COST-EFFECTIVENESS IN PATIENTS AWAITING TRANSPLANTATION RECEIVING INTRAVENOUS INOTROPIC SUPPORT

Cost-effectiveness, assessed in terms of cost/survivor and cost/additi onal day of survival, has been evaluated in two groups of patients awa iting cardiac transplantation: in six treated by mechanical support (m echanical bridge) and in 31 treated successfully by the addition of in travenous enoximone to previous existing inotropic support (pharmacolo gical bridge). The mean cost per patient was $45 843, ranging from $38 326 in patients receiving pharmacological support to $84 683 in patie nts receiving mechanical support. The cost per patient transplanted af ter pharmacological support was $50 745. The mean cost per survivor at 1 year was $210 000 for all patients, ranging from $192 455 with phar macological support to $254 000 with mechanical support. At 1 month, t he cost per additional day of survival was higher (by 228%) in the mec hanical support group than in the pharmacological support group.