LAUSR

Introduction: Therapeutic options for treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) are rapidly developing, yet investigations into the medication price trends remain limited. The goal of this study is to analyze the cost and price trend of medications used to treat AD over time.Methods: Medication prices from November 2013 to July 2019 were analyzed using the National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) database. Systemic medication prices were calculated based on the recommended doses from AD guidelines for a 70kg patient for 6 months. Prices were calculated based on medication application to 25% of the body twice daily for 6 weeks.Results: The average costs of systemic immunosuppressants remained stable over 6 years compared to topical medications, which experienced a drastic price spike between 2013 and 2015. Among the systemic medications, cyclosporine-unmodified had the highest average cost ($2660) and azathioprine was the least expensive ($125). Among the topical medications, hydrocortisone had the lowest average cost ($41), whereas desonide ($1109) and tacrolimus 0.03% ($2480) had the highest average costs.Discussion: The costs of topical and systemic AD medications vary and are often volatile. Further investigations are needed to evaluate and compare the cost-effectiveness of traditional and emerging therapies for AD.