Background: Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) presents a significant economic burden to the healthcare system. Catheter ablations is a commonly adopted treatment for paroxysmal AF.
Objectives: To evaluate the cost effectiveness of cryoballoon ablation versus radiofrequency ablation in patients with drug-refractory paroxysmal AF in a tertiary hospital in China.
Methods: A Markov model was developed to study the effects and costs. Cost and probability input data were obtained mainly from a retrospective real-world study conducted in a tertiary hospital. Propensity score matching was used to overcome retrospective bias. Input data gaps were remedied by means of literature review and advice from experts. A simulation was performed for the post-procedure lifetime years. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted.
Results: In the base-case analysis of a lifetime time horizon, a patient treated with cryoballoon ablation was associated with 7.85 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and ￥132 222 ($19 913) total costs, whereas a radiofrequency ablation treated patient was associated with 7.71 QALYs and ￥147 304 ($22 184) total costs. The cryoballoon group had slightly better health outcomes (with a difference of 0.14 QALY) and lower total costs (with a difference of ￥15 082) (USD $2 271), and it may be considered as cost-effective or cost-saving strategy (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio -￥110 158 [$16 590] per QALY) for the management of paroxysmal AF. Different scenarios were tested with sensitivity analyses, but still, the outcomes remained cost-effective or cost-saving for cryoballoon ablation.
Conclusions: An economic evaluation based on real-world data suggests that, relative to radiofrequency ablation, cryoballoon ablation may be considered as a more cost-effective or cost-saving long-term strategy for drug-refractory paroxysmal AF in this tertiary hospital in China. However, further evidence is needed using data from large-scale studies in order to reflect a national perspective.
Keywords: cost-effectiveness analysis; cryoballoon ablation; paroxysmal atrial fibrillation; radiofrequency ablation; real-world data.
Copyright ? 2019 ISPOR–The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.