OBJECTIVES : Iron is necessary for essential bodily functions, and iron deficiency significantly reduces quality of life and aggravates several diseases. Iron deficiency can be effectively treated with intravenous iron (IVI). This study aims to investigate the preferences among the general Chinese population for different IVI treatment options regarding frequency, infusion duration and risk of serious long-term side effects.

METHODS : Respondents from the general population were presented with 5 (of 7 total) health states representing varying infusion frequencies (1, 2, 5 or 7 infusions on separate days per yearly treatment cycle), infusion duration (15-30 or 30-60 minutes) and risk of serious long-term side effects (0 or 1/1,000), corresponding to treatment regimens for commonly used IVIs. To elicit utility values for each health state, the time-trade-off (TTO) method was applied. Respondents were repeatedly asked to “trade off” a portion of their remaining lifespan for perfect health until the point of indifference. A utility value was assigned to each health state based on the individual responses.

RESULTS : 1,091 respondents (≥18 years old) completed e-surveys. Respondents preferred fewer infusions per treatment cycle, assigning a utility decrease of 0.017 (p<0.001), 0.022 (p<0.001) and 0.039 (p<0.001), respectively to 2, 5 and 7 infusions vs. 1 infusion; no risk of serious long-term side effects, assigning a utility decrease of 0.016 (p=0.002) to a 1/1,000 risk vs. 0 risk; and shorter infusion duration, assigning a utility decrease of 0.008 (p=0.052) to 30-60 minutes vs. 15-30 minutes. Health states including only one infusion per treatment cycle with no risk of serious long-term side effects were preferred over other health states.

CONCLUSIONS : This study suggests that infusion frequency and the risk of serious long-term side effects significantly impact health-related quality of life. This insight could be used in cost-effectiveness models when comparing different options for treatment of iron deficiency.