Transferability of economic evaluations across jurisdictions: ISPOR Good Research Practices Task Force report

Perils and pitfalls for evaluating economic studies in neonatology

Health care economics has become an essential topic for all clinicians. Rising health care costs and continued limited resources force hospitals, health networks, and payers to make difficult choices. Economic studies range from those that only focus on costs to those that include costs and outcomes in a single metric, allowing for an assessment of incremental benefit gained from the incremental investment made. This article takes a step by step approach to interpreting the results of an economic evaluation, allowing the reader to critically appraise the results and to understand the implications for their specific patient population.

Pharmacoeconomic Analysis of Sitagliptin/Metformin for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Cost-Effectiveness Study

OBJECTIVES

To assess the cost-effectiveness and cost utility of sitagliptin/metformin for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus compared to those of glibenclamide/metformin in a semiprivate hospital and to compare the cost-effectiveness and cost utility of sitagliptin/metformin in a semiprivate hospital to those in the public health system (PHS) of Ecuador in 2019.

METHODS

A cost-effectiveness study considering the probability of cardiovascular death as the outcome and quality-adjusted life-year as a measure of utility, estimating direct medical costs in US dollars by a model case from the perspective of the third payer. The results will be presented as an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. One-way and 2-way sensitivity analyses with tornado diagrams were performed.

RESULTS

Direct medical costs were lower at the hospital than from the PHS in Ecuador. Considering the drugs metformin/sitagliptin, the total cost was $35.69 less in the hospital ($880.38) than from the comparator ($916.07). The highest percentage of direct medical costs corresponded to drugs (between 63.94% and 84.65%). An ICER of -$19 131.61 was obtained at the Hospital Un Canto a la Vida and -$1621.85 at PHS. In addition, the cost per quality-adjusted life-year earned was $611.11. Sensitivity analysis showed that the probability of drug use and the relative risk of cardiovascular death associated with such prescription were parameters that most affected the model.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination therapy metformin/sitagliptin compared to metformin/glibenclamide was shown not to be cost-effective in the Hospital Un Canto a la Vida, and highly cost-effective in the PHS.

Economic Burden of Urinary Tract Infections From Antibiotic-Resistant Escherichia coli Among Hospitalized Adult Patients in Lebanon: A Prospective Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

The rising incidence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) attributable to Escherichia coli resistant isolates is becoming a serious public health concern. Although global rates of infection vary considerably by region, the growing prevalence of this uropathogen has been associated with a high economic burden and health strain. This study aims: (1) to estimate the differences in clinical and economic outcomes between 2 groups of adult hospitalized patients with UTIs from E. coli resistant and susceptible bacteria and (2) to investigate drivers of this cost from a payer's perspective.

METHODS

A prospective multicenter cohort study was conducted in 10 hospitals in Lebanon. The cost analysis followed a bottom-up microcosting approach; a linear regression was constructed to evaluate the predictors of hospitalization costs and a Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the impact of resistance on length of stay (LOS) and in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

Out of 467 inpatients, 250 cases were because of resistant E. coli isolates. Results showed that patients with resistant uropathogens had 29% higher mean total hospitalization costs ($3429 vs $2651; P = .004), and an extended median LOS (6 days vs 5 days; P = .020) compared with susceptible cohorts. The selection of resistant bacteria and the Charlson comorbidity index predicted higher total hospitalization costs and in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSION

In an era of increased pressure for cost containment, this study showed the burden of treating UTIs resulting from resistant bacteria. The results can inform cost-effectiveness analyses that intend to evaluate the benefit of a national action plan aimed at decreasing the impact of antibiotic resistance.

A Test-and-Not-Treat Strategy for Onchocerciasis Elimination in Loa loa-coendemic Areas: Cost Analysis of a Pilot in the Soa Health District, Cameroon

Background

Severe adverse events after treatment with ivermectin in individuals with high levels of Loa loa microfilariae in the blood preclude onchocerciasis elimination through community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) in Central Africa. We measured the cost of a community-based pilot using a test-and-not-treat (TaNT) strategy in the Soa health district in Cameroon.

Methods

Based on actual expenditures, we empirically estimated the economic cost of the Soa TaNT campaign, including financial costs and opportunity costs that will likely be borne by control programs and stakeholders in the future. In addition to the empirical analyses, we estimated base-case, less intensive, and more intensive resource use scenarios to explore how costs might differ if TaNT were implemented programmatically.

Results

The total costs of US$283 938 divided by total population, people tested, and people treated with 42% coverage were US$4.0, US$9.2, and US$9.5, respectively. In programmatic implementation, these costs (base-case estimates with less and more intensive scenarios) could be US$2.2 ($1.9–$3.6), US$5.2 ($4.5–$8.3), and US$5.4 ($4.6–$8.6), respectively.

Conclusions

TaNT clearly provides a safe strategy for large-scale ivermectin treatment and overcomes a major obstacle to the elimination of onchocerciasis in areas coendemic for Loa loa. Although it is more expensive than standard CDTI, costs vary depending on the setting, the implementation choices made by the institutions involved, and the community participation rate. Research on the required duration of TaNT is needed to improve the affordability assessment, and more experience is needed to understand how to implement TaNT optimally.

Assessing the Impact of EQ-5D Country-specific Value Sets on Cost-utility Outcomes

PURPOSE

To assess the impact of EQ-5D country-specific value sets on cost-utility outcomes.

METHODS

Data from 2 randomized controlled trials on low back pain (LBP) and depression were used. 3L value sets were identified from the EuroQol Web site. A nonparametric crosswalk was employed for each tariff to obtain the likely 5L values. Differences in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) between countries were tested using paired t tests, with United Kingdom as reference. Cost-utility outcomes were estimated for both studies and both EQ-5D versions, including differences in QALYs and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves.

RESULTS

For the 3L, QALYs ranged between 0.650 (Taiwan) and 0.892 (United States) in the LBP study and between 0.619 (Taiwan) and 0.879 (United States) in the depression study. In both studies, most country-specific QALY estimates differed statistically significantly from that of the United Kingdom. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios ranged between &OV0556;2044/QALY (Taiwan) and &OV0556;5897/QALY (Zimbabwe) in the LBP study and between &OV0556;38,287/QALY (Singapore) and &OV0556;96,550/QALY (Japan) in the depression study. At the NICE threshold of &OV0556;23,300/QALY (≈£20,000/QALY), the intervention's probability of being cost-effective versus control ranged between 0.751 (Zimbabwe) and 0.952 (Taiwan) and between 0.230 (Canada) and 0.396 (Singapore) in the LBP study and depression study, respectively. Similar results were found for the 5L, with extensive differences in ICERs and moderate differences in the probability of cost-effectiveness.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicates that the use of different EQ-5D country-specific value sets impacts on cost-utility outcomes. Therefore, to account for the fact that health state preferences are affected by sociocultural differences, relevant country-specific value sets should be used.

Economic Evaluation of Senshio® (Ospemifene) for the Treatment of Vulvovaginal Atrophy in Scotland

BACKGROUND

Local oestrogens, the current treatment for vulvar and vaginal atrophy (VVA), are not suitable for all women. Standard of care (SoC) consists of over-the-counter lubricants and moisturisers. Senshio^® (ospemifene) provides a treatment option for postmenopausal women who are not candidates for local vaginal oestrogen therapy who would otherwise have an unmet clinical need.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of ospemifene, a selective oestrogen receptor modulator, for the treatment of moderate to severe symptomatic VVA in postmenopausal women who are not candidates for local vaginal oestrogen therapy.

METHODS

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) recently evaluated the clinical and cost-effectiveness evidence of ospemifene plus SoC compared with SoC alone. A cost-effectiveness study, from a National Health Service (NHS) Scotland perspective over a lifetime time horizon, was submitted to the SMC. The cohort-based Markov model used robust clinical evidence from two large pivotal phase III randomised controlled studies and included four health states classified by dyspareunia symptom severity: none, mild, moderate and severe. The movement of women between health states was dependent on the effectiveness of treatment in reducing dyspareunia. Extensive sensitivity analyses were undertaken to assess the level of confidence associated with the base-case results.

