[Health Technology Assessment to evaluate the economic advantage of offering of low-protein diet to pre-dialysis patients in Campania (Italy)].
A low-protein diet is well known to slow the progression of chronic renal failure, delay initiation of dialysis, while achieving significant economic benefits. In the context of a Health Technology Assessment (HTA), a budget impact analysis model was implemented to evaluate the economic advantage of offering of low-protein diet to nephropathic patients in Campania (Italy). The implemented model takes into account only the direct costs to the national healthcare system. In particular, costs related to supplying low-protein foods are compared to dialysis costs avoided, in a scenario that evaluates different indices of Numbers Needed to Treat and compliance to treatment. Results indicate that when compliance to treatment is at least 50% and NNT is £ 50, supplying a low-protein diet to all kidney disease patients in the pre-dialysis phase, namely with an estimated Glomerular filtration rate &gt; 45, in Campania (which in the year 2009 were equal to 25,000 subjects), is economically advantageous. In this perspective, the authors argue that distribution of low-protein foods by local pharmacies could be an appropriate choice as it would allow the products to be offered at a discounted price and create a favorable setting for increasing adherence to treatment.
Cattedra di Igiene ed Epidemiologia, Dipartimento di Studi delle Istituzioni e dei Sistemi territoriali, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Parthenope". giorgio.liguori@uniparthenope.it
Giorgio
G
Liguori
Patrizia
P
Belfiore
Bruno
B
Cianciaruso
Massimo
M
Cirillo
Simona
S
Creazzola
Anna
A
D'Ausilio
Natale Gaspare
NG
De Santo
Gaetana
G
La Bella
Antonino
A
Parlato
Alessandro
A
Scaletti
Bruno
B
Zamparelli
D020811:Biomedical Technology; D018753:Diet, Protein-Restricted / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical