Long-term economic evaluation of the recombinant Mycobacterium tuberculosis fusion protein (EC) test for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

Sha Diao; Zheng Liu; Dan Liu; Xiao Cheng; Linan Zeng; Xue-Feng Jiao; Zhe Chen; Xiaofeng Ni; Siyi He; Bin Wu; Deying Kang; Chaomin Wan; Rongsheng Zhao; Huiqing Wang; Lingli Zhang

doi:10.3389/fphar.2023.1161526

Long-term economic evaluation of the recombinant Mycobacterium tuberculosis fusion protein (EC) test for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

Front Pharmacol. 2023 May 16:14:1161526. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1161526. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Sha Diao^{1

1

2

3}, Zheng Liu^{1

1

2

3

4}, Dan Liu^{1

1

2

3

5}, Xiao Cheng^{1

1

2

3}, Linan Zeng^{1

1

2

3}, Xue-Feng Jiao^{1

1

2

3}, Zhe Chen^{1

1

2

3

5}, Xiaofeng Ni^{1

1

2

3}, Siyi He^{6

1

2

3

5}, Bin Wu⁷, Deying Kang⁸, Chaomin Wan^{3

9}, Rongsheng Zhao¹⁰, Huiqing Wang¹¹, Lingli Zhang^{6

1

2

3

8}

Affiliations

¹ Evidence-Based Pharmacy Center, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
² NMPA Key Laboratory for Technical Research on Drug Products In Vitro and In Vivo Correlation, Chengdu, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, China.
⁴ West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
⁵ West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
⁶ Department of Pharmacy, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
⁷ Department of Pharmacy, Renji Hospital Affiliated with the School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
⁸ Chinese Evidence-Based Medicine Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
⁹ Department of Pediatrics, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
¹⁰ Department of Pharmacy, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China.
¹¹ Medical Simulation Centre, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis continues to be a significant global burden. Purified protein derivative of tuberculin (TB-PPD) is one type of tuberculin skin test (TST) and is used commonly for the auxiliary diagnosis of tuberculosis. The recombinant Mycobacterium tuberculosis fusion protein (EC) test is a new test developed in China. Objective: Evaluate the long-term economic implications of using the EC test compared with the TB-PPD test to provide a reference for clinical decision-making. Methods: The target population was people at a high risk persons of being infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The outcome indicator was quality-adjusted life years (QALY). A cost-utility analysis was used to evaluate the long-term economic implications of using the EC test compared with the TB-PPD test. We employed a decision tree-Markov model from the perspective of the whole society within 77 years. Results: Compared with the TB-PPD test, the EC test had a lower cost but higher QALY. The incremental cost-utility ratio was -119,800.7381 CNY/QALY. That is, for each additional QALY, the EC test could save 119,800.7381 CNY: the EC test was more economical than the TB-PPD test. Conclusion: Compared with the TB-PPD test, the EC test would be more economical in the long term for the diagnosis of M. tuberculosis infection according our study.

Keywords: Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection; cost-utility; decision tree-markov model; purified protein derivative of tuberculin (TB-PPD); recombinant Mycobacterium tuberculosis fusion protein (EC).