Cost-effectiveness analysis of triple test in second-trimester maternal serum screening for Down's syndrome: an experience from Taiwan with decreasing birth rate but increasing population of old pregnant women.
OBJECTIVE
We intended to assess the cost-effectiveness of adding unconjugated oestriol (uE3) in maternal serum screening for Down's syndrome in Taiwan, where there is a decreasing birth rate but an increasing trend of old women having pregnancies.


METHODS
We used logistic regressions to estimate the risk of Down's syndrome with maternal age and different combinations of biomarkers. Cost-effectiveness analysis was presented in terms of the average and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Sensitivity analyses with different parameters were performed.


RESULTS
Given a cut-off point of 1:270 for the confirmation of Down's syndrome with amniocentesis, the average cost per case averted for maternal age above 35 years only, double test [alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG)] and triple test (AFP, hCG and uE3) were estimated as $14,561, $42,367 and $37,424. The additional costs per case averted for double test and triple test (compared with maternal age above 35 years) were $135,950 and $77,394, respectively. The additional cost per case averted for triple test was $15 199 compared with double test.


CONCLUSIONS
The performance of triple test is not only more effective in detecting Down's syndrome cases but also more cost-effective than double test in this study.
Hwa
Hsiao-Lin
HL
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yen
Ming-Fang
MF
Lin
Chen-Li
CL
Ko
Tsang-Ming
TM
Hsieh
Fon-Jou
FJ
Chen
Tony Hsiu-Hsi
TH
D000328:Adult; D001723:Birth Rate / Q000639:trends*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis / Q000379:methods; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000097:blood*; D044967:Serum; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology