Key result
Using CRT-D devices with extended battery life could avoid up to 603 replacements and save up to SEK 60.4 million over 6 years compared with standard devices in Sweden.
Why the study?
Does extended battery life of CRT-Ds reduce device replacements and associated costs in heart failure patients in Sweden?
Does extended battery life of CRT-Ds reduce device replacements and associated costs in heart failure patients in Sweden?
Extended battery life in CRT-D devices is projected to significantly reduce device replacements and associated healthcare costs in Sweden.
May reduce CRT-D replacements and costs in Sweden; leaves open need for prospective confirmation before practice change.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to quantify the impact that longer battery life of cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) devices has on reducing the number of device replacements and associated costs of these replacements from a Swedish health care system perspective. METHODS: An economic model based on real-world published data was developed to estimate cost savings and avoided device replacements for CRT-Ds with longer battery life compared with devices with industry-standard battery life expectancy. Base-case comparisons were performed among CRT-Ds of three manufacturers - Boston Scientific Corporation, St. Jude Medical, and Medtronic - over a 6-year time horizon, as per the available clinical data. As a sensitivity analysis, we evaluated CRT-Ds as well as single-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD-VR) and dual-chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD-DR) devices over a longer 10-year period. All costs were in 2015 Swedish Krona (SEK) discounted at 3% per annum. RESULTS: Base-case analysis results show that up to 603 replacements and up to SEK 60.4 million cumulative-associated costs could be avoided over 6 years by using devices with extended battery life. The pattern of savings over time suggests that savings are modest initially but increase rapidly beginning in the third year of follow-up with each year's cumulative savings two to three times the previous year. Evaluating CRT-D, ICD-VR, and ICD-DR devices together over a longer 10-year period, the sensitivity analysis showed 2,820 fewer replacement procedures and associated cost savings of SEK 249.3 million for all defibrillators with extended battery life. CONCLUSION: Extended battery life is likely to reduce device replacements and associated complications and costs, which may result in important cost savings and a more efficient use of health care resources as well as a better quality of life for heart failure patients in Sweden.
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Gadler et al. (2016) studied Heart failure. CRT-Ds with extended battery life vs. CRT-Ds with industry-standard battery life expectancy was evaluated on Device replacements and associated costs. Using CRT-D devices with extended battery life could avoid up to 603 replacements and save up to SEK 60.4 million over 6 years compared with standard devices in Sweden.
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