100% WHEY PEPTIDE-BASED FORMULAS COMPARED TO POLYMERIC ENTERAL NUTRITION AMONG CHILDREN RECEIVING HOME ENTERAL NUTRITION: A COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS
Author(s)
Douglas Nguyen, MD1, Morteza Yazdani, PhD2, Amarsinh Desai, PhD3, Yannick Walzer, BSc4, Sebastian Krenberger, MSc4, Stefan Walzer, PhD4;
1Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA, 2Nestlé Health Science, Lausanne, Switzerland, 3Nestlé Health Science, Bridgewater, NJ, USA, 4MArS Market Access & Pricing Strategy GmbH, Weil am Rhein, Germany
1Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA, 2Nestlé Health Science, Lausanne, Switzerland, 3Nestlé Health Science, Bridgewater, NJ, USA, 4MArS Market Access & Pricing Strategy GmbH, Weil am Rhein, Germany
OBJECTIVES: 100% whey peptide-based formulas (100%-WP) for home enteral nutrition (HEN) are vital for children with malabsorption due to gastrointestinal dysfunction. 100%-WP are known for their digestibility, their health economic implications in pediatrics care remain unclear. This cost-benefit analysis compares 100%-WP with polymeric based formulas (PF) among pediatric patients receiving HEN as sole source of calorie intake.
METHODS: A health economic model using cost-benefit analysis based on LaVallee et al. (2021) was conducted among pediatric patients (1-<18 years old), from US healthcare system perspective over a 12-month period. Data were normalized to 1,000 patients. Hospital costs, length of stay, outpatient visits, and associated costs were analyzed, deriving cost data from publicly available sources.
RESULTS: Differences in clinical outcomes, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs were observed between 100%-WP and PF. 100%-WP reduced hospital admissions by 371 per 1,000 patients compared to PF, with an average annual decrease in length of stay of 12 days per patient across all stays. Total costs per patient per year were $134,782 for 100%-WP and $155,567 for PF. For 1,000 patients, this resulted in total annual cost savings of $20,784,106 with 100%-WP versus PF. 100%-WP increased nutrition costs per patient but substantially reduced inpatient hospital costs from $132,029 (PF) to $99,066 (100%-WP). Outpatient visits were slightly higher for 100%-WP, with 7 visits per 1,000 patients less for PF. Additionally, the decline in healthcare facility usage maybe due to decreased gastrointestinal intolerance frequency with 100%-WP showing 16.6% reduction in such events and 166 fewer incidents for every 1,000 patients treated, compared to PF. Base case results were confirmed by subanalyses with different calorie requirements.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite higher product costs, 100%-WP formulas provide substantial benefits compared to polymeric peptide-based formulas in a pediatric population receiving HEN, offering improved clinical outcomes, reduced HCRU and considerable cost savings for patients and healthcare system.
METHODS: A health economic model using cost-benefit analysis based on LaVallee et al. (2021) was conducted among pediatric patients (1-<18 years old), from US healthcare system perspective over a 12-month period. Data were normalized to 1,000 patients. Hospital costs, length of stay, outpatient visits, and associated costs were analyzed, deriving cost data from publicly available sources.
RESULTS: Differences in clinical outcomes, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and costs were observed between 100%-WP and PF. 100%-WP reduced hospital admissions by 371 per 1,000 patients compared to PF, with an average annual decrease in length of stay of 12 days per patient across all stays. Total costs per patient per year were $134,782 for 100%-WP and $155,567 for PF. For 1,000 patients, this resulted in total annual cost savings of $20,784,106 with 100%-WP versus PF. 100%-WP increased nutrition costs per patient but substantially reduced inpatient hospital costs from $132,029 (PF) to $99,066 (100%-WP). Outpatient visits were slightly higher for 100%-WP, with 7 visits per 1,000 patients less for PF. Additionally, the decline in healthcare facility usage maybe due to decreased gastrointestinal intolerance frequency with 100%-WP showing 16.6% reduction in such events and 166 fewer incidents for every 1,000 patients treated, compared to PF. Base case results were confirmed by subanalyses with different calorie requirements.
CONCLUSIONS: Despite higher product costs, 100%-WP formulas provide substantial benefits compared to polymeric peptide-based formulas in a pediatric population receiving HEN, offering improved clinical outcomes, reduced HCRU and considerable cost savings for patients and healthcare system.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-05, ISPOR 2026, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue S6
Code
EE36
Topic
Economic Evaluation
Disease
SDC: Pediatrics, STA: Nutrition