RESULTS

Treatment with ospemifene was associated with an additional cost of £847 per patient and an increase in quality-adjusted life-years (QALY) of 0.06 per patient. Ospemifene had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of £14,138 per QALY. In the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, there was a probability of 89% that ospemifene was cost-effective at a threshold of £20,000 per QALY gained. Ospemifene remained cost-effective under all scenario analyses. The SMC reviewed the clinical and economic evidence and judged that the evidence demonstrated a robust case to support prescribing ospemifene in NHS Scotland.

CONCLUSION

Ospemifene is a cost-effective intervention that has recently been accepted by the SMC for the treatment of postmenopausal women with moderate to severe VVA who are not candidates for local oestrogen.

Cost-Effectiveness of Saxagliptin Compared With Glibenclamide as a Second-Line Therapy Added to Metformin for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Ethiopia

Background. Metformin is a widely accepted first-line pharmacotherapy for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Treatment of T2DM with glibenclamide, saxagliptin, or one of the other second-line treatment agents is recommended when the first-line treatment (metformin) cannot control the disease. However, there is little evidence on the additional cost and cost-effectiveness of adding second-line drugs. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of saxagliptin and glibenclamide as second-line therapies added to metformin compared with metformin only in T2DM in Ethiopia. Methods. This cost-effectiveness study was conducted in Ethiopia using a mix of primary data on cost and best available data from the literature on the effectiveness. We measured the interventions' cost from the providers' perspective in 2019 US dollars. We developed a Markov model for T2DM disease progression with five health states using TreeAge Pro 2020 software. Disability-adjusted life year (DALY) was the health outcome used in this study, and we calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per DALY averted. Furthermore, one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed. Results. The annual unit cost per patient was US$70 for metformin, US$75 for metformin + glibenclamide, and US$309 for metformin + saxagliptin. The ICER for saxagliptin + metformin was US$2259 per DALY averted. The ICER results were sensitive to various changes in cost, effectiveness, and transition probabilities. The ICER was driven primarily by the higher cost of saxagliptin relative to glibenclamide. Conclusion. Our study revealed that saxagliptin is not a cost-effective second-line therapy in patients with T2DM inadequately controlled by metformin monotherapy based on a gross domestic product per capita per DALY averted willingness-to-pay threshold in Ethiopia (US$953).

A Meta-Regression Analysis of Utility Weights for Breast Cancer: The Power of Patients' Experience

To summarize utility estimates of breast cancer and to assess the relative impacts of study characteristics on predicting breast cancer utilities. We searched Medline, Embase, RISS, and KoreaMed from January 1996 to April 2019 to find literature reporting utilities for breast cancer. Thirty-five articles were identified, reporting 224 utilities. A hierarchical linear model was used to conduct a meta-regression that included disease stages, assessment methods, respondent type, age of the respondents, and scale bounds as explanatory variables. The utility for early and late-stage breast cancer, as estimated by using the time-tradeoff with the scales anchored by death to perfect health with non-patients, were 0.742 and 0.525, respectively. The severity of breast cancer, assessment method, and respondent type were significant predictors of utilities, but the age of the respondents and bounds of the scale were not. Patients who experienced the health states valued 0.142 higher than did non-patients (P <0.001). Besides the disease stage, the respondent type had the highest impact on breast cancer utility.

What next after GDP-based cost-effectiveness thresholds?

Public payers around the world are increasingly using cost-effectiveness thresholds (CETs) to assess the value-for-money of an intervention and make coverage decisions. However, there is still much confusion about the meaning and uses of the CET, how it should be calculated, and what constitutes an adequate evidence base for its formulation. One widely referenced and used threshold in the last decade has been the 1-3 GDP per capita, which is often attributed to the Commission on Macroeconomics and  WHO guidelines on Choosing Interventions that are Cost Effective (WHO-CHOICE). For many reasons, however, this threshold has been widely criticised; which has led experts across the world, including the WHO, to discourage its use. This has left a vacuum for policy-makers and technical staff at a time when countries are wanting to move towards Universal Health Coverage .

This article seeks to address this gap by offering five practical options for decision-makers in low- and middle-income countries that can be used instead of the 1-3 GDP rule, to combine existing evidence with fair decision-rules or develop locally relevant CETs. It builds on existing literature as well as an engagement with a group of experts and decision-makers working in low, middle and high income countries.

Interventions to improve medication adherence in mental health: the update of a systematic review of cost-effectiveness

OBJECTIVE

Medication non-adherence in mental health problems has social and economic costs. The objective of the study was to review the cost-effectiveness of interventions to enhance medication adherence in patients with mental health problems.

METHODS

The update of a previous systematic review was performed. Databases were searched in June 2019: MEDLINE, PSYCINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, CRD, WOS. Cost-effectiveness studies comparing an intervention to improve the medication adherence with other interventions/usual care in adults with mental health problems were included. Data were extracted, methodological quality of the studies was assessed and a narrative synthesis was performed.

RESULTS

Nine studies were included in the review. The interventions that showed medication adherence increase were: a financial incentive when depot injection was taken by patients with psychotic disorders, a value-based benefit design policy including copayment and counselling in a company setting, and a medication treatment decision supported by a pharmacogenetic test. The other studies (coaching by pharmacists; a psychological and educational intervention at health care centres) did not find differences between groups. No study found cost differences between alternatives.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions to improve medication adherence in adults with mental health problems could be cost-effective, especially those based on financial incentives, although more research is needed. KEYPOINTS There are several types of interventions designed to enhance medication adherence in patients with mental health problems. Few of them have demonstrated cost-effectiveness. Two studies found that a financial incentive per depot injection in patients with psychotic disorders improved the medication adherence. Two other studies found improvement in adherence due to two specific interventions: a value-based benefit design policy in a company setting and a pharmacogenetic test supporting the medication treatment decision. No study found differences in costs between the intervention and the comparator. More research is needed to implement cost-effective interventions.

Assessing the capacity of Ghana to introduce health technology assessment: a systematic review of economic evaluations conducted in Ghana

OBJECTIVES

Ghana is in the process of formally introducing health technology assessment (HTA) for health decision making. Similar to other low- and middle-income countries, evidence suggests that the lack of data and human capacity is a major barrier to the conduct and use of HTA. This study assessed the current human and data capacity available in Ghana to undertake HTA.

METHODS

As economic evaluation (EE) forms an integral part of HTA, a systematic review of EE studies undertaken in Ghana was conducted to identify the quality and number of studies available, methods and source of data used, and local persons involved. The literature search was undertaken in EMBASE (including MEDLINE), PUBMED, and Google Scholar. The quality of studies was evaluated using the Consolidated Health Economics Evaluation Reporting Standards. The number of local Ghanaians who contributed to authorship were used as a proxy for assessing human capacity for HTA.

RESULTS

Thirty-one studies were included in the final review. Overall, studies were of good quality. Studies derived their effectiveness, resource utilization and cost data mainly from Ghana. The most common source of cost data was from the National Health Insurance Scheme pricing list for medicines and tariffs. Effectiveness data were mostly derived from either single study or intervention programs. Sixty out of 199 authors were Ghanaians (30 percent); these authors were mostly involved in data collection and study conceptualization.

CONCLUSIONS

Human capacity for HTA in Ghana is limited. To introduce HTA successfully in Ghana, policy makers would need to develop more local capacity to undertake Ghanaian-specific HTA.

Cost-consequence analysis of extended loading dose of anti-VEGF treatment in diabetic macular edema patients

BACKGROUND

The DRCR.net Protocol T clinical trial assessed the comparative efficacy and safety of anti-VEGF treatments including aflibercept, ranibizumab and bevacizumab in diabetic macular edema (DME). Post -hoc analyses showed that after a 12-week induction period, there was still DME resolution in an increasing number of patients through week 24.

PURPOSE

To assess clinical and cost consequences of extending the anti-VEGF loading dose from 3 to 6 monthly injections in patients with persistent DME in Spain.

