Cost‐effectiveness of subcutaneous immunotherapy for house dust mite‐induced allergic rhinitis in China

Background Limited cost‐effectiveness studies have evaluated the long‐term efficacy of subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT). Objective This study's objective was to analyze the cost‐effectiveness of house dust mite‐specific SCIT (HDM‐SCIT), including post‐SCIT efficacy, in allergic rhinitis (AR) patients. Methods In this retrospective study, the post‐treatment period ranged from 1 year to 13 years. The costs included the direct cost of HDM‐SCIT, and the actual AR treatment cost estimated by the patients at different follow‐up stages. Results The median annual cost of AR treatment before, during, and after HDM‐SCIT was 1,000, 6,000, and 300 RMB/year, respectively. A moderate negative correlation was found between the post‐SCIT period and the CUR of SCIT with long‐term efficacy ( r = −0.545, p < 0.001). The combined long‐term efficacy CUR of SCIT within 5 years (including 5 years) post‐SCIT was significantly higher than that in the pre‐SCIT period. However, the subgroups that had completed SCIT for 6 years or longer showed no difference. For HDM‐SCIT in China, the direct ICER (18,269 RMB/QALY) and actual ICER (19,549 RMB/QALY) were both lower than the average per capita gross domestic product (GDP) from 2005 to 2020 (41,469 RMB/year). Conclusion HDM‐SCIT is highly cost‐effective in treating AR in China. The addition of SCIT to pharmacotherapy can further improve the quality of life in patients with AR. For patients who gained long‐term efficacy of HDM‐SCIT for 6 years or more, the application of SCIT would not increase the actual costs of AR treatment.