What Researchers Did
Researchers used a microsimulation model to compare disease outcomes and cost-effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) plus standard of care versus standard of care alone for ulcerative colitis patients hospitalized for acute flares over a 5-year horizon.
What They Found
The use of HBOT at the time of index hospitalization 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) over 5 years. The HBOT strategy had an incremental cost of $5600 and yielded 0.13 higher quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), making it cost-effective at $43,000/QALY.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients with ulcerative colitis experiencing acute flares might benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as an add-on to standard care. This could potentially lead to fewer re-hospitalizations, reduced need for rescue therapies, and improved long-term quality of life.
Canadian Relevance
This study was co-authored by a Canadian researcher (Jairath V) and provides valuable insights for healthcare planning and resource allocation within the Canadian healthcare system.
Study Limitations
The results were sensitive to HBOT costs and rates of endoscopic improvement with HBOT.