METHODS

From a hospital pharmacy perspective, a cost-consequence analysis model was developed to estimate the incremental cost needed to obtain an additional response at month 6. To estimate drug treatment costs, ex-factory prices (€, 2019) were considered for aflibercept, ranibizumab and bevacizumab. Response/nonresponse rates at 3/6 months were obtained from the Protocol T 24-week post hoc analysis (n = 546). Persistent DME was present in 50.8 and 31.6% of the 190 aflibercept-treated patients at month 3 and month 6, respectively. Of the 176 ranibizumab- and 180 bevacizumab-treated patients, 53.2 and 72.9%, respectively, had persistent DME at month 3, and 41.5 and 65.6%, respectively, had persistent DME at month 6. Sensitivity analysis considered the split of bevacizumab vials.

RESULTS

Extending the loading dose in nonresponder patients would cost €214,862.57, €208,488.98 and €134,483.16 to obtain 37, 21 and 13 additional aflibercept, ranibizumab and bevacizumab responder patients, respectively. The total number of extended injections (months 3-6) used in patients with persistent DME at month 6 was 180, 219 and 354 for aflibercept, ranibizumab and bevacizumab, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

To extend the anti-VEGF loading dose from 3 to 6 injections necessitates investing €5882.77 (8 injections), €10,091.03 (14 injections) and €10,198.59 (30 injections) per additional responder patient (3-month nonresponders and 6-month responders) to aflibercept, ranibizumab and bevacizumab, respectively. For the total of patients treated, on average €7927.02 (14 injections) per additional responder patient would be needed.

Automated generation of decision-tree models for the economic assessment of interventions for rare diseases using the RaDiOS ontology

OBJECTIVE

The development of decision models to assess interventions for rare diseases require huge efforts from research groups, especially regarding collecting and synthesizing the knowledge to parameterize the model. This article presents a method to reuse the knowledge collected in an ontology to automatically generate decision tree models for different contexts and interventions.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We updated the reference ontology (RaDiOS) to include more knowledge required to generate a model. We implemented a transformation tool (RaDiOS-MTT) that uses the knowledge stored in RaDiOS to automatically generate decision trees for the economic assessment of interventions on rare diseases.

RESULTS

We used a case study to illustrate the potential of the tool, and automatically generate a decision tree that reproduces an actual study on newborn screening for profound biotinidase deficiency.

CONCLUSIONS

RaDiOS-MTT allows research groups to reuse the evidence collected, and thus speeding up the development of health economics assessments for interventions on rare diseases.

Impact of overweight and obesity on life expectancy, quality-adjusted life years and lifetime costs in the adult population of Ghana

INTRODUCTION

Prior studies have revealed the increasing prevalence of obesity and its associated health effects among ageing adults in resource poor countries. However, no study has examined the long-term and economic impact of overweight and obesity in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, we quantified the long-term impact of overweight and obesity on life expectancy (LE), quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and total direct healthcare costs.

METHODS

A Markov simulation model projected health and economic outcomes associated with three categories of body mass index (BMI): healthy weight (18.5≤BMI <25.0); overweight (25.0≤BMI < 30.0) and obese (BMI ≥30.0 kg/m2) in simulated adult cohorts over a 50-year time horizon from age fifty. Costs were estimated from government and patient perspectives, discounted 3% annually and reported in 2017 US$. Mortality rates from Ghanaian lifetables were adjusted by BMI-specific all-cause mortality HRs. Published input data were used from the 2014/2015 Ghana WHO Study on global AGEing and adult health data. Internal and external validity were assessed.

RESULTS

From age 50 years, average (95% CI) remaining LE for females were 25.6 (95% CI: 25.4 to 25.8), 23.5 (95% CI: 23.3 to 23.7) and 21.3 (95% CI: 19.6 to 21.8) for healthy weight, overweight and obesity, respectively. In males, remaining LE were healthy weight (23.0; 95% CI: 22.8 to 23.2), overweight (20.7; 95% CI: 20.5 to 20.9) and obesity (17.6; 95% CI: 17.5 to 17.8). In females, QALYs for healthy weight were 23.0 (95% CI: 22.8 to 23.2), overweight, 21.0 (95% CI: 20.8 to 21.2) and obesity, 19.0 (95% CI: 18.8 to 19.7). The discounted total costs per female were US$619 (95% CI: 616 to 622), US$1298 (95% CI: 1290 to 1306) and US$2057 (95% CI: 2043 to 2071) for healthy weight, overweight and obesity, respectively. QALYs and costs were lower in males.

CONCLUSION

Overweight and obesity have substantial health and economic impacts, hence the urgent need for cost-effective preventive strategies in the Ghanaian population.

Clinical performance of ASAS Health Index in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis: real-world evidence from Multicenter Nationwide Registry

The Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society Health Index (ASAS HI) is used as a new instrument in measuring the function, disability and health of patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA). However, the real-world evidence of ASAS HI is very limited. In the present study, our objective is to evaluate the psychometric properties and performance of ASAS HI in the real-world setting as well as comparing ASAS HI with the current instruments to assess the construct validity and determine the cut-off points in patients with both ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA). A total of 991 patients with axSpA who fulfilled either the ASAS classification criteria for axial SpA (axSpA) or the Modified New York Criteria (mNY) for AS were recruited from the Biologic and targeted Synthetic antirheumatic drugs Registry (BioStaR) SpA. The construct validity of ASAS HI against the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activities Index (BASDAI) and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score-C-Reactive Protein (ASDAS-CRP) the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional index (BASFI) was performed. Using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analysis, the cut-off points were calculated. Of all the recruited patients, 851 (85.9%) were AS and 140 (14.1%) were nr-axSpA. The difference in the mean ASAS HI scores of the patients with AS and the ones with nr-axSpA were not statistically significant (6.12 ± 4.29 and 6.42 ± 4.86, respectively). The mean ASAS HI score was significantly higher in females and small city residents. The ASAS HI had a strong construct validity against ASDAS-CRP, BASDAI and BASFI. A cut-off point of ≤ 4 was determined to discriminate good and moderate, as well as ≥ 12 to discriminate moderate and poor health status. In conclusion, ASAS HI is a reliable instrument to evaluate health and functioning for both patients with AS and nr-axSpA in clinical practice.

Valuing the AD-5D Dementia Utility Instrument: An Estimation of a General Population Tariff

OBJECTIVE

This paper reports on the valuation of quality-of-life states in the Alzheimer's Disease Five Dimensions (AD-5D) instrument in a representative sample of the general population in Australia using the discrete-choice experiment with duration (DCE_TTO) elicitation technique.

METHOD

A DCE with 200 choice sets of two quality-of-life (QoL) state-duration combinations blocked into 20 survey versions, with ten choice sets in each version, was designed and administered online to a sample representative of the Australian population. Two additional choice sets comprising internal consistency and dominance checks were included in each survey version. A range of model specifications investigating preferences with respect to duration and interactions between AD-5D dimension levels were estimated. Utility weights were developed, with estimated coefficients transformed to the 0 (being dead) to 1 (full health) scale, suitable for the calculation of quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) weights for use in economic evaluation.

RESULTS

In total, 1999 respondents completed the choice experiment. Overall, respondents were slightly better educated and had higher annual incomes than the Australian general population. The estimation results from different specifications and models were broadly consistent with the monotonic nature of the AD-5D: utility increased with increased life expectancy and decreased as the severity level for each dimension worsened. A utility value set was generated for the calculation of utilities for all QoL states defined by the AD-5D descriptive system.

CONCLUSION

The DCE-based utility value set is now available to use to generate QALYs for the economic evaluation of treatments and interventions targeting people with dementia and/or their family caregivers.

The cost-effectiveness of controlling dengue in Indonesia using wMel Wolbachia released at scale: a modelling study

BACKGROUND

Release of virus-blocking Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes is an emerging disease control strategy that aims to control dengue and other arboviral infections. Early entomological data and modelling analyses have suggested promising outcomes, and wMel Wolbachia releases are now ongoing or planned in 12 countries. To help inform government, donor, or philanthropist decisions on scale-up beyond single city releases, we assessed this technology's cost-effectiveness under alternative programmatic options.

METHODS

Using costing data from existing Wolbachia releases, previous dynamic model-based estimates of Wolbachia effectiveness, and a spatially explicit model of release and surveillance requirements, we predicted the costs and effectiveness of the ongoing programme in Yogyakarta City and three new hypothetical programmes in Yogyakarta Special Autonomous Region, Jakarta, and Bali.

