Cost-utility of treatment of bulimia nervosa.
OBJECTIVE
The costs of treating eating disorders are high. Our objective was to perform a cost-utility analysis of treatment of bulimia nervosa.


METHODS
72 patients entering treatment of bulimia nervosa (ICD-10 diagnosis) completed the 15D health-related quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaire and the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) before and 6 months after the start of treatment. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained were calculated and cost-utility was assessed within the time horizon of 10 years.


RESULTS
Baseline HRQoL was severely impaired in the patients. As a consequence of treatment, mean HRQoL improved clinically and statistically significantly. The cost per QALY gained varied from €1,455 to €16,481 (from €4,428 to €19,663 discounted at 5%) depending on the assumptions used in the analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
HRQoL of bulimia nervosa patients is severely impaired, but treatment has a clear positive effect on HRQoL. The cost per QALY gained is comparable to many other treatments.
Pohjolainen
Veera
V
Department of Psychiatry, Helsinki and Uusimaa Hospital District, Helsinki, Finland. veera.pohjolainen@fimnet.fi
Räsänen
Pirjo
P
Roine
Risto P
RP
Sintonen
Harri
H
Wahlbeck
Kristian
K
Karlsson
Hasse
H
D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015992:Body Mass Index; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D011594:Psychometrics; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000191:economics; D011788:Quality of Life; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000928:Antidepressive Agents