Retrospective study compares drug costs and outcomes using ideal versus actual body weight dosing in kidney transplant recipients, suggesting significant savings.
Key Points
This study evaluates the cost-effectiveness of ideal body weight-based dosing of rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin in kidney transplant recipients compared to actual body weight dosing.
Retrospective, single-center chart review of kidney transplant recipients
Comparison of actual body weight-based dosing (N=...; May 2019 - Mar 2020) versus ideal body weight-based dosing (N=...; May 2022 - Mar 2023)
Primary endpoint: rATG drug cost per recipient; secondary endpoints: rejection rates, infection readmissions, myelosuppression, and viremia
Ideal body weight dosing saved a median of $3838 per recipient (P = .02 compared to actual body weight dosing)
No significant difference in infection readmissions (P = .226) despite differences in Epstein-Barr viremia (P = .017)
Estimated annual cost savings of about $900,000 for the institution based on expected rATG usage