RESULTS

We predicted Wolbachia to be a highly cost-effective intervention when deployed in high-density urban areas with gross cost-effectiveness below $1500 per DALY averted. When offsets from the health system and societal perspective were included, such programmes even became cost saving over 10-year time horizons with favourable benefit-cost ratios of 1.35 to 3.40. Sequencing Wolbachia releases over 10 years could reduce programme costs by approximately 38% compared to simultaneous releases everywhere, but also delays the benefits. Even if unexpected challenges occurred during deployment, such as emergence of resistance in the medium-term or low effective coverage, Wolbachia would remain a cost-saving intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Wolbachia releases in high-density urban areas are expected to be highly cost-effective and could potentially be the first cost-saving intervention for dengue. Sites with strong public health infrastructure, fiscal capacity, and community support should be prioritised.

The transferability of health technology assessment: the European perspective with focus on central and Eastern European countries

INTRODUCTION

Lower-income European countries have a worse health status and less funds for health care compared to Western Europe. Despite their limited human and financial capacities for conducting Health Technology Assessment (HTA), the need for evidence-based decision-making is growing. Two main approaches emerged as potential solutions: joint clinical assessments on the European level, and simplified procedures relying on the judgments of well-established HTA agencies of Western countries.

AREAS COVERED

Based on considerations of transferability, the European Network for Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA) was built up to harmonize HTA methodologies across the European Union, and to develop an HTA Core Model by focusing on joint production of relative effectiveness assessment, which can be used as a basis for national value assessments. The second approach has been suggested in various forms without considering transferability issues.

EXPERT OPINION

Joint clinical assessments reduce duplication of efforts based on appropriate scientific rationale. On the other hand, recent examples show that relying on judgments of HTA agencies from wealthier countries with potentially different health-care priorities can lead to suboptimal allocation decisions. In the short term, some stakeholders may benefit from ignoring transferability, but it will ultimately lead to limited access in other disease areas.

Surgical site infection and costs in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review of the economic burden

BACKGROUND

Surgical site infection (SSI) is a worldwide problem which has morbidity, mortality and financial consequences. The incidence rate of SSI is high in Low- and Middle-Income countries (LMICs) compared to high income countries, and the costly surgical complication can raise the potential risk of financial catastrophe.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study is to critically appraise studies on the cost of SSI in a range of LMIC studies and compare these estimates with a reference standard of high income European studies who have explored similar SSI costs.

METHODS

A systematic review was undertaken using searches of two electronic databases, EMBASE and MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, up to February 2019. Study characteristics, comparator group, methods and results were extracted by using a standard template.

RESULTS

Studies from 15 LMIC and 16 European countries were identified and reviewed in full. The additional cost of SSI range (presented in 2017 international dollars) was similar in the LMIC ($174-$29,610) and European countries ($21-$34,000). Huge study design heterogeneity was encountered across the two settings.

DISCUSSION

SSIs were revealed to have a significant cost burden in both LMICs and High Income Countries in Europe. The magnitude of the costs depends on the SSI definition used, severity of SSI, patient population, choice of comparator, hospital setting, and cost items included. Differences in study design affected the comparability across studies. There is need for multicentre studies with standardized data collection methods to capture relevant costs and consequences of the infection across income settings.

A model-based economic evaluation of four newborn screening strategies for cystic fibrosis in Flanders, Belgium

Objectives: The most cost-effective newborn screening strategy for cystic fibrosis (CF) for Flanders, Belgium, is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of four existing newborn screening strategies for CF: IRT-DNA (immunoreactive trypsinogen, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene mutation analysis), IRT-PAP (pancreatitis-associated protein), IRT-PAP-DNA, and IRT-PAP-DNA-EGA (extended CFTR gene analysis).Methods: Using data from published literature, the cost-effectiveness of the screening strategies was calculated for a hypothetical cohort of 65,606 newborns in Flanders, Belgium. A healthcare payer perspective was used, and the direct medical costs associated with screening were taken into account. The robustness of the model outcomes was assessed in sensitivity analyses.Results: The IRT-PAP strategy was the most cost-effective strategy in terms of costs per CF case detected (€9314 per CF case detected). The IRT-DNA strategy was more costly (€13,966 per CF case detected), but with an expected sensitivity of 93.4% also the most effective strategy, and was expected to detect 2.2 more cases of CF than the IRT-PAP strategy. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of IRT-DNA vs. IRT-PAP was €54,180/extra CF case detected. The IRT-PAP-DNA strategy and the IRT-PAP-DNA-EGA strategy were both strongly dominated by the IRT-PAP strategy.Conclusion: The IRT-PAP strategy was the most cost-effective strategy in terms of costs per CF case detected. However, the strategy did not fulfil the European Cystic Fibrosis Society guidelines for sensitivity and positive predictive value. Therefore, the more costly and more effective IRT-DNA strategy may be the most appropriate newborn screening strategy for Flanders.

Accurately Reflecting Uncertainty When Using Patient-Level Simulation Models to Extrapolate Clinical Trial Data

Introduction. Patient-level simulation models facilitate extrapolation of clinical trial data while allowing for heterogeneity, prior history, and nonlinearity. However, combining different types of uncertainty around within-trial and extrapolated results remains challenging. Methods. We tested 4 methods to combine parameter uncertainty (around the regression coefficients used to predict future events) with sampling uncertainty (uncertainty around mean risk factors within the finite sample whose outcomes are being predicted and the effect of treatment on these risk factors). We compared these 4 methods using a simulation study based on an economic evaluation extrapolating the AFORRD randomized controlled trial using the UK Prospective Diabetes Study Outcomes Model version 2. This established type 2 diabetes model predicts patient-level health outcomes and costs. Results. The 95% confidence intervals around life years gained gave 25% coverage when sampling uncertainty was excluded (i.e., 25% of 95% confidence intervals contained the “true” value). Allowing for sampling uncertainty as well as parameter uncertainty widened confidence intervals by 6.3-fold and gave 96.3% coverage. Methods adjusting for baseline risk factors that combine sampling and parameter uncertainty overcame the bias that can result from between-group baseline imbalance and gave confidence intervals around 50% wider than those just considering parameter uncertainty, with 99.8% coverage. Conclusions. Analyses extrapolating data for individual trial participants should include both sampling uncertainty and parameter uncertainty and should adjust for any imbalance in baseline covariates.

Cost-effectiveness of emergency care interventions in low and middle-income countries: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review and appraise the quality of cost-effectiveness analyses of emergency care interventions in low- and middle-income countries.

METHODS

Following the PRISMA guidelines, we systematically searched PubMed®, Scopus, EMBASE®, Cochrane Library and Web of Science for studies published before May 2019. Inclusion criteria were: (i) an original cost-effectiveness analysis of emergency care intervention or intervention package, and (ii) the analysis occurred in a low- and middle-income setting. To identify additional primary studies, we hand searched the reference lists of included studies. We used the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards guideline to appraise the quality of included studies.

RESULTS

Of the 1674 articles we identified, 35 articles met the inclusion criteria. We identified an additional four studies from the reference lists. We excluded many studies for being deemed costing assessments without an effectiveness analysis. Most included studies were single-intervention analyses. Emergency care interventions evaluated by included studies covered prehospital services, provider training, treatment interventions, emergency diagnostic tools and facilities and packages of care. The reporting quality of the studies varied.

CONCLUSION

We found large gaps in the evidence surrounding the cost-effectiveness of emergency care interventions in low- and middle-income settings. Given the breadth of interventions currently in practice, many interventions remain unassessed, suggesting the need for future research to aid resource allocation decisions. In particular, packages of multiple interventions and system-level changes represent a priority area for future research.

Modelling the Cost-Effectiveness of Indacaterol/Glycopyrronium versus Salmeterol/Fluticasone Using a Novel Markov Exacerbation-Based Approach

Purpose

Exacerbations drive outcomes and costs in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). While patient-level (micro) simulation cost-effectiveness models have been developed that include exacerbations, such models are complex. We developed a novel, exacerbation-based model to assess the cost-effectiveness of indacaterol/glycopyrronium (IND/GLY) versus salmeterol/fluticasone (SFC) in COPD, using a Markov structure as a simplification of a previously validated microsimulation model.

