Cost effectiveness of management strategies for urinary tract infections: results from randomised controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the cost effectiveness of different management strategies for urinary tract infections.


METHODS
Cost effectiveness analysis alongside a randomised controlled trial with a one month follow-up.


METHODS
Primary care.


METHODS
309 non-pregnant adult women aged 18-70 presenting with suspected urinary tract infection.


METHODS
Patients were randomised to five basic management approaches: empirical antibiotics, empirical delayed (by 48 hours) antibiotics, or targeted antibiotics based on either a high symptom score (two or more of urine cloudiness, smell, nocturia, dysuria), dipstick results (nitrite or leucocytes and blood), or receipt of a positive result on midstream urine analysis.


METHODS
Duration of symptoms and cost of care.


RESULTS
Management with targeted antibiotics with midstream urine analysis was more costly over the period of one month. Costs for the midstream urine analysis and dipstick management groups were pound37 and pound35, respectively; these compared with pound31 for immediate antibiotics. Cost effectiveness acceptability curves suggested that if avoiding a day of moderately bad symptoms was valued at less than pound10, then immediate antibiotics is likely to be the most cost effective strategy. For values over pound10, targeted antibiotics with dipstick testing becomes the most cost effective strategy, though because of the uncertainty we can never be more than 70% certain that this strategy truly is the most cost effective.


CONCLUSIONS
Dipstick testing with targeted antibiotics is likely to be cost effective if the value of saving a day of moderately bad symptoms is pound10 or more, but caution is required given the considerable uncertainty surrounding the estimates.
Turner
David
D
Wessex Institute, University of Southampton, Alpha House, Southampton Science Park, Chilworth, Southampton SO16 7NS. dturner@soton.ac.uk
Little
Paul
P
Raftery
James
J
Turner
Sheila
S
Smith
Helen
H
Rumsby
Kate
K
Mullee
Mark
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000892:Anti-Infective Agents, Urinary / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000191:economics; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D055815:Young Adult
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000892:Anti-Infective Agents, Urinary; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic