Biomaterial Database

Cost-effectiveness decision analysis of intramuscular ceftriaxone versus oral cefixime in adolescents with gonococcal cervicitis. 1996

L R Friedland, and R M Kulick, and F M Biro, and A Patterson

Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, OH, USA.

OBJECTIVE We compared the cost-effectiveness of two single-dose treatment strategies for adolescents with uncomplicated Neisseria gonorrhoeae cervicitis. METHODS We used a cost-effectiveness decision- analysis model to compare the two methods: the standard, ceftriaxone 125 mg given by IM injection; and an alternative, cefixime 400 mg given orally. The effect of the costs associated with the risk of accidental needlestick during IM administration was also evaluated. Key baseline assumptions (with ranges, when tested) were from the literature or costs to our hospital. These included ceftriaxone, $8.60 per dose; cefixime, $4.67 per dose; ceftriaxone efficacy, 98% (range, 94.9% to 100%); cefixime efficacy, 97% (94.1% to 100%); and a 15% probability of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) related to failed treatment. We included costs for PID necessitating hospitalization, disseminated gonococcal infection, infertility, and ectopic pregnancy. Assumptions related to accidental needlestick included the rate of needlesticks with the disposable syringe, 6.9 per 100,000 injections (range, 0 to 69); cost of accidental needlestick to hospital; risk of HIV seroconversion after needlestick exposure to HIV-infected blood, .36% (range, 0% to .86%); rate of HIV infection in 15- to 19-year-olds attending sexually transmitted diseases clinics, .4% (range, 0 to 5); and lifetime treatment costs for a person with HIV. RESULTS At baseline values the model favored ceftriaxone ($45 per patient) or cefixime ($59 per patient). However, over the range of efficacy of both drugs, two-way sensitivity analysis revealed no consistent cost advantage for either drug. The model was also insensitive to the economic effects associated with the risk of accidental needlestick during IM injection. CONCLUSIONS over the range of efficacy by the 95% confidence intervals of both drugs, our analysis demonstrated no clear cost advantage for either. The economic effects of accidental needlestick do not change this conclusion. Compared with the IM alternative, oral cefixime is painless to the patient and simpler for the practitioner to administer. Oral cefixime also eliminates the psychologic effects associated with needlesticks in health care workers. For these reasons, we favor the use of oral cefixime for uncomplicated gonococcal cervicitis in adolescents.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007273	Injections, Intramuscular	Forceful administration into a muscle of liquid medication, nutrient, or other fluid through a hollow needle piercing the muscle and any tissue covering it.	Intramuscular Injections,Injection, Intramuscular,Intramuscular Injection
D002439	Cefotaxime	Semisynthetic broad-spectrum cephalosporin.	Benaxima,Biosint,Cefotaxim,Cefotaxime Sodium,Cefradil,Cephotaxim,Claforan,Fotexina,HR-756,Kendrick,Klaforan,Primafen,Ru-24756,Taporin,HR 756,HR756,Ru 24756,Ru24756,Sodium, Cefotaxime
D002443	Ceftriaxone	A broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic and cefotaxime derivative with a very long half-life and high penetrability to meninges, eyes and inner ears.	Benaxona,Cefatriaxone,Cefaxona,Ceftrex,Ceftriaxon,Ceftriaxon Curamed,Ceftriaxon Hexal,Ceftriaxona Andreu,Ceftriaxona LDP Torlan,Ceftriaxone Irex,Ceftriaxone Sodium,Ceftriaxone Sodium, Anhydrous,Ceftriaxone, Disodium Salt,Ceftriaxone, Disodium Salt, Hemiheptahydrate,Lendacin,Longacef,Longaceph,Ro 13-9904,Ro-13-9904,Ro13-9904,Rocefalin,Rocefin,Rocephin,Rocephine,Tacex,Terbac,Anhydrous Ceftriaxone Sodium,Ro 13 9904,Ro 139904,Ro13 9904,Ro139904
D002511	Cephalosporins	A group of broad-spectrum antibiotics first isolated from the Mediterranean fungus ACREMONIUM. They contain the beta-lactam moiety thia-azabicyclo-octenecarboxylic acid also called 7-aminocephalosporanic acid.	Antibiotics, Cephalosporin,Cephalosporanic Acid,Cephalosporin,Cephalosporin Antibiotic,Cephalosporanic Acids,Acid, Cephalosporanic,Acids, Cephalosporanic,Antibiotic, Cephalosporin,Cephalosporin Antibiotics
D002575	Uterine Cervicitis	Inflammation of the UTERINE CERVIX.	Cervicitis,Cervicitides,Cervicitides, Uterine,Cervicitis, Uterine,Uterine Cervicitides
D003362	Cost-Benefit Analysis	A method of comparing the cost of a program with its expected benefits in dollars (or other currency). The benefit-to-cost ratio is a measure of total return expected per unit of money spent. This analysis generally excludes consideration of factors that are not measured ultimately in economic terms. In contrast a cost effectiveness in general compares cost with qualitative outcomes.	Cost and Benefit,Cost-Benefit Data,Benefits and Costs,Cost Benefit,Cost Benefit Analysis,Cost-Utility Analysis,Costs and Benefits,Economic Evaluation,Marginal Analysis,Analyses, Cost Benefit,Analysis, Cost Benefit,Analysis, Cost-Benefit,Analysis, Cost-Utility,Analysis, Marginal,Benefit and Cost,Cost Benefit Analyses,Cost Benefit Data,Cost Utility Analysis,Cost-Benefit Analyses,Cost-Utility Analyses,Data, Cost-Benefit,Economic Evaluations,Evaluation, Economic,Marginal Analyses
D003661	Decision Support Techniques	Mathematical or statistical procedures used as aids in making a decision. They are frequently used in medical decision-making.	Decision Analysis,Decision Modeling,Models, Decision Support,Analysis, Decision,Decision Aids,Decision Support Technics,Aid, Decision,Aids, Decision,Analyses, Decision,Decision Aid,Decision Analyses,Decision Support Model,Decision Support Models,Decision Support Technic,Decision Support Technique,Model, Decision Support,Modeling, Decision,Technic, Decision Support,Technics, Decision Support,Technique, Decision Support,Techniques, Decision Support
D003663	Decision Trees	A graphic device used in decision analysis, series of decision options are represented as branches (hierarchical).	Decision Tree,Tree, Decision,Trees, Decision
D005260	Female		Females
D006069	Gonorrhea	Acute infectious disease characterized by primary invasion of the urogenital tract. The etiologic agent, NEISSERIA GONORRHOEAE, was isolated by Neisser in 1879.	Neisseria gonorrhoeae Infection