Methods

The Markov model included three health states: infrequent or frequent exacerbator (IE or FE; ≤1 or ≥2 moderate/severe exacerbations in prior 12 months, respectively), or death. The model used data from the FLAME study and was run over a 10-year horizon. Cycle length was 1 year, after which patients remained in the same health state or transitioned to another. Analysis was conducted from a Swedish payer's perspective (Swedish healthcare costs, converted into Euros), with incremental costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) calculated (discounted 3% annually).

Results

At all post-baseline timepoints, IND/GLY was associated with more patients in the IE health state and fewer patients in the FE and dead states relative to SFC. Over a 10-year period, IND/GLY was associated with a cost saving of €1,887/patient, an incremental benefit of 0.142 QALYs, and an addition of 0.057 life-years, compared with SFC.

Conclusion

This Markov model represents a novel cost-effectiveness analysis for COPD, with simpler methodology than prior microsimulation models, while retaining exacerbations as drivers of disease progression. In patients with COPD with a history of exacerbations in the previous year, IND/GLY is a cost-effective treatment option compared with SFC.

Economic evaluations in water-fluoridation: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Community water fluoridation (CWF) is considered one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the twentieth century and has been a cornerstone strategies for the prevention and control of dental caries in many countries. However, for decision-makers the effectiveness and safety of any given intervention is not always sufficient to decide on the best option. Economic evaluations (EE) provide key information that managers weigh, alongside other evidence. This study reviews the relevant literature on EE in CWF.

METHODS

A systematic database search up to August 2019 was carried out using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, LILACS, Paediatric Economic Database Evaluation and National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database. The review included full economic evaluations on CWF programs, written in English, Spanish or Portuguese. The selection process and data extraction were carried out by two researchers independently. A qualitative synthesis of the results was performed.

RESULTS

Of 498 identified articles, 24 studies met the inclusion criteria; 11 corresponded to cost-benefit analysis; nine were cost-effectiveness analyses; and four cost-utility studies. Two cost-utility studies used Disability-Adjusted Life Years,, one used Quality-Adjusted Tooth Years, and another Quality-Adjusted Life Years. EEs were conducted in eight countries. All studies concluded that water fluoridation was a cost-effective strategy when it was compared with non-fluoridated communities, independently of the perspective, time horizon or discount rate applied. Four studies adopted a lifetime time horizon. The outcome measures included caries averted (n = 14) and savings cost of dental treatment (n = 4). Most of the studies reported a caries reduction effects between 25 and 40%.

CONCLUSION

Findings indicated that CWF represents an appropriate use of communities' resources, using a range of economic evaluation methods and in different locations. These findings provide evidence to decision-makers which they could use as an aid to deciding on resource allocation.

Criteria and Process for Initiating and Developing an ISPOR Good Practices Task Force Report

The International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR)'s "Good Practices Task Force" reports are highly cited, multistakeholder perspective expert guidance reports that reflect international standards for health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) and their use in healthcare decision making. In this report, we discuss the criteria, development, and evaluation/consensus review and approval process for initiating a task force. The rationale for a task force must include a justification, including why this good practice guidance is important and its potential impact on the scientific community. The criteria include: (1) necessity (why is this task force required?); (2) a methodology-oriented focus (focus on research methods, approaches, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination); (3) relevance (to ISPOR's mission and its members); (4) durability over time; (5) broad applicability; and 6) an evidence-based approach. In addition, the proposal must be a priority specifically for ISPOR. These reports are valuable to researchers, academics, students, health technology assessors, medical technology developers and service providers, those working in other commercial entities, regulators, and payers. These stakeholder perspectives are represented in task force membership to ensure the report's overall usefulness and relevance to the global ISPOR membership. We hope that this discussion will bring transparency to the process of initiating, approving, and producing these task force reports and encourage participation from a diverse range of experts within and outside ISPOR.

Model-Based Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Panitumumab Plus FOLFIRI for the Second-Line Treatment of Patients with Wild-Type Ras Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

INTRODUCTION

The NCT00339183 trial demonstrated that adding panitumumab to fluorouracil, leucovorin and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) as a second-line therapy of wild-type RAS metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) increases the median progression-free survival (PFS). Nevertheless, panitumumab is not yet approved in China, and the costs and outcomes of the therapy are still unclear. We estimated the cost-effectiveness of this intervention from the perspective of Chinese health care systems by constructing two pricing scenarios for panitumumab. Scenario 1: Pricing is based on the price of a similar product (cetuximab) in China. Scenario 2: We estimated the value-based price.

METHODS

A partitioned survival model was created based on the results of the NCT00339183 trial, which evaluated panitumumab plus FOLFIRI versus FOLFIRI. The model simulated the disease progression. We calculated medical costs from the perspectives of the Chinese health care systems. The primary outcome measures were costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs).

RESULTS

In scenario 1, compared with FOLFIRI alone, FOLFIRI with panitumumab arm had an ICER of ¥1,539,988/QALY. The most influential factors were the mean overall survival (OS), utility before progression and cost of panitumumab. The probability of panitumumab plus FOLFIRI being cost-effective in China was 0% when the willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold was ¥193,932/QALY. In scenario 2, when the cost of panitumumab was assumed to be ¥4032.61 or ¥5218.96 per cycle, the ICERs approximated the WTP thresholds of ¥193,932/QALY or ¥420,633/QALY, respectively. In this value-based pricing scenario, panitumumab plus FOLFIRI is estimated to be cost-effective.

CONCLUSION

We construct two pricing scenarios in China. In scenario 1, panitumumab plus FOLFIRI as a second-line therapy of mCRC provided an incremental benefit, but simultaneously increased costs (at the current price) even further. In scenario 2, when the value-based price was adopted, panitumumab plus FOLFIRI was estimated to be cost-effective. Our study establishes a pricing framework for new anticancer drugs to reflect the economics of drugs.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT00339183.

Within-Trial Evaluation of Medical Resources, Costs, and Quality of Life Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Participating in the Exenatide Study of Cardiovascular Event Lowering (EXSCEL)

OBJECTIVE

To compare medical resource use, costs, and health utilities for 14,752 patients with type 2 diabetes who were randomized to once-weekly exenatide (EQW) or placebo in addition to usual diabetes care in the Exenatide Study of Cardiovascular Event Lowering (EXSCEL).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Medical resource use data and responses to the EuroQol 5-Dimension (EQ-5D) instrument were collected at baseline and throughout the trial. Medical resources and medications were assigned values by using U.S. Medicare payments and wholesale acquisition costs, respectively. Secondary analyses used English costs.

RESULTS

Patients were followed for an average of 3.3 years, during which time those randomized to EQW experienced 0.41 fewer inpatient days (7.05 vs. 7.46 days; relative rate ratio 0.91; P = 0.05). Rates of outpatient medical visits were similar, as were total inpatient and outpatient costs. Mean costs for nonstudy diabetes medications over the study period were ∼$1,600 lower with EQW than with placebo (P = 0.01). Total within-study costs, excluding study medication, were lower in the EQW arm than in the placebo arm ($28,907 vs. $30,914; P ≤ 0.01). When including the estimated cost of EQW, total mean costs were significantly higher in the EQW group than in the placebo group ($42,697 vs. $30,914; P < 0.01). With English costs applied, mean total costs, including exenatide costs, were £1,670 higher in the EQW group than the placebo group (£10,874 vs. £9,204; P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in EQ-5D health utilities between arms over time.

CONCLUSIONS

Medical costs were lower in the EQW arm than the placebo arm, but total costs were significantly higher once the cost of branded exenatide was incorporated.

