Cost effectiveness of tinzaparin sodium versus unfractionated heparin in the treatment of proximal deep vein thrombosis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate economic and health implications of tinzaparin sodium, a once a day low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH), versus unfractionated heparin (UFH) in the treatment of acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT) from a US healthcare payer perspective.


METHODS
An economic model, composed of two submodules, was created: A short-term module based on clinical trial data covering the first 3 months and a long-term module that projects trial results based on published data for up to 50 years.


METHODS
Clinical trial results were combined with data from long-term follow-up studies of DVT in a model that estimates the health and economic consequences of treatment. Both short- and long-term costs with tinzaparin sodium were compared with UFH, as were health outcomes and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs).


RESULTS
Patients treated with tinzaparin sodium are estimated to live a mean of 0.9 years longer on average (0.6 discounted), resulting in an increase of 0.8 QALYs (0.5 discounted). At the same time, lifetime savings are US dollars 621 per patient (1999 values), even when all patients receiving tinzapirin sodium are treated as inpatients. Early discharge of patients receiving tinzaparin sodium, or outpatient treatment, would save between US dollars 3000 and US dollars 5000 per patient.


CONCLUSIONS
Tinzaparin sodium leads to better health outcomes and substantial economic savings compared with UFH treatment when all management costs are considered.
Caro Research Institute, Concord, Massachusetts 01742, USA. jcaro@caroresearch.com
J Jaime
JJ
Caro
Denis
D
Getsios
Ingrid
I
Caro
Judith A
JA
O'Brien
D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D016527:Drug Costs; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006302:Health Services Research; D006493:Heparin / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D017059:Models, Econometric; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D000078222:Tinzaparin; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D026712:Value of Life / Q000191:economics; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics*
D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight; D000078222:Tinzaparin; D006493:Heparin