D Tucker

Cost-Effectiveness of Intensified Versus Conventional Multifactorial Intervention in Type 2 Diabetes Results and projections from the Steno-2 study

OBJECTIVE—To assess the cost-effectiveness of intensive versus conventional therapy for 8 years as applied in the Steno-2 study in patients with type 2 diabetes and microalbuminuria. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—A Markov model was developed to incorporate event and risk data from Steno-2 and account Danish-specific costs to project life expectancy, quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE), and lifetime direct medical costs expressed in year 2005 Euros. Clinical and cost outcomes were projected over patient lifetimes and discounted at 3% annually. Sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS—Intensive treatment was associated with increased life expectancy, QALE, and lifetime costs compared with conventional treatment. Mean ± SD undiscounted life expectancy was 18.1 ± 7.9 years with intensive treatment and 16.2 ± 7.3 years with conventional treatment (difference 1.9 years). Discounted life expectancy was 13.4 ± 4.8 years with intensive treatment and 12.4 ± 4.5 years with conventional treatment. Lifetime costs (discounted) for intensive and conventional treatment were €45,521 ± 19,697 and €41,319 ± 27,500, respectively (difference €4,202). Increased costs with intensive treatment were due to increased pharmacy and consultation costs. Discounted QALE was 1.66 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) higher for intensive (10.2 ± 3.6 QALYs) versus conventional (8.6 ± 2.7 QALYs) treatment, resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of €2,538 per QALY gained. This is considered a conservative estimate because accounting prescription of generic drugs and capturing indirect costs would further favor intensified therapy. CONCLUSIONS—From a health care payer perspective in Denmark, intensive therapy was more cost-effective than conventional treatment. Assuming that patients in both arms were treated in a primary care setting, intensive therapy became dominant (cost- and lifesaving).

Exenatide versus insulin glargine in patients with type 2 diabetes in the UK : a model of long-term clinical and cost outcomes

ABSTRACT Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term clinical and economic outcomes associated with exenatide or insulin glargine, added to oral therapy in individuals with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with combination oral agents in the UK setting. Methods: A published and validated computer simulation model of diabetes was used to project long-term complications, life expectancy, quality-adjusted life expectancy and direct medical costs. Probabilities of diabetes-related complications were derived from published sources. Treatment effects and patient characteristics were extracted from a recent randomised controlled trial comparing exenatide with insulin glargine. Simulations incorporated published quality of life utilities and UK-specific costs from 2004. Pharmacy costs for exenatide were based on 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% of the US value (as no price for the UK was available at the time of analysis). Future costs and clinical benefits were discounted at 3.5% annually. Sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: In the base–case analysis exenatide was associated with improvements in life expectancy of 0.057 years and in quality-adjusted life expectancy of 0.442 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) versus insulin glargine. Long-term projections demonstrated that exenatide was associated with a lower cumulative incidence of most cardiovascular disease (CVD) complications and CVD-related death than insulin glargine. Using the range of cost values, evaluation results showed that exenatide is likely to fall in a range between dominant (cost and life saving) at 20% of the US price and cost-effective (with an ICER of £22 420 per QALY gained) at 100% of the US price, versus insulin glargine. Conclusions: Based on the findings of a recent clinical trial, long-term projections indicated that exenatide is likely to be associated with improvement in life expectancy and quality-adjusted life expectancy compared to insulin glargine. The results from this modelling analysis suggest that that exenatide is likely to represent good value for money by generally accepted standards in the UK setting in individuals with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled on oral therapy.

Counting the costs of overweight and obesity: modeling clinical and cost outcomes.

ABSTRACT Objective: To quantify changes in clinical and cost outcomes associated with increasing levels of body mass index (BMI) in a US setting. Research methods and procedures: A semi-Markov model was developed to project and compare life expectancy (LE), quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE) and direct medical costs associated with distinct levels of BMI in simulated adult cohorts over a lifetime horizon. Cohort definitions included age (20–65 years), gender, race, and BMI (24–45 kg m−2). Cohorts were exclusively male or female and either Caucasian or African-American. Mortality rates were adjusted according to these factors using published data. BMI progression over time was modeled. BMI-dependent US direct medical costs were derived from published sources and inflated to year 2004 values. A third party reimbursement perspective was taken. QALE and costs were discounted at 3% per annum. Results: In young Caucasian cohorts LE decreased as BMI increased. However, in older Caucasian cohorts the BMI associated with greatest longevity was higher than 25 kg m−2. A similar pattern was observed in young adult African-American cohorts. A survival paradox was projected in older African-American cohorts, with some BMI levels in the obese category associated with greatest longevity. QALE in all four race/gender cohorts followed similar patterns to LE. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that simulating BMI progression over time had an important impact on results. Direct costs in all four cohorts increased with BMI, with a few exceptions. Conclusions: Optimal BMI, in terms of longevity, varied between race/gender cohorts and within these cohorts, according to age, contributing to the debate over what BMI level or distribution should be considered ideal in terms of mortality risk. Simulating BMI progression over time had a substantial impact on health outcomes and should be modeled in future health economic analyses of overweight and obesity.

