Cost-effectiveness of white cell-reduction filters in treatment of adult acute myelogenous leukemia.

The objective of this study was to compare the cost and cost-effectiveness of three transfusion strategies in the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia: 1) the use of unfiltered pooled platelets until alloimmunization developed and of crossmatch-compatible single-donor platelets thereafter; 2) the use of filtered blood components until alloimmunization occurred and of crossmatch-compatible single-donor platelets thereafter; and 3) the use of single-donor platelets from the beginning. The data sources were English language articles on transfusion medicine in acute leukemia and the management of acute leukemia and review of the transfusion experience at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center. The method was decision analysis with a software program for cost-effectiveness, sensitivity analysis, threshold evaluation, and Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis. In the basic models, the total costs of the first, second, and third strategies are, respectively, $12,557.14, $11,406.17, and $13,016.16 without bone marrow transplant and $14,002.72, $12,281.89, and $13,727.48 with bone marrow transplant. The threshold between the first and second strategies in regard to risk of refractoriness to filtered blood components and pooled platelets was 0.30 and 0.27, respectively, without bone marrow transplant and 0.28 and 0.40 with bone marrow transplant. According to a Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis of 500 samples, the second strategy is more cost-effective than the first in 76 percent of cases. It is concluded that the use of filtered blood components is unlikely to increase the cost of treatment.

Duke Scholars

Author Gary Herbert Lyman Medicine, Medical Oncology