OBJECTIVES: Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) constitute a public health crisis affecting the US aging population and society The pharmacological managements of Alzheimer’s disease include two symptomatic approaches: The inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and the inhibition of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. Primarily this study aims to assess the economic evaluation literature of treating ADRD. The secondary aim is to compare the model structure and input parameters.

METHODS: We conducted an overview of systematic reviews according to the PRISMA extension statement for health care interventions. Literatures were searched using Cochrane Library, Embase, and PubMed databases from 1/1/2012 – 12/5/2022, for systematic reviews documenting economics evaluations of pharmacological treatment for ADRD key search terms. All articles were screened for title and abstract relevance by two authors, independently. Discrepancies in study selection were resolved by discussion and consultation with an independent investigator. Selected articles were subject to full-text screening. The quality checks were performed using Drummond and Philips checklists. Systematic reviews were included only if population were ADRD, interventions were pharmacological, study design as SLR or MA on CEA or CUA, outcomes for the effect were QALY or LYs and the criteria score was at least 50%.

RESULTS: Eight systematic reviews assessing studies on economic evaluation of treating ADRD were included. Three Cost effectiveness studies, one cost utility, two studies measuring quality of life as health outcome measure, and one was focusing on measuring the impact of social cost of ICER. Reviews were similar regarding their purpose, however different in objective statements and interventions compared. The sample sizes of the systematic reviews ranged between 455 and 4. Systematic reviews originated from United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain. one review was conducted over 4 years, and another review covered 22 years.

CONCLUSIONS: The study suggested that state-transition model type would be appropriate for modeling economic evaluation of treating ADRD.