Economic evaluation of the LTVEEG-m for refractory epileptic patients

Abstract

Abstract Long-term video-EEG monitoring (LTVEEG-m) is the diagnostic test of certainty of epilepsy. The European Commission recommends one epilepsy unit with LTVEEG-m for every 3,000 patients with refractory epilepsy. In Spain, there was one center accredited every 10,600 patients with RE in 2019. There are different publications on LTVEEG-m about clinical effectiveness; however, very scarce scientific evidence has been shown on the efficiency of using of LTVEEG-m. This study aims to conduct an economic evaluation of the LTVEEG-m versus no LTVEEG-m (continuing with anti-sei¬zure drugs) in RE patients, which should support funding decision-making of the LTVEEG-m in Spain. Based on a prospective cohort of patients referred for refractory epilepsy for LTVEEG-m in the epilepsy unit of the Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital, a cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using a decision tree followed by a Markov model which simulated the costs and health outcomes of individuals treated under both alternatives (LTVEEG-m vs. no LTVEEG-m) for a lifetime horizon from a hospital perspective. The effectiveness measure was quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). An extensive sensitivity analyses was run, including a probabilistic sensitivity analysis. In the base case analysis, the LTVEEG-m led to higher QALYs and health care costs with an estimated mean incremental cost of 17,472 EUR and an incremental effectiveness of 8 QALY s, generating an incremental cost effectiveness ratio of 2,175 EUR per QALY, a lower figure than the cost effectiveness threshold of 20,000 EUR per QALY in Spain. The sensitivity analysis showed the robustness of the results. The probability that LTVEEG-m is a cost-effective technology against the no LTVEEG-m was 100%. LTVEEG-m is an efficient diagnostic test compared to not use the LTVEEG-m and continuing with anti-sei¬zure drugs. This is a pioneering study in Europe and scalable to other similar economic contexts to Spain. Key messages There is a huge lack of epilepsy units using the LTVEEG-m as a diagnostic test of certainty of epilepsy for refractory epileptic patients in Spain, disregarding the European recommendations. LTVEEG-m is an efficient diagnostic test compared to not use the LTVEEG-m and continuing with anti-sei¬zure drugs. This is a pioneering study in Europe and scalable to similar Spanish economic context.