims still suffering from long-term cutaneous, ocular and pulmonary complications. Currently, there is no definite treatment for long-term complications of SM, and only supportive medical care is being taken to minimize the symptoms. In this study, we compared the cost-effectiveness of common drugs that are used against long-term SM-induced complications in Iranian patients. In this review article, electronic databases were checked using the following key words: sulfur mustard, lung, skin, eye, cost-effectiveness, pharmacoeconomics and treatment. Abstracts of non-English papers and proceedings of congresses on SM were also assessed. Among the studied drugs, high-dose oral N-acetyl cysteine and long-acting inhaled corticosteroids against respiratory complications, topical corticosteroids and oral antihistamines against cutaneous complications and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids ophthalmic drops against ocular complications were found to be cost-effective. Usage of different drugs in the treatment of SM injuries in Iran, have imposed a significant economic burden to patients and their families because many drugs that are effective against chemical injuries are not covered by insurance. In addition, the development of more effective drugs in this field is considered as an urgent demand that should be noticed by the pharmaceutical industry.http://www.italjmed.org/index.php/ijm/article/view/743Sulfur mustardlungskineye, cost-effectivenesstreatmentpharmacoeconomics. |
| spellingShingle | Yunes Panahi Mostafa Ghanei Milad Vakili Zarch Zohreh Poursaleh Shahram Parvin Ramin Rezaee Amirhossein Sahebkar Evaluation of the pharmacoeconomics of drugs used for the treatment of long-term complications of sulfur mustard Italian Journal of Medicine Sulfur mustard lung skin eye, cost-effectiveness treatment pharmacoeconomics. |
| title | Evaluation of the pharmacoeconomics of drugs used for the treatment of long-term complications of sulfur mustard |
| title_full | Evaluation of the pharmacoeconomics of drugs used for the treatment of long-term complications of sulfur mustard |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of the pharmacoeconomics of drugs used for the treatment of long-term complications of sulfur mustard |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of the pharmacoeconomics of drugs used for the treatment of long-term complications of sulfur mustard |
| title_short | Evaluation of the pharmacoeconomics of drugs used for the treatment of long-term complications of sulfur mustard |
| title_sort | evaluation of the pharmacoeconomics of drugs used for the treatment of long term complications of sulfur mustard |
| topic | Sulfur mustard lung skin eye, cost-effectiveness treatment pharmacoeconomics. |
| url | http://www.italjmed.org/index.php/ijm/article/view/743 |
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