Table 2.

Comparison of cost for rasburicase and allopurinol/sodium bicarbonate

Drug	Average dose per day	Maximum duration	Cost per day*	Cost of 5 days of therapy
Allopurinol sodium (intravenous)	300 mg	NA	$473.89	$2369.45
Oral allopurinol	600 mg	NA	$0.28	$1.40
Sodium bicarbonate intravenous (90 mEq)‡	4000 ml (rate, 150–200 mL/h)	NA	$0.74	$29.60
Rasburicase	13.5 mg‡ (based on 0.2 mg/kg for 70-kg patient)	5 days	$2724.84	$13, 624.20

NA indicates not applicable.

*Cost is based on Baylor University Medical Center's pharmacy acquisition cost.

†Mixed with 1000-mL dextrose 5% in water (D5W). The cost figures given exclude the D5W bag.

‡Dose is rounded to the nearest vial size.