A Review of Health Economic Studies Comparing Traditional and Massively Parallel Sequencing Diagnostic Pathways for Suspected Genetic Disorders

Genetic disorders are clinically diverse and genetically heterogeneous, and are traditionally diagnosed based on an iterative phenotype-guided genetic assessment. However, such diagnostic approaches are long (diagnostic odysseys are common), misdiagnoses occur frequently, and diagnostic rates are low. Massively parallel sequencing (MPS) technologies may improve diagnostic rates and reduce the time to diagnosis for patients with suspected genetic disorders; however, MPS technologies are expensive and the health economic evidence base to support their use is limited. Several studies have compared the costs of traditional and MPS diagnostic pathways for patients with suspected genetic disorders, however costing methods and diagnostic scenarios are heterogeneous across studies. We conducted a literature review to identify and summarise information on these costing methods and diagnostic scenarios. Relevant studies were identified in MEDLINE, EMBASE, EconLit, University of York Centre for Reviews and Dissemination and the Cochrane Library, from 2010 to 2018. Twenty-four articles were included in the review. We observed considerable heterogeneity across studies with respect to the selection of items of resource use used to derive total diagnostic pathway cost estimates. We also observed structural differences in the diagnostic scenarios used to compare the traditional and MPS diagnostic pathways. There is a need for guidelines on the costing of diagnostic pathways to encourage the use of consistent methods. More micro-costing studies that evaluate diagnostic service delivery are also required. Greater homogeneity in costing approaches would facilitate more reliable comparisons between studies and improve the transferability of cost estimates across countries.

Systematic reviews as a "lens of evidence": Determinants of cost-effectiveness of breast cancer screening

Systematic reviews with economic components are important decision tools for stakeholders seeking to evaluate technologies, such as breast cancer screening (BCS) programs. This overview of systematic reviews explores the determinants of the cost-effectiveness of BCS and assesses the quality of secondary evidence. The search identified 30 systematic reviews that reported on the determinants of the cost-effectiveness of BCS, including the costs of breast cancer and BCS. While the quality of the reviews varied widely, only four out of 30 papers were considered to be of a high quality. We did not identify publication bias in the original evidence on the cost-effectiveness of mammography screening; however, we highlight a need for improved clarity in both reporting and data verification. The reviews consisted mainly of studies from high-income countries. Breast cancer costs varied widely among the studies. Factors leading to higher costs included: time (diagnosis and last months before death), later stage or metastases, recurrence of the disease, age below 64 years and type of follow-up (more intensive or more specialized). Overall, screening with mammography was considered cost-effective in the age range 50-69 years in Western European and Northern American countries but not for older or younger women. Its cost-effectiveness was questionable for low-income settings and Asia. Mammography screening was more cost-effective with biennial screening compared to annual screening and single reading using computer-aided detection vs double reading. No information on the cost-effectiveness of ultrasonography was found, and there is much uncertainty on the cost-effectiveness of CBE because of methodological limitations.

EQ-5D-5L utilities per health states in Spanish population with knee or hip osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to obtain utilities by means of EQ-5D-5L for different health states in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) or hip osteoarthritis (HOA) in Spain, and to compare these values with those used in foreign studies with the aim of discussing their transferability for their use in economic evaluations conducted in Spain.

METHODS

Primary study: Observational prospective study of KOA or HOA patients in Spain. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were collected to characterize the sample. Utilities were elicited using the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire. ANOVA and bivariable analyses were conducted to identify differences between health states.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Using the bibliographic databases NSH EED and CEA Registry, we conducted searches of model-based cost utilities analyses of technologies in KOA or HOA patients. Health states and utilities were extracted and compared with values obtained from the Spanish sample.

RESULTS

Three hundred ninety-seven subjects with KOA and 361 subjects with HOA were included, with average utilities of 0.544 and 0.520, respectively. In both samples, differences were found in utilities according to level of pain, stiffness and physical function (WOMAC) and severity of symptoms (Oxford scales), so that the worst the symptoms, the lower the utilities. The utilities after surgery were higher than before surgery. Due to limitations from our study related to sample size and observational design, it was not possible to estimate utilities for approximately half the health states included in the published models because they were directly related to specific technologies. For almost 100% of health states of the selected studies we obtained very different utilities from those reported in the literature.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge this is the first article with detailed utilities estimated using the EQ-5D-5L in Spain for KOA and HOA patients. In both populations, utilities are lower for worse health states in terms of level of pain, stiffness and physical function according to WOMAC, and according to the Oxford scales. Most utilities obtained from the Spanish sample are lower than those reported in the international literature. Further studies estimating utilities from local populations are required to avoid the use of foreign sources in economic evaluations.

Tackling the 3 Big Challenges Confronting Health Technology Assessment Development in Asia: A Commentary

There has been continuous development in the field of health technology assessment (HTA) owing to the added value of HTA in supporting healthcare reimbursement decisions. Collaboration and engagement among countries in Asia has been carried out to share experiences and learning on the barriers and factors facilitating the implementation and use of HTA in policy making. A symposium on the topic of Health Technology Assessment (HTA): Selecting the Highest Value Care was held on January 10, 2019 at the National University of Singapore, during which 3 major challenges confronting HTA development in Asia were identified. The symposium also offered possible ways to overcome the challenges.

•

Countries in Asia increasingly recognize and adopt health technology assessment (HTA) in setting priorities for healthcare. Nevertheless, 2 common challenges can be identified, namely, lack of infrastructure and technical capacity to cope with the increasing demand for HTA, and the inadequate involvement of stakeholders in the HTA process.

•

Solutions identified at the HTA symposium in Singapore to overcome these challenges were that countries should implement a tailored and transparent mechanism for using HTA, promote existing HTA capacity, and strengthen the understanding of HTA among the stakeholders.

•

Health technology assessment symposia such as the one organized in Singapore provide a platform for countries to share knowledge and challenges, and bring different views to build into something greater and overcome the challenges. Such symposia should be organized regularly.

Are Nonpharmacologic Interventions for Chronic Low Back Pain More Cost Effective Than Usual Care? Proof of Concept Results From a Markov Model

STUDY DESIGN

Markov model.

OBJECTIVE

Examine the 1-year effectiveness and cost-effectiveness (societal and payer perspectives) of adding nonpharmacologic interventions for chronic low back pain (CLBP) to usual care using a decision analytic model-based approach.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Treatment guidelines now recommend many safe and effective nonpharmacologic interventions for CLBP. However, little is known regarding their effectiveness in subpopulations (e.g., high-impact chronic pain patients), nor about their cost-effectiveness.

METHODS

The model included four health states: high-impact chronic pain (substantial activity limitations); no pain; and two others without activity limitations, but with higher (moderate-impact) or lower (low-impact) pain. We estimated intervention-specific transition probabilities for these health states using individual patient-level data from 10 large randomized trials covering 17 nonpharmacologic therapies. The model was run for nine 6-week cycles to approximate a 1-year time horizon. Quality-adjusted life-year weights were based on six-dimensional health state short form scores; healthcare costs were based on 2003 to 2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data; and lost productivity costs used in the societal perspective were based on reported absenteeism. Results were generated for two target populations: (1) a typical baseline mix of patients with CLBP (25% low-impact, 35% moderate-impact, and 40% high-impact chronic pain) and (2) high-impact chronic pain patients.

RESULTS

From the societal perspective, all but two of the therapies were cost effective (<$50,000/quality-adjusted life-year) for a typical patient mix and most were cost saving. From the payer perspective fewer were cost saving, but the same number was cost-effective. Assuming all patients in the model have high-impact chronic pain increases the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of most, but not all, therapies indicating that substantial benefits are possible in this subpopulation.

CONCLUSION

Modeling leverages the evidence produced from clinical trials to provide more information than is available in the published studies. We recommend modeling for all existing studies of nonpharmacologic interventions for CLBP.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4.

