[Cost analysis of tumor-induced osteolysis treated with intravenous zoledronic acid and pamidronate: a time-motion study].

A time-motion study was performed by evaluating time and use of medical supply resources in the administration of zoledronic acid and pamidronate as palliative care of tumor-induced osteolysis within the clinical setting of three Italian oncology day-hospital sites. The direct medical costs were similar for both treatments (Euro 226 for zoledronic acid versus Euro 231 for pamidronate). With the exclusion of the pharmacological therapy, most of the difference in costs derives from nurses' labor costs, which is related to the longer infusion time for pamidronate (1 h, 47 min versus 28 min for zoledronic acid).