Are the WOSCOPS clinical and economic findings generalizable to other populations? A case study for Belgium. The WOSCOPS Economic Analysis Group. West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study.
OBJECTIVE
As the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study (WOSCOPS) was conducted in Scotland, a country well-known for its high cardiovascular risk, the generalizability of its findings on pravastatin's clinical and economic effects has been questioned. This study examines the legitimacy of this concern, using Belgium as a case study.


RESULTS
Local information on the prevalence and clustering of risk factors in individual patients was used in a risk equation to estimate the reference risk in Belgium. In contrast to prevailing beliefs, this risk was shown to coincide with the trial population's risk. As the relative risk reduction documented in a trial should apply across populations, the health benefits observed in WOSCOPS can clearly be extrapolated. This information in combination with local costs was then used to assess the economic efficiency of primary prevention with pravastatin in Belgium by means of a previously developed model. In parallel with the original estimates for the United Kingdom, the cost-effectiveness ratios remain well within the range of what is considered strong to moderate evidence for adoption and appropriate utilization, over a wide range of input values.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates that the clinical and economic findings from WOSCOPS can indeed be generalized to other populations.
Caro
J J
JJ
Caro Research, Concord, MA, USA. jcaro@caroresearch.com
Huybrechts
K F
KF
De Backer
G
G
De Bacquer
D
D
Closon
M C
MC
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001530:Belgium; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D017035:Pravastatin / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011322:Primary Prevention; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012306:Risk; D012307:Risk Factors; D012606:Scotland
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D017035:Pravastatin