Economic Evaluation of Exercise-Based Fall Prevention Programs for People with Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review

Objectives: Falls are common in Parkinson's disease (PD). Exercise interventions can prevent falls. This review aims to (1) explore the existing evidence regarding the cost-effectiveness of exercise-based fall prevention programs for people with PD and (2) discuss the implications of the review findings for future research and clinical practice. Design: Databases AMED Allied and Complementary Medicine, CINAHL, CRD, EBSCO, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched from their inception until June 2019. Randomized and nonrandomized trials that included an economic evaluation of fall prevention programs for people with PD were considered. Quality of the economic evaluation was assessed using the Consensus on Health Economic Criteria list (CHEC-list), and the methodological quality was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) and Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results: Nine hundred and sixty-five studies were screened to include three studies involving 556 participants. Quality of economic evaluation assessed using CHEC-list was high. The methodological quality was high for two studies and low for one study. Tested interventions included Tai Ji Quan, physiotherapist-led, supervised, weekly and monthly balance, and strengthening exercises. The duration of the interventions ranged from 10 weeks to 6 months, while the intervention frequency ranged from two sessions per week to one session per month. Treatment sessions lasted for 60 min in all three studies. One high economic and methodological quality study comparing Tai Ji Quan with resistance and stretching exercises reported least cost resource use among Tai Ji Quan group (USD 80,441) and greater incremental number of falls prevented. All three tested interventions had an 80% probability of being cost-effective with the corresponding country-specific threshold incremental cost-effectiveness ratio values. Conclusions: The findings provide some evidence for exercise-based intervention as a cost-effective treatment option for preventing falls in PD; however, due to the limited number of available studies, heterogeneity of the interventions, and diversity of assessment settings, a firm conclusion cannot be established. Additional studies evaluating the cost-effectiveness of fall prevention programs involving larger samples and using different treatment parameters in various settings are warranted.

Methodological Quality of Economic Evaluations in Integrated Care: Evidence from a Systematic Review

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this review is to systematically assess the methodological quality of economic evaluations in integrated care and to identify challenges with conducting such studies.

THEORY AND METHODS

Searches of grey-literature and scientific papers were performed, from January 2000 to December 2018. A checklist was developed to assess the quality of economic evaluations. Authors' statements of challenges encountered during their evaluations were qualitatively coded.

RESULTS

Forty-four articles were eligible for inclusion. The review found that study design, measurement of cost and outcomes, statistical analysis and presentation of data were the areas with most quality variation. Authors identified challenges mostly related to time horizon of the evaluation, inadequate or lack of comparator group, contamination bias, and a post-hoc evaluation culture.

DISCUSSION

Our review found significant differences in quality, with some studies showing poor methodological rigor; challenging conclusions on the cost-effectiveness of integrated care.

CONCLUSION

It is essential for evaluators to use best-practice standards when planning and conducting economic evaluations, in order to build a reliable evidence base for decision-making in integrated care.

Economic evaluations of pharmacist-led medication review in outpatients with hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidaemia: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the health economics evidence based on randomized controlled trials of pharmacist-led medication review in pharmacotherapy managed cardiovascular disease risk factors, specifically, hypertension, type-2 diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemia in ambulatory settings and to provide recommendations for future evaluations.

METHODS

A systematic review was carried out according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews. PubMed (Medline), Scopus, Web of Science, National Health System Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED), Cochrane Library, and Econlit were searched and screened by two independent authors. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was the main outcome. Risk of bias was assessed with the Effective Practice and Organisation of Care tool by the Cochrane Collaboration. Economic evaluation quality was assessed with the he Consensus Health Economic Criteria list (CHEC list).

RESULTS

5636 records were found, and 174 were retrieved for full-text review yielding 11 articles. Eight articles deemed the intervention as cost effective and two as dominant. Two cost-utility analyses were performed yielding ICERs of $612.7 and $59.8 per QALY. Four articles were considered to perform a high-quality economic evaluation and four had a low risk of bias. Future economic evaluations should consider cost-utility analysis, to describe usual care thoroughly, and use time horizons that capture the effect of cardiovascular disease prevention, a societal perspective and uncertainty analysis.

CONCLUSION

Pharmacist-led medication review has proven to be cost effective in various studies in different settings. Policy decision makers are advised to undertake local economic evaluations reflecting the gaps observed in this systematic review and published literature. If this is not possible, a transferability assessment should be conducted.

Long-term effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an 18-week supervised exercise program in patients treated with autologous stem cell transplantation: results from the EXIST study

Purpose

To evaluate the long-term effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a supervised 18-week high-intensity exercise program compared with usual care in patients treated with autologous stem cell transplantation.

Methods

One hundred nine patients were randomly assigned to the exercise intervention (n = 54) or the usual care control group (n = 55). Data on cardiorespiratory fitness (VO₂peak), handgrip strength, general fatigue, and health-related quality of life (quality-adjusted life years [QALYs]) were collected at baseline (T0), after completion of the exercise intervention or at a similar time point in the control group (T1) and 12 months later (T2). Cost questionnaires were used to assess societal costs. Long-term effectiveness (at T2) was evaluated using linear mixed model analyses. For the economic evaluation, missing data were imputed using multiple imputation, and data were analyzed using linear mixed models.

Results

At T2, no statistically significant differences were found between the intervention and control group for VO₂peak (0.12; 95%CI − 1.89; 2.14 ml/min/kg), handgrip strength (− 1.08; 95%CI− 2.47; 2.31), and general fatigue (− 0.69; 95%CI − 2.52; 1.14). During 12-months follow-up, no significant between-group differences in QALYs and societal costs were found (QALYs − 0.07; 95%CI − 0.17; 0.04; costs 529; 95%CI − 3205;4452). Intervention costs were €1340 per patient. For all outcomes, the probability of the intervention being cost-effective was low at reasonable values of willingness-to-pay.

Conclusion

We found no evidence for the exercise intervention being effective on physical fitness and fatigue, nor cost-effective from a societal perspective.

Trial registration

The study was prospectively registered on 27 May 2010 at the Netherlands Trial Register (NTR2341).

Implications for Cancer Survivors

The current exercise intervention should not be recommended to patients recently treated with autologous stem cell transplantation.

Development of one general and six country-specific algorithms to assess societal health utilities based on ASAS HI

Objective

Health utilities represent preference values that persons attach to health states. This study aims to develop one general and six country-specific algorithms to calculate societal preference values for health of patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA), as assessed by the disease-specific Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society Health Index (ASAS HI).

Methods

A survey was performed in random population samples from six European countries. In a best-worst choice experiment, subjects were asked to indicate repeatedly which of 4 random aspects of the 17-item ASAS HI was were most and least important. Bayesian analysis provided the relative importance of each of the 17 items. To rescale the relative importance scores on the absolute utility scale between 0 and 1, participants additionally completed two lead time trade-off experiments, one for 'severe SpA' and one for 'best health' without SpA. Six country-specific algorithms and one general algorithm were derived. The general algorithm was tested in 199 patients with axial SpA (axSpA).

Results

3039 subjects, mean age 47 years (SD 15) and 52% female completed the experiments. The population's health utility value for SpA varied between - 0.24 for 'worst' SpA (country range -0.35 to 0.03), and 0.88 for 'best' health (country range 0.81 to 0.90). Among 199 patients with axSpA, the mean utility was 0.36 (SD 0.30, range -0.24 to 0.88) and discriminated well between patients having high (Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) ≥ 4) or low (BASDAI < 4) disease activity (0.18 (SD 0.24) vs 0.51(SD 0.27), p<0.01).

Conclusion

One general and six country-specific algorithms are available to convert scores from the ASAS HI into disease-specific societal utility values.

Cost-Effectiveness of Docetaxel and Paclitaxel for Adjuvant Treatment of Early Breast Cancer: Adaptation of a Model-Based Economic Evaluation From the United Kingdom to South Africa

OBJECTIVES

Transferability of economic evaluations to low- and middle-income countries through adaptation of models is important; however, several methodological and practical challenges remain. Given its significant costs and the quality-of-life burden to patients, adjuvant treatment of early breast cancer was identified as a priority intervention by the South African National Department of Health. This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of docetaxel and paclitaxel-containing chemotherapy regimens (taxanes) compared with standard (non-taxane) treatments.

METHODS

A cost-utility analysis was undertaken based on a UK 6-health-state Markov model adapted for South Africa using the Mullins checklist. The analysis assumed a 35-year time horizon. The model was populated with clinical effectiveness data (hazard ratios, recurrence rates, and adverse events) using direct comparisons from clinical trials. Resource use patterns and unit costs for estimating cost parameters (drugs, diagnostics, consumables, personnel) were obtained from South Africa. Uncertainty was assessed using probabilistic and deterministic sensitivity analyses.

