Economic impact of longer battery life of cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators in Sweden.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to quantify the impact that longer battery life of cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) devices has on reducing the number of device replacements and associated costs of these replacements from a Swedish health care system perspective.


METHODS
An economic model based on real-world published data was developed to estimate cost savings and avoided device replacements for CRT-Ds with longer battery life compared with devices with industry-standard battery life expectancy. Base-case comparisons were performed among CRT-Ds of three manufacturers - Boston Scientific Corporation, St. Jude Medical, and Medtronic - over a 6-year time horizon, as per the available clinical data. As a sensitivity analysis, we evaluated CRT-Ds as well as single-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD-VR) and dual-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD-DR) devices over a longer 10-year period. All costs were in 2015 Swedish Krona (SEK) discounted at 3% per annum.


RESULTS
Base-case analysis results show that up to 603 replacements and up to SEK 60.4 million cumulative-associated costs could be avoided over 6 years by using devices with extended battery life. The pattern of savings over time suggests that savings are modest initially but increase rapidly beginning in the third year of follow-up with each year's cumulative savings two to three times the previous year. Evaluating CRT-D, ICD-VR, and ICD-DR devices together over a longer 10-year period, the sensitivity analysis showed 2,820 fewer replacement procedures and associated cost savings of SEK 249.3 million for all defibrillators with extended battery life.


CONCLUSIONS
Extended battery life is likely to reduce device replacements and associated complications and costs, which may result in important cost savings and a more efficient use of health care resources as well as a better quality of life for heart failure patients in Sweden.
Department of Cardiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Fredrik
F
Gadler
Truven Health Analytics, an IBM Company, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Yao
Y
Ding
Boston Scientific Corporation, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK.
Nathalie
N
Verin
Boston Scientific Nordic AB, Helsingborg, Sweden.
Martin
M
Bergius
Truven Health Analytics, an IBM Company, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Jeffrey D
JD
Miller
Truven Health Analytics, an IBM Company, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Gregory M
GM
Lenhart
Truven Health Analytics, an IBM Company, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Mason W
MW
Russell
Sweden; battery life; cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator; cost analysis; device replacement; economic model; implantable cardioverter defibrillator