COST-UTILITY ANALYSIS OF SUBCUTANEOUS VERSUS INTRAVENOUS IMMUNOGLOBULIN
Author(s)
Stephen Membe, BA(Hon), MDE, Health economist, Chuong Ho, MD, Researcher officer, Karen Cimon, MSc, Research Assitant, Andra Morrison, BSc, Information specialist Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), Ottawa, ON, Canada
Objective: Immunoglobulin replacement is standard therapy that prevents/controls infectious complications caused by primary immunodeficiency disorders especially common variable immunodeficiency and X-linked agammaglobulinemia. In Canada, the therapy is administered intravenously (IVIg) at hospital, whereas in some European countries it is administered subcutaneously (SCIg) at home and intravenously at home/hospital. Canadian Blood Service is considering establishing SCIg as an alternative to IVIg. Concerns over increasing healthcare costs raise questions about its cost-effectiveness. The present study is intended to estimate cost effectiveness of SCIg against hospital-IVIg and hypothetical home-IVIg from Canada's public healthcare payer perspective. Methods: A Markov decision-analytical model for hypothetical patients in 12-month therapy was used to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) for SCIg compared with hospital-IVIg and home-IVIg. Serious adverse events, mortality, number and severity of infections were considered. Results: SCIg dominates (greater benefits at lesser costs) hospital-IVIg and produces an incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) of CND$39,500/QALY when compared to home-IVIg. ICER is sensitive to changes in utility of infection, hospital charges, and infusion materials Conclusion: SCIg appears to be the most cost-effective intervention if decision makers are willing to pay CND$39,500/QALY. Therefore, it could be gradually established as an alternative to patients who are willing and clinically suitable to switch. Uncertainty in the available comparative clinical effectiveness warrants a reliable comparative clinical study.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2008-05, ISPOR 2008, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Value in Health, Vol. 11, No. 3 (May/June 2008)
Code
PSY34
Topic
Economic Evaluation
Topic Subcategory
Cost-comparison, Effectiveness, Utility, Benefit Analysis
Disease
Systemic Disorders/Conditions