Aria Fallah1, Alexander G Weil2, Shelly Wang3, Evan Lewis4, Christine B Baca5, Gary W Mathern6. 1. Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: afallah@mednet.ucla.edu. 2. Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada. 3. Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. 4. Division of Pediatric Neurology, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. 5. Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Neurology, Veterans Administration Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 6. Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The management of drug-resistant epilepsy in children with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) is challenging because of the multitude of treatment options, wide range of associated costs, and uncertainty of seizure outcomes. The most cost-effective approach for children whose epilepsy has failed to improve with first-line medical therapy is uncertain. METHODS: A review of MEDLINE from 1990 to 2015 was conducted. A cost-utility analysis, from a third-party payer perspective, was performed for children with drug-resistant epilepsy that had failed to improve with 2 antiseizure drugs (ASDs) and that was amenable to resective epilepsy surgery, across a time-horizon of 5years. Four strategies were included: (1) resective epilepsy surgery, (2) vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) implantation, (3) ketogenic diet, and (4) addition of a third ASD (specifically, carbamazepine). The incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained was analyzed. RESULTS: Given a willingness-to-pay (WTP) of $100,000 per QALY, the addition of a third ASD ($6600 for a gain of 4.14 QALYs) was the most cost-effective treatment strategy. In a secondary analysis, if the child whose epilepsy had failed to improve with 3 ASDs, ketogenic diet, addition of a fourth ASD, and resective epilepsy surgery were incrementally cost-effective treatment strategies. Vagus nerve stimulator implantation was more expensive yet less effective than alternative strategies and should not be prioritized. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of a third ASD is a universally cost-effective treatment option in the management of children with drug-resistant epilepsy that has failed to improve with 2 ASDs. For children whose epilepsy has failed to improve with 3 ASDs, the most cost-effective treatment depends on the health-care resources available reflected by the WTP.
BACKGROUND: The management of drug-resistant epilepsy in children with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) is challenging because of the multitude of treatment options, wide range of associated costs, and uncertainty of seizure outcomes. The most cost-effective approach for children whose epilepsy has failed to improve with first-line medical therapy is uncertain. METHODS: A review of MEDLINE from 1990 to 2015 was conducted. A cost-utility analysis, from a third-party payer perspective, was performed for children with drug-resistant epilepsy that had failed to improve with 2 antiseizure drugs (ASDs) and that was amenable to resective epilepsy surgery, across a time-horizon of 5years. Four strategies were included: (1) resective epilepsy surgery, (2) vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) implantation, (3) ketogenic diet, and (4) addition of a third ASD (specifically, carbamazepine). The incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained was analyzed. RESULTS: Given a willingness-to-pay (WTP) of $100,000 per QALY, the addition of a third ASD ($6600 for a gain of 4.14 QALYs) was the most cost-effective treatment strategy. In a secondary analysis, if the child whose epilepsy had failed to improve with 3 ASDs, ketogenic diet, addition of a fourth ASD, and resective epilepsy surgery were incrementally cost-effective treatment strategies. Vagus nerve stimulator implantation was more expensive yet less effective than alternative strategies and should not be prioritized. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of a third ASD is a universally cost-effective treatment option in the management of children with drug-resistant epilepsy that has failed to improve with 2 ASDs. For children whose epilepsy has failed to improve with 3 ASDs, the most cost-effective treatment depends on the health-care resources available reflected by the WTP.
Authors: Johann Philipp Zöllner; David Neal Franz; Christoph Hertzberg; Rima Nabbout; Felix Rosenow; Matthias Sauter; Susanne Schubert-Bast; Adelheid Wiemer-Kruel; Adam Strzelczyk Journal: Orphanet J Rare Dis Date: 2020-01-21 Impact factor: 4.123