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The cost-effectiveness of an early interventional strategy in non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome based on the RITA 3 trial

¹ Centre for Health Economics, University of York, UK
² Center for Medical Technology Assessment, Linköping University, Sweden
³ Medical Statistics Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
⁴ Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust, Nottingham UK
⁵ Health Economics Research Group, Brunel University, Uxbridge, UK
⁶ Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Department of Medical and Radiological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, UK

Correspondence to:
Martin Henriksson, Center for Medical Technology Assessment, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden; martin.henriksson{at}ihs.liu.se

ABSTRACT
Background: Evidence suggests that an early interventional strategy for patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) can improve health outcomes but also increase costs when compared with a conservative strategy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of an early interventional strategy in different risk groups from a UK health-service perspective.

Design: Decision-analytic model based on randomised clinical trial data.

Main outcome measures: Costs in UK Sterling at 2003/2004 prices and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) combined into an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio.

Methods: Data from the third Randomised Intervention Trial of unstable Angina (RITA 3) was employed to estimate rates of cardiovascular death and myocardial infarction, costs and health-related quality of life. Cost-effectiveness was estimated over patients’ lifetimes within the decision-analytic model.

Results: The mean incremental cost per QALY gained for an early interventional strategy was approximately £55 000, £22 000 and £12 000 for patients at low, intermediate and high risk, respectively. The early interventional strategy is approximately 1%, 35% and 95% likely to be cost-effective for patients at low, intermediate and high risk, respectively, at a threshold of £20 000 per QALY. The cost-effectiveness of early intervention in low-risk patients is sensitive to assumptions about the duration of the treatment effect.

Conclusion: An early interventional strategy in patients presenting with NSTE-ACS is likely to be considered cost-effective for patients at high and intermediate risk, but this is less likely to be the case for patients at low risk.