The cost effectiveness of therapeutic and prophylactic leukocyte transfusion.

We analyzed the cost effectiveness of leukocyte transfusion in preventing death from infection during intensive chemotherapy for acute leukemia. Effectiveness was estimated with an odds-ratio analysis based on published results of controlled studies of therapeutic and prophylactic leukocyte transfusion. Cost estimates were based on blood-bank charges throughout the country. Calculations of effectiveness suggest that leukocyte transfusion might prevent 50 to 75% of early deaths from infection. Therapeutic transfusion would add approximately 10.9% to the hospital bill of the average bill of the average leukemic patient and cost $17.7 million annually nationwide. Prophylactic transfusion would add 35.2% to the hospital bill and cost $57.8 million annually. Mean cost-effectiveness ratios were $14,982 per life-year for therapeutic transfusion and $35,020 to $50,029 per life-year for prophylactic transfusion. The cost per additional life-year achieved with prophylactic rather than therapeutic leukocyte transfusion was $85,291. These data suggest that leukocyte transfusion is an extremely expensive technologic procedure.