title: Cost-effectiveness of adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen in the treatment of diabetic ulcers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study estimates the cost-effectiveness (CE) of the adjunctive use of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy in the treatment of diabetic ulcers based on the payer's and societal perspectives.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population was a hypothetical cohort of 1,000 patients sixty years of age with severe diabetic foot ulcers. A decision tree model was constructed to estimate the CE of HBO2 therapy in the treatment of diabetic ulcers at years 1, 5, and 12. Scenario and one-way sensitivity analyses were also undertaken to identify parameters that may significantly influence the estimates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CE model estimated that the incremental cost per additional quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained at years 1, 5, and 12, was dollar 27,310, dollar 5,166, and dollar 2,255, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study results indicate that HBO2 therapy in the treatment of diabetic ulcers is cost-effective, particularly based on a long-term perspective. However, the results are limited by the clinical studies that provide the basis of the CE estimation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health, Saint Louis University, MO 63104, USA.
authors.forename: Shien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Counte
authors.forename: Kathleen N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Gillespie
authors.forename: Homer
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schmitz
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003663:Decision Trees; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation / Q000191:economics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years