Cost-effectiveness of cardiovascular magnetic resonance in diagnosing coronary artery disease in the Australian healthcare system

R Kozor, Simon Mark Walker, B Parkinson, J Younger, C Hamilton-Craig, JB Selvanayagam, J.P. Greenwood, A Taylor

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background
Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a major public health problem in Australia and globally. A variety of imaging techniques allow for both anatomical and functional assessment of CAD and selection of the optimal investigation pathway is challenging. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is not widely used in Australia, partly due to perceived cost and lack of Federal Government reimbursement compared to the alternative techniques. The aim of this study was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of different diagnostic strategies in identifying significant CAD in patients with chest pain suggestive of angina using the evidence gathered in the CE-MARC trial, analysed from the Australian healthcare perspective.
Methods
A decision analytic model coupled with three distinct Markov models allowed eight potential clinical investigation strategies to be considered; combinations of exercise electrocardiogram stress testing (EST), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), stress CMR, and invasive coronary angiography (ICA). Costs were from the Australian healthcare system in Australian dollars, and outcomes were measured in terms of quality-adjusted life-years. Parameter estimates were derived from the CE-MARC and EUROPA trials, and from reviews of the published literature.
Results
The most cost-effective diagnostic strategy, based on a cost-effectiveness threshold of $45,000 to $75,000 per QALY gained, was EST, followed by stress CMR if the EST was positive or inconclusive, followed by ICA if the CMR was positive or inconclusive; this held true in the base case and the majority of scenario analyses.
Conclusions
This economic evaluation shows that an investigative strategy of stress CMR if EST is inconclusive or positive is the most cost-effective approach for diagnosing significant coronary disease in chest pain patients within the Australian healthcare system.
Original languageEnglish
JournalHeart, Lung and Circulation
Volume27
Issue number6
Early online date8 Aug 2020
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 8 Aug 2020

Bibliographical note

Crown Copyright © 2020 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). All rights reserved. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy.

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