The Cost Effectiveness of Adjunctive Treatments for Proton Pump Inhibitor-Refractory Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.

Half of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) experience persistent symptoms while on proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), thus driving efforts to develop novel adjunctive therapies for PPI-refractory GERD. An economic analysis was performed to establish at what cost and efficacy such potential medications are likely to become cost effective in clinical practice. A Markov decision model was used to examine a hypothetical cohort of patients being evaluated for PPI-refractory GERD in the USA. The model compared 3 strategies: (1) usual care (i.e., upfront diagnostic testing with upper endoscopy ± ambulatory pH testing); (2) use of a PPI-adjunctive therapy after positive ambulatory pH testing; and (3) empiric use of a PPI-adjunctive therapy (i.e., diagnostic testing only after failing empiric treatment). The primary outcome was incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained (third-party payer perspective) over a 10-year time horizon using a willingness to pay threshold of $100,000/QALY. In two-way sensitivity analyses varying the cost and effectiveness of the PPI-adjunctive therapy, most combinations revealed that use of the medication after positive pH testing was the most cost-effective approach. Empiric treatment was the preferred strategy only when the therapy was highly efficacious (≥ 87.5% response rate) and low cost (≤ $109/month). Use of PPI-adjunctive treatments were not cost effective when the cost exceeded $1150/month. Use of PPI-adjunctive therapies in those with persistent GERD symptoms may become cost effective when guided by ambulatory pH tests. These data can guide investigators, industry, and payers as they develop, validate, and price new treatments for PPI-refractory GERD.

Rosas US ，Almario CV ，Yu KS ，Spiegel BMR ... -  《-》

Cost-effectiveness of the RefluxStop device for management of refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease in Switzerland.

Harper S ，Kartha M ，Mealing S ，Borbély YM ，Zehetner J ... -  《-》

Long-term cost-effectiveness of medical, endoscopic and surgical management of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

The long-term cost effectiveness of medical, endoscopic, and operative treatments for adults with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains unclear. We sought to estimate the cost effectiveness of medical, endoscopic, and operative treatments for adults with GERD who require daily proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy. A Markov model was generated from the payer's perspective using a 6-month cycle and 30-year time horizon. The base-case patient was a 45-year-old man with symptomatic GERD taking 20 mg of omeprazole twice daily. Four treatment strategies were analyzed: PPI therapy, transoral incisionless fundoplication (EsophyX), radiofrequency energy application to the lower esophageal sphincter (Stretta) and laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. The model parameters were selected using the published literature and institutional billing data. The main outcome measure was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained) for each therapy. In the base case analysis, which assumed a PPI cost of $234 over 6 months ($39 per month), Stretta and laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication were the most cost-effective options over a 30-year time period ($2,470.66 and $5,579.28 per QALY gained, respectively). If the cost of PPI therapy exceeded $90.63 per month over 30 years, laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication became the dominant treatment option. EsophyX was dominated by laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication at all points in time. Low-cost PPIs, Stretta, and laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication all represent cost-effective treatment strategies. In this model, when PPIs exceed $90 per month, medical therapy is no longer cost effective. Procedural GERD therapy should be considered for patients who require high-dose or expensive PPIs.

Funk LM ，Zhang JY ，Drosdeck JM ，Melvin WS ，Walker JP ，Perry KA ... -  《-》

Cost-effectiveness model of endoscopic biopsy for eosinophilic esophagitis in patients with refractory GERD.

Miller SM ，Goldstein JL ，Gerson LB 《-》

Cost-effectiveness of alginic acid in combination with proton pump inhibitor for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease in systemic sclerosis patients.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients often become refractory to proton pump inhibitors (PPI)-a standard treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)-and intolerant to PPI in combination with domperidone. PPI with alginic acid is an alternative treatment option, but alginic acid is costly. We compared the costs and effectiveness of alginic acid plus PPI versus standard treatments (PPI with/without antacids as needed and lifestyle modifications) for GERD in SSc patients unsuitable for, or intolerant to, domperidone. An economic evaluation using the Markov model was conducted among SSc patients aged between 40 and 65 years with GERD, having a partial or non-response to 4 weeks of standard-dose omeprazole (40 mg/day) and being unsuitable for or intolerant to domperidone. Using a societal perspective, we computed the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) in terms of Thai baht (THB) per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) between a combination of alginic acid plus PPI and standard treatment for GERD. The lifetime time horizon was used. The ICER for alginic acid plus PPI versus standard treatments was 377 101 THB/QALY. According to the one-way sensitivity analysis, the cost of alginic acid was the most impactful parameter. If the market prices of alginic acid plus PPI were reduced by 61%, this treatment option would become cost-effective at the willingness-to-pay threshold of 160 000 THB/QALY (34.68 THB/USD data on 25 May 2023). Furthermore, if alginic acid were included in the public health insurance program, the national budget would be increased by 66 313 THB per patient, resulting in an overall budget increase of 5 106 101 to 8 885 942 THB compared with the standard treatment. Alginic acid plus PPI does not represent good value for money compared with the standard treatment among such SSc patients in Thailand unless its price is reduced significantly.

Foocharoen C ，Kingkaew P ，Teerawattananon Y ，Mahakkanukrauh A ，Suwannaroj S ，Manasirisuk W ，Chaiyarit J ，Sangchan A ... -  《-》