To compare the cost-effectiveness of treating AIDS patients with or without zidovudine. Study was conducted at Chulalongkorn Hospital. The samples of 110 HIV positive patients was divided into two groups; a study group of 66 patients who received zidovudine and a control group of 44 patients who did no receive zidovudine. Patients were assigned to the study or control group based upon matching criteria. The result of the study showed that the annual cost per case of zidovudine treatment group was 111,729 baht. The cost incurred by the provider was 1,234 baht (1.10%), and the cost incurred each consumer was 110,495 baht (98.90%).The average costs incurred by each consumer were zidovudine drug, 69,300 baht (62.72%), other drugs 3,244 baht (2.94%), laboratory cost, 9,534 baht (8.63%), X-rays cost, 768 baht (0.69%) and other cost, 27,647 baht (25.02%). The annual cost per case for patients in the control group without zidovudine treatment was 52,105 baht. The cost incurred by the provider was 1,591 baht (3.05%), and the average cost incurred by each consumer was 50,513 baht (96.95%). The average cost incurred by each consumer was drugs, 3,491 baht (6.77%), laboratory cost, 10,119 baht (20.03%), X-rays cost, 1,324 baht (2.62%) and others cost, 35,578 baht (70.43%). In terms of percentage effectiveness, zidovudine therapy help to delay the onset of AIDS in ARC group by 65.2%. One unit of effectiveness in delaying the progression of the HIV diseases cost 1,713 baht. The years of life saved in the treated group for one year of treatment was 16.06 man-yera. The cost per one man-year was 459,162 baht. The years of life saved when all the patients on the study group receive continuous treatment with zidovudine drug was 140.70 man-year. The cost per one man-year life saved in the study group was 671,357 baht. The life years gain when each patients received the drug for one year was 0.24 years and 2.13 man-year when is receipt of continuous treatment. Zidovudine drug decreased the opportunistic infection rate by 27.4%. The study can be conducted that the use of zidovudine therapy in AIDS patient is extremely expensive, particularly the cost of drugs.

M.Econ. จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย ปี 2537