RESULTS

The incremental cost per patient for the docetaxel regimen compared with standard treatment was R6774. The incremental quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were 0.24, generating an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of R28430 per QALY. The cost of the paclitaxel regimen compared with standard treatment was estimated as -R578 and -R1512, producing an additional 0.03 and 0.025 QALYs, based on 2 trials. Paclitaxel, therefore, appears to be a dominant intervention. The base case results were robust to all sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the adapted model, docetaxel and paclitaxel are predicted to be cost-effective as adjuvant treatment for early breast cancer in South Africa.

The Clinical and Economic Burden of Colorectal Anastomotic Leaks: Middle-Income Country Perspective

Purpose

Anastomotic leaks (AL) present a significant source of clinical and economic burden on patients undergoing colorectal surgeries. This study was aimed at evaluating the clinical and economic consequences of AL and its risk factors.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted between 2012 and 2013 based on the billing information of 337 patients who underwent low anterior resection (LAR). The outcomes evaluated were the development of AL, use of antibiotics, 30-day readmission and mortality, and total hospital costs, including readmissions and length of stay (LOS). The risk factors for AL, as well as the relationship between AL and clinical outcomes, were analyzed using multivariable Poisson regression. Generalized linear models (GLM) were employed to evaluate the association between AL and continuous outcomes (LOS and costs).

Results

AL was detected in 6.8% of the patients. Emergency surgery (aRR 2.56; 95% CI: 1.15-5.71, p = 0.021), blood transfusion (aRR 4.44; 95% CI: 1.86-10.64, p = 0.001), and cancer diagnosis (aRR 2.51; 95% CI: 1.27-4.98, p = 0.008) were found to be independent predictors of AL. Patients with AL showed higher antibiotic usage (aRR 1.69; 95% CI: 1.37-2.09, p < 0.001), 30-day readmission (aRR 3.34; 95% CI: 1.53-7.32, p = 0.003) and mortality (aRR 13.49; 95% CI: 4.10-44.35, p < 0.001), and longer LOS (39.6 days, as opposed to 7.5 days for patients without AL, p < 0.001). Total hospital costs amounted to R$210,105 for patients with AL in comparison with R$34,270 for patients without AL (p < 0.001). In multivariable GLM, the total hospital costs for AL patients were 4.66 (95% CI: 3.38-6.23, p < 0.001) times higher than those for patients without AL.

Conclusions

AL leads to worse clinical outcomes and increases hospital costs by 4.66 times. The risk factors for AL were found to be emergency surgery, blood transfusion, and cancer diagnosis.

An Educational Review About Using Cost Data for the Purpose of Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

This paper provides an educational review covering the consideration of costs for cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), summarising relevant methods and research from the published literature. Cost data are typically generated by applying appropriate unit costs to healthcare resource-use data for patients. Trial-based evaluations and decision analytic modelling represent the two main vehicles for CEA. The costs to consider will depend on the perspective taken, with conflicting recommendations ranging from focusing solely on healthcare to the broader 'societal' perspective. Alternative sources of resource-use are available, including medical records and forms completed by researchers or patients. Different methods are available for the statistical analysis of cost data, although consideration needs to be given to the appropriate methods, given cost data are typically non-normal with a mass point at zero and a long right-hand tail. The choice of covariates for inclusion in econometric models also needs careful consideration, focusing on those that are influential and that will improve balance and precision. Where data are missing, it is important to consider the type of missingness and then apply appropriate analytical methods, such as imputation. Uncertainty around costs should also be reflected to allow for consideration on the impacts of the CEA results on decision uncertainty. Costs should be discounted to account for differential timing, and are typically inflated to a common cost year. The choice of methods and sources of information used when accounting for cost information within CEA will have an effect on the subsequent cost-effectiveness results and how information is presented to decision makers. It is important that the most appropriate methods are used as overlooking the complicated nature of cost data could lead to inaccurate information being given to decision makers.

Cost-effectiveness-analysis of ultrasound guidance for central venous catheterization compared with landmark method: a decision-analytic model

BACKGROUND

Ultrasound guidance for central venous catheterization is a commonly used alternative to the conventional landmark method. Because from the German perspective, the cost-effectiveness of ultrasound guidance is unclear, this study examined the cost-effectiveness of ultrasound guidance versus the landmark method for adults undergoing a central venous catheterization.

METHODS

A decision-tree based model was built to estimate the costs of averted catheter-related complications. Clinical data (e.g. arterial puncture, failed attempts) were obtained from a Cochrane review and a randomized controlled trial, whilst information about cost parameters were taken from a German hospital of maximum care. The analysis was conducted from the perspective of the German Statutory Health Insurance. Results were presented as incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. To assess the parameter uncertainty, several sensitivity analyses were performed (deterministic, probabilistic and with regard to the model structure).

RESULTS

Our analysis revealed that ultrasound guidance resulted in fewer complications per person (0.04 versus 0.17 for the landmark method) and was less expensive (€51 versus €230 for the landmark method). Results were robust to changes in the model parameters and in the model structure. Whilst our model population reflected approximately 49% of adults undergoing a central venous catheterization cannulation per year, structural sensitivity analyses (e.g. extending the study cohort to patients at higher baseline risk of complications, pediatric patients, or using real-time/indirect catheterization) indicated the cost-effectiveness of ultrasound guidance for a broader spectrum of patients. The results should be interpreted by considering the assumptions (e.g. target population) and approximations (e.g. cost parameters) underpinning the model.

CONCLUSIONS

Ultrasound guidance for central venous catheterization averts more catheter-related complications and may save the resources of the German Statutory Health Insurance compared with landmark method.

To HTA or Not to HTA: Identifying the Factors Influencing the Rapid Review Outcome in Ireland

OBJECTIVES

Reimbursement systems are evolving and endeavor to balance access and affordability. One such evolution in Ireland is the compulsory rapid review (RR) process, the outcome from which is a recommendation for a health technology assessment (HTA) or no HTA. For drugs that avoid an HTA, evaluation times are shorter, lengthy price negotiations are avoided, and access is faster. In the absence of formal decision-making criteria around the requirement of an HTA, this study examines the factors influencing the outcome of the RR process in Ireland.

METHODS

A database was developed combining data from publicly available sources for drug evaluations conducted by the National Centre for PharmacoEconomics (NCPE) (January 2010-June 2017, n = 296). Because Irish cost data were not publicly available for all drugs, cost data from the Scottish Medicines Consortium were employed as a proxy. Employing logistic regressions, the factors influencing the RR outcome are revealed.

RESULTS

After an RR, an HTA was recommended for 55% of drugs. The regression results revealed therapeutic area (endocrine, musculoskeletal, and neoplasm), first-in-class and orphan disease increased the probability of an HTA. Furthermore, when proxy costs were included, results revealed that every €1000 increase in annual drug costs per patient increased the probability of an HTA being required by 1% and that an HTA was more likely than no HTA when annual drug costs exceeded €15 000.

CONCLUSION

Given the current focus on access and affordability, this study identifies the factors influencing the requirement of an HTA in Ireland.

Systematic reviews of health economic evaluations: A structured analysis of characteristics and methods applied

INTRODUCTION

The number of systematic reviews of health economic evaluations (SR-HEs) is increasing. We aimed at providing a detailed overview of the characteristics and applied methods in recently published SR-HEs.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE (03/2017) for SR-HEs published since 2015 using validated search filters. We included studies that performed a systematic review of full economic evaluations and searched at least one electronic database. We extracted data in a standardized, beforehand piloted form that was deduced from the items of the PRISMA and CHEERS checklists. Data were extracted by one reviewer, and a 10% random sample was verified by a second. We prepared descriptive statistical measures to describe the SR-HEs.

RESULTS

We included 202 SR-HEs. We identified similarities especially in the methods for information retrieval. Study selection, data extraction, and assessment of quality and transferability were frequently not reported or performed without taking measures to reduce errors (eg, independent study selection). A wide range of different tools was applied for critical appraisal. Moreover, the reporting of included economic evaluations and the synthesis of their results showed strong variations.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, we identified few common features in the applied methods for SR-HEs. The information retrieval processes are largely standardized, but many studies did not use validated search filters. For the other systematic review steps, the methodological approaches varied. In particular, important challenges seem to be the methodological quality and transferability assessment as well as presentation and (quantitative) synthesis of results. Efforts are needed for increasing standardization, quality of applied methods, and reporting of SR-HEs.