TY - JOUR
T1 - Cost-effectiveness analysis of herpes simplex virus testing and treatment strategies in febrile neonates
AU - Caviness, A. Chantal
AU - Demmler, Gail J.
AU - Swint, J. Michael
AU - Cantor, Scott B.
PY - 2008/7
Y1 - 2008/7
N2 - Objective: To determine the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of testing for and empirically treating herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection in neonates with fever aged from birth to 28 days. Design: Cost-effectiveness analysis. Setting: Decision model. Patients: Neonates with fever with no other symptoms and neonates with fever with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis. Interventions: Four clinical strategies: (1) HSV testing and empirical treatment while awaiting test results; (2) HSV testing and treatment if test results were positive for HSV or the patient had symptoms of HSV; (3) treatment alone without testing; or (4) no HSV testing or treatment unless the patient exhibited symptoms. The 2 HSV testing methods used were CSF HSV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and comprehensive evaluation with blood HSV PCR, CSF HSV PCR, and multiple viral cultures. Main Outcome Measures: Twelve-month survival and quality-adjusted life expectancy with a cost-effectiveness threshold of $100 000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. Results: Clinical strategy 1, when applied in febrile neonates with CSF pleocytosis, saved 17 lives per 10 000 neonates and was cost-effective using CSF HSV PCR testing ($55 652/QALY gained). The cost-effectiveness of applying clinical strategy 1 in all febrile neonates depended on the cost of the CSF HSV PCR, prevalence of disease, and parental preferences for neurodevelopmental outcomes. Clinical strategies using comprehensive HSV testing were not cost-effective in febrile neonates ($368 411/QALY gained) or febrile neonates with CSF pleocytosis ($110 190/QALY gained). Conclusions: Testing with CSF HSV PCR and empirically treating with acyclovir sodium saves lives and is cost-effective in febrile neonates with CSF pleocytosis. It is not a cost-effective use of health care resources in all febrile neonates.
AB - Objective: To determine the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of testing for and empirically treating herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection in neonates with fever aged from birth to 28 days. Design: Cost-effectiveness analysis. Setting: Decision model. Patients: Neonates with fever with no other symptoms and neonates with fever with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis. Interventions: Four clinical strategies: (1) HSV testing and empirical treatment while awaiting test results; (2) HSV testing and treatment if test results were positive for HSV or the patient had symptoms of HSV; (3) treatment alone without testing; or (4) no HSV testing or treatment unless the patient exhibited symptoms. The 2 HSV testing methods used were CSF HSV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and comprehensive evaluation with blood HSV PCR, CSF HSV PCR, and multiple viral cultures. Main Outcome Measures: Twelve-month survival and quality-adjusted life expectancy with a cost-effectiveness threshold of $100 000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. Results: Clinical strategy 1, when applied in febrile neonates with CSF pleocytosis, saved 17 lives per 10 000 neonates and was cost-effective using CSF HSV PCR testing ($55 652/QALY gained). The cost-effectiveness of applying clinical strategy 1 in all febrile neonates depended on the cost of the CSF HSV PCR, prevalence of disease, and parental preferences for neurodevelopmental outcomes. Clinical strategies using comprehensive HSV testing were not cost-effective in febrile neonates ($368 411/QALY gained) or febrile neonates with CSF pleocytosis ($110 190/QALY gained). Conclusions: Testing with CSF HSV PCR and empirically treating with acyclovir sodium saves lives and is cost-effective in febrile neonates with CSF pleocytosis. It is not a cost-effective use of health care resources in all febrile neonates.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=46949083767&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=46949083767&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1001/archpedi.162.7.665
DO - 10.1001/archpedi.162.7.665
M3 - Article
C2 - 18606938
AN - SCOPUS:46949083767
SN - 1072-4710
VL - 162
SP - 665
EP - 674
JO - Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
JF - Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
IS - 7
ER -