title: Ruling out IBD: estimation of the possible economic effects of pre-endoscopic screening with F-calprotectin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the possible economic effects of a sequential testing strategy with F-calprotectin to minimize colonoscopies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study in a third party payer perspective. The costs were calculated from initial F-calprotectin test results of 3639 patients. Two cut-off levels were used: 50 μg/g feces and 100 μg/g feces, respectively. The cost-effectiveness of the testing strategy was estimated through the short-term cost avoidance and reduction in demand for colonoscopies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The estimated demand for colonoscopies was reduced by 50% with the 50 μg/g cut-off and 67% with the 100 μg/g cut-off. This corresponded to a cost avoidance of approximately €1.57 million and €2.13 million, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of F-calprotectin as a screening test substantially could reduce the number of invasive measurements necessary in the diagnostic work-up of patients with suspected IBD, as well as the associated costs.
authors: Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Clinical Chemistry, Akademiska sjukhuset, Uppsala, Sweden. Mirja.Mindemark@medsci.uu.se
authors: Mirja
authors: M
authors: Mindemark
authors: Anders
authors: A
authors: Larsson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics; D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019564:Unnecessary Procedures; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D039841:Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex