COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF THE POLYMERASE-CHAIN-REACTION VERSUS SMEAR EXAMINATION FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF TUBERCULOSIS IN KENYA - A THEORETICAL-MODEL

SETTING: A major out-patient tuberculosis clinic in Nairobi, Kenya. OB JECTIVE: To ascertain the cost-effectiveness of the polymerase chain r eaction (PCR) for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in an urban setting in a developing country. DESIGN: A cost-effectiveness analysis of PCR an d direct smear microscopy examination based on theoretical modelling. The cost-effectiveness was expressed in costs per correctly diagnosed tuberculosis patient for each of the two diagnostic techniques. Data w ere obtained from the literature, from the staff and the register at t he health facility and from structured interviews with patients. Assum ptions were made when no data were available. RESULTS: The PCR is expe cted to be more specific and sensitive than the routine procedure for diagnosis, but it is also more costly. The routine procedure based on direct smear microscopy turned out to be 1.8 times as cost-effective a s PCR. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the PCR method can potentially be a cost-effective screening procedure for tuberculosis, provided th at the largest contributing cost component, the costs of the PCR-kit, can be reduced substantially.