TY - JOUR
T1 - Guillain-Barré syndrome: surveillance and cost of treatment strategies – Authors' reply
AU - Willison, Hugh J.
AU - Jacobs, Bart C.
AU - van Doorn, Pieter A.
PY - 2017/1/21
Y1 - 2017/1/21
N2 - We thank Eric Buenz and colleagues for their comments on the treatment of Guillain-Barré syndrome. On the basis of evidence that intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) and plasma exchange (PLEX) are equally efficacious in treating Guillain-Barré syndrome, we suggested that—because of the high costs of IVIg—PLEX should be considered as first-line therapy especially in resource-constrained environments. We agree that rising health-care costs are also relevant in resource-rich countries like Canada and Australia. In this respect, there are several relevant issues in the decision to treat Guillain-Barré syndrome with PLEX or IVIg. [...]
AB - We thank Eric Buenz and colleagues for their comments on the treatment of Guillain-Barré syndrome. On the basis of evidence that intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIg) and plasma exchange (PLEX) are equally efficacious in treating Guillain-Barré syndrome, we suggested that—because of the high costs of IVIg—PLEX should be considered as first-line therapy especially in resource-constrained environments. We agree that rising health-care costs are also relevant in resource-rich countries like Canada and Australia. In this respect, there are several relevant issues in the decision to treat Guillain-Barré syndrome with PLEX or IVIg. [...]
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85009892741&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30055-7
DO - 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30055-7
M3 - Comment/Letter to the editor
C2 - 28118915
AN - SCOPUS:85009892741
SN - 0140-6736
VL - 389
SP - 253
EP - 254
JO - The Lancet
JF - The Lancet
IS - 10066
ER -