A Microsimulation Model to Project the 5-Year Impact of Using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Ulcerative Colitis Patients Hospitalized for Acute Flares.

BACKGROUND

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) improves short-term outcomes for ulcerative colitis (UC) patients hospitalized for acute flares. Longer-term impacts and cost-effectiveness are unknown.

METHODS

We compared disease outcomes and cost-effectiveness of HBOT in addition to standard of care versus standard of care alone for UC patients hospitalized for acute flares using a microsimulation model. Published literature was used for transition probabilities, costs, and quality-adjusted life year (QALY) estimates. We modeled 100,000 individuals in each group over a 5-year horizon and compared rates of re-hospitalization, rescue medical therapy, colectomy, death, and cost-effectiveness at a willingness-to-pay of $100,000/QALY. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed with 500 samples and 250 trials, in addition to multiple microsimulation sensitivity analyses.

RESULTS

The use of HBOT at the time of index hospitalization for an acute UC flare is projected to reduce the risk of re-hospitalization, inpatient rescue medical therapy, and inpatient emergent colectomy by over 60% (p < 0.001) and mortality by over 30% (p <0.001), during a 5-year horizon. The HBOT strategy costs more ($5600 incremental cost) but also yielded higher QALYs (0.13 incremental yield), resulting in this strategy being cost-effective ($43,000/QALY). Results were sensitive to HBOT costs and rates of endoscopic improvement with HBOT. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses observed HBOT to be more cost-effective than standard of care in 95% of iterations.

CONCLUSION

The use of HBOT to optimize response to steroids during the index hospitalization for an acute UC flare is cost-effective and is projected to result in significant reductions in disease-related complications in the long term.