IMPACT ON HEALTHCARE RESOURCE UTILIZATION, COSTS, AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FOLLOWING SODIUM ZIRCONIUM CYCLOSILICATE INITIATION IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERKALAEMIA IN SPAIN: THE VITALIZE STUDY
Author(s)
Juan Navarro-González, MD1, Francisco José Torres Calvo, MD2, Clara Jiménez Rubio, MD3, Margarita Capel Sanchez, MS4, Marta Castro Gasch, MS4, Isabel García, MS4, Miren Sequera Mutiozabal, PhD4, Ana Roncero, MSc4, Beatriz Seoane González, MD5.
1Complejo Hospitalario Nuestra Señora Candelaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, 2Hospital Universitario Costa del Sol, Málaga, Spain, Málaga, Spain, 3Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga, Spain, Málga, Spain, 4AstraZeneca, Madrid, Spain, 5Hospital Universitario de A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain, A Coruña, Spain.
1Complejo Hospitalario Nuestra Señora Candelaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, 2Hospital Universitario Costa del Sol, Málaga, Spain, Málaga, Spain, 3Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga, Spain, Málga, Spain, 4AstraZeneca, Madrid, Spain, 5Hospital Universitario de A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain, A Coruña, Spain.
OBJECTIVES: To assess evolution in healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), associated costs and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) following initiation of Sodium Zirconium Cyclosilicate (SZC) in patients with hyperkalaemia (HK) in Spain.
METHODS: VITALIZE was an observational, longitudinal, multicenter, retrospective study across 20 Spanish sites (Nephrology, Cardiology and Internal Medicine Departments). 232 adults with HK diagnosis and/or potassium ≥5.0 mEq/L at or before SZC initiation (index date) from May 2021 onward were included. The analysis included data on all-cause hospitalizations, emergency room (ER) visits and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admissions, as well as HK-related medical visits and treatments, across two time periods: 6 months before and during SZC treatment [median 12.6 months (IQR 7.03-23.95)]. GHG emission factors per HCRU were applied to estimate environmental impact. Treatment-related GHG emissions were not included because robust therapy-specific carbon footprint data were unavailable; analyses were therefore limited to HCRU-related emissions. A descriptive analysis was performed using annualized population-based rates per patient-year before and during SZC treatment. Unit costs and emission factors were based on relevant published literature from the perspective of the Spanish National Health System.
RESULTS: During SZC treatment, a 12.58% reduction in total annualized healthcare costs was observed, mainly reflected by cost reductions in ICU admissions (-€261.96 per patient/year; -33.51%), hospitalizations (-€2,306.79 per patient/year; -27.07%) and ER visits (-€84.84 per patient/year; -19.15%), resulting in estimated annual savings of €1,355.41 per patient. Accordingly, estimated GHG emissions associated with HCRU decreased from 413.98 to 317.00 kg CO₂e per patient/year after SZC initiation, resulting in an estimated GHG reduction of 96,980 kg CO₂e per 1,000 patients (-23.43%), equivalent to approximately 294 round-trip flights between Madrid and Vienna.
CONCLUSIONS: Reductions in hospitalizations, ICU admissions and ER visits, costs, and carbon emissions were observed after SZC initiation, highlighting the potential clinical and environmental value of optimized HK management.
METHODS: VITALIZE was an observational, longitudinal, multicenter, retrospective study across 20 Spanish sites (Nephrology, Cardiology and Internal Medicine Departments). 232 adults with HK diagnosis and/or potassium ≥5.0 mEq/L at or before SZC initiation (index date) from May 2021 onward were included. The analysis included data on all-cause hospitalizations, emergency room (ER) visits and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admissions, as well as HK-related medical visits and treatments, across two time periods: 6 months before and during SZC treatment [median 12.6 months (IQR 7.03-23.95)]. GHG emission factors per HCRU were applied to estimate environmental impact. Treatment-related GHG emissions were not included because robust therapy-specific carbon footprint data were unavailable; analyses were therefore limited to HCRU-related emissions. A descriptive analysis was performed using annualized population-based rates per patient-year before and during SZC treatment. Unit costs and emission factors were based on relevant published literature from the perspective of the Spanish National Health System.
RESULTS: During SZC treatment, a 12.58% reduction in total annualized healthcare costs was observed, mainly reflected by cost reductions in ICU admissions (-€261.96 per patient/year; -33.51%), hospitalizations (-€2,306.79 per patient/year; -27.07%) and ER visits (-€84.84 per patient/year; -19.15%), resulting in estimated annual savings of €1,355.41 per patient. Accordingly, estimated GHG emissions associated with HCRU decreased from 413.98 to 317.00 kg CO₂e per patient/year after SZC initiation, resulting in an estimated GHG reduction of 96,980 kg CO₂e per 1,000 patients (-23.43%), equivalent to approximately 294 round-trip flights between Madrid and Vienna.
CONCLUSIONS: Reductions in hospitalizations, ICU admissions and ER visits, costs, and carbon emissions were observed after SZC initiation, highlighting the potential clinical and environmental value of optimized HK management.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-11, ISPOR Europe 2026, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue 12S
Code
SA88
Topic
Economic Evaluation, Study Approaches
Disease
Cardiovascular Disorders (including MI, Stroke, Circulatory), No Additional Disease & Conditions/Specialized Treatment Areas