Long-Term Cost-Effectiveness of Pioglitazone versus Placebo in Addition to Existing Diabetes Treatment: A US Analysis Based on PROactive

OBJECTIVE To estimate the long-term cost-effectiveness of adding pioglitazone versus placebo to standard treatment in high-risk patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS The validated CORE Diabetes Model was modified to project long-term clinical and cost outcomes associated with pioglitazone versus placebo, based on results from PROactive. The model retained basic structure and functionality, with interdependent Markov submodels, Monte Carlo simulation and user interface. Adjustments to submodels were made to accommodate the PROactive primary end points. The analysis was from the perspective of a third party US health-care payer perspective, projected over a lifetime horizon using a 3% annual discount. RESULTS Over a lifetime horizon, addition of pioglitazone was associated with increased life expectancy (0.237 life-years) and quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE) [0.166 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs)] versus placebo. Estimated long-term complication rates showed that pioglitazone reduced the number of events versus placebo for most outcomes. Lifetime total direct costs were marginally higher with pioglitazone versus placebo (

A French cost-consequence analysis of the renoprotective benefits of irbesartan in patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension

272,694 vs.

A health economic model to determine the long-term costs and clinical outcomes of raising low HDL-cholesterol in the prevention of coronary heart disease

265,390, difference

Investigating the links between retinopathy, macular edema and visual acuity in patients with diabetes

7,305). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for pioglitazone versus placebo was

PDB10 LONG-TERM CLINICAL AND ECONOMIC OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES TREATED WITH INSULIN ASPART VERSUS HUMAN SOLUBLE INSULIN IN SWEDEN

44,105 per QALY gained. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis indicated a 55% likelihood that pioglitazone would be considered cost-effective in the United States, with a willingness to pay of

PDB18 COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF ACARBOSE IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE-2 DIABETES IN THREE COUNTRIES

50,000 per QALY gained. CONCLUSIONS The addition of pioglitazone to existing therapy in high-risk patients with type 2 diabetes was projected to improve life expectancy, QALE and complication rates compared with placebo. Addition of pioglitazone was in the range generally considered acceptable.

Cost and clinical implications of diabetes prevention in an Australian setting: A long-term modeling analysis

ABSTRACT Objectives: We performed a cost-consequence analysis in a French setting of the renoprotective benefit of irbesartan in hypertensive type 2 diabetes patients over a 25-year period. Research design and methods: A previously published Markov model simulated progression from microalbuminuria to overt nephropathy, doubling of serum creatinine, end-stage renal disease and death. Three treatment strategies with analogous blood pressure control were compared: (A) control – conventionally medicated antihypertensive therapy (excluding angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, other angiotensin-2-receptor antagonists and dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers) initiated at microalbuminuria; (B) early irbesartan – (300 mg daily added to control, initiated with microalbuminuria) and (C) late irbesartan – (300 mg daily, initiated with overt nephropathy). Probabilities came from the Irbesartan in Reduction of Microalbuminuria-2 study, Irbesartan in Diabetic Nephropathy Trial and other sources. Clinical and economic outcomes were projected over 25 years. Annual discount rates were 3%. Results: Compared to control, early use of irbesartan added (mean ± standard deviation) 1.51 ± 0.08 undiscounted life years (discounted: 0.94 ± 0.05 years), while late irbesartan added 0.07 ± 0.01 (0.04 ± 0.01) years/patient. Early irbesartan added 1.03 ± 0.06 discounted quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), while late irbesartan added 0.06 ± 0.01 QALYs. Early and late irbesartan treatments were projected to save €22 314 ± 1273 and €6619 ± 820/patient, respectively versus control. Sensitivity analysis showed that even over short time horizons both irbesartan treatments were superior to the control group. Conclusions: In France, early irbesartan treatment improved quality and length of life and reduced costs in hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes and microalbuminuria. Late irbesartan therapy is beneficial, but earlier irbesartan leads to better outcomes.