Cost-effectiveness of follow-up algorithms for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in pulmonary embolism survivors.

Introduction: Achieving an early diagnosis of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) in pulmonary embolism (PE) survivors results in better quality of life and survival. Importantly, dedicated follow-up strategies to achieve an earlier CTEPH diagnosis involve costs that were not explicitly incorporated in the models assessing their cost-effectiveness. We performed an economic evaluation of 11 distinct PE follow-up algorithms to determine which should be preferred.

Materials and methods: 11 different PE follow-up algorithms and one hypothetical scenario without a dedicated CTEPH follow-up algorithm were included in a Markov model. Diagnostic accuracy of consecutive tests was estimated from patient-level data of the InShape II study (n=424). The lifelong costs per CTEPH patient were compared and related to quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) for each scenario.

Results: Compared to not performing dedicated follow-up, the integrated follow-up algorithms are associated with an estimated increase of 0.89-1.2 QALYs against an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of EUR 25 700-46 300 per QALY per CTEPH patient. When comparing different algorithms with each other, the maximum differences were 0.27 QALYs and EUR 27 600. The most cost-effective algorithm was the InShape IV algorithm, with an ICER of EUR 26 700 per QALY compared to the next best algorithm.

Conclusion: Subjecting all PE survivors to any of the currently established dedicated follow-up algorithms to detect CTEPH is cost-effective and preferred above not performing a dedicated follow-up, evaluated against the Dutch acceptability threshold of EUR 50 000 per QALY. The model can be used to identify the locally preferred algorithm from an economical point-of-view within local logistical possibilities.