Prevalence of anemia in clinic patients with heart failure and cost analysis of epoetin treatment.

STUDY OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence of anemia in an outpatient heart failure clinic, describe the type of anemia in patients treated there, and evaluate the potential costs associated with epoetin therapy in this cohort.

DESIGN

Single-center, retrospective cohort analysis (part 1) and a literature-based economic decision analysis (part 2).

DATA SOURCE

Medical records from a multidisciplinary, outpatient, heart failure clinic, and published hospitalization and drug-use data.

PATIENTS

We evaluated 170 adults with chronic heart failure who were enrolled in the clinic and for whom at least one complete blood count was recorded between January 1, 2003, and April 15, 2006.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

In part 1, demographic and clinical data were extracted from electronic medical records. The overall prevalence of anemia was 47.6% or 47.1%, as based on World Health Organization or National Kidney Foundation definitions, respectively. Normocytic anemia was characterized in 75.0% of patients. In part 2, heart failure hospitalization rates and costs, drug acquisition, and drug administration were estimated by using the published literature. In a hypothetical cohort of 100 patients with heart failure and comorbid anemia, the costs associated with outpatient epoetin and intravenous iron therapy exceeded savings in hospitalization costs by $83,070. Results of 1-way sensitivity analyses generally confirmed robustness of the model.

CONCLUSION

Anemia is a common comorbidity in patients with chronic heart failure treated in the outpatient clinic. Although the current evidence is insufficient to support the use of epoetin in this population, initial findings indicate that epoetin and intravenous iron therapy may be associated with positive clinical outcomes. From a pharmacoeconomic standpoint, however, a reduction in the cost of heart failure-related hospitalization does not offset the cost of epoetin and intravenous iron therapy.