Objective

To estimate the efficiency by incremental cost effectiveness analysis of palivizumab therapy against the usual clinical practice in 2010-2017 period.

Materials and methods

A complete economic evaluation of the cost effectiveness type was carried out and the time horizon was one year, without discount rate, the study was carried out from the perspective of Social Security, seven hospitals were included and the effectiveness variables were selected from the available information in the literature scientifically, the costs were expressed in US dollars for each year. The decision tree analysis was carried out with the grouped data and the average and incremental cost effectiveness and sensitivity analysis when considering gestational age as a classification variable. Relevant ethical principles were considered.

Results

Data of 200 premature infants were found with palivizumab and 206 without the administration of this treatment. The decision tree analysis showed an incremental cost effectiveness of US $ 1,799. The average cost effectiveness was higher in premature infants with palivizumab and the incremental cost effectiveness in the subgroup 32-35 weeks was the most effective cost. At the 90 and 95% confidence interval, the range of the average value of the total treatment cost is wide, so the cost is sensitive to change.

Conclusions

Palivizumab is more effective cost in premature of 32-35 weeks of gestational age.

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