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Economic evaluation of strategies for restarting anticoagulation therapy with warfarin based on Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) risk after an index unprovoked VTE event

Economic evaluation of strategies for restarting anticoagulation therapy with warfarin based on Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) risk after an index unprovoked VTE event Thumbnail


Abstract

Background
Following at least 3 months of anticoagulation therapy after a first unprovoked venous thromboembolism (VTE), there is uncertainty about the duration of therapy. Further anticoagulation therapy reduces the risk of having a potentially fatal recurrent VTE but at the expense of a higher risk of bleeding, which can also be fatal.

Objective
An economic evaluation sought to estimate the long-term cost-effectiveness of using a decision rule for restarting anticoagulation therapy vs. no extension of therapy in patients based on their risk of a further unprovoked VTE.

Methods
A Markov patient-level simulation model was developed, which adopted a lifetime time horizon with monthly time cycles and was from a UK National Health Service (NHS)/Personal Social Services (PSS) perspective.

Results
Base-case model results suggest that treating patients with a predicted 1 year VTE risk of 17.5% or higher may be cost-effective if decision makers are willing to pay up to £20 000 per quality adjusted life year (QALY) gained. However, probabilistic sensitivity analysis shows that the model was highly sensitive to overall parameter uncertainty and caution is warranted in selecting the optimal decision rule on cost-effectiveness grounds. Univariate sensitivity analyses indicate variables such as anticoagulation therapy disutility and mortality risks were very influential in driving model results.

Conclusion
This represents the first economic model to consider the use of a decision rule for restarting therapy for unprovoked VTE patients. Better data are required to predict long-term bleeding risks during therapy in this patient group.

Acceptance Date Apr 27, 2017
Publication Date May 18, 2017
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis
Print ISSN 1538-7933
Publisher Wiley
Pages 1591-1600
DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/jth.13739
Keywords Deep Vein Thrombosis, Pulmonary Embolism, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Medical Economics, Venous Thromboembolism
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jth.13739

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