title: A cost analysis of alprostadil in liver transplantation.
abstract: Alprostadil (prostaglandin E1) administration to liver transplant recipients has been shown to result in a significant reduction in the duration of hospital admission for transplantation, and in the need for re-operations (other than re-transplants) and renal support. To study the economic impact of this finding, we examined data from a controlled trial for all single-transplant surviving patients (42 alprostadil, 49 controls) for whom complete billing records were available for transplant days -2 to +150. All costs were measured in 1992 US dollars. Patients given alprostadil had lower total charges [mean +/- standard deviation (SD) $US175 297 +/- $US70 652] than patients given placebo (mean +/- SD $US225 672 +/- $US187 208) [p = 0.043]. The data suggest that the use of alprostadil may have a significant favourable impact on the cost of liver transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. deans@umich.edu
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Henley
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Remmert
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hass
authors.lastname: Campbell DAJr
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: McLaren
mesh_terms: D000527:Alprostadil / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D017722:Hospital Charges; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000191:economics*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use