RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate cost-effectiveness between oral sedatives melatonin and triclofos sodium used to perform sleep electroencephalography (EEG) in pediatric patients and develop a criterion for resource allocation by the institution. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted alongside the randomized controlled trial conducted at a tertiary care hospital, wherein pediatric patients arriving for sleep EEG were randomized to receive melatonin dosed at 0.3 mg/kg (< 10 kg), 3 mg (10-15 kg), and 6 mg (> 15 kg) and triclofos at 50 mg/kg (maximum dose 1 g, 6 mo to 11 y; 2 g, 11 to 18 y) after due consent. The cost-effectiveness analysis was performed from the healthcare institution's perspective. Successful EEG and abnormal EEG were the effectiveness parameters. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty-eight patients were divided equally between two groups. Melatonin (N = 114) and triclofos (N = 114) recorded successful EEG in 89.4% and 91.2% patients and abnormal EEG in 49% and 42.3% patients, respectively (p > 0.05). The total direct cost incurred was INR 1881.75 (USD 26.6) and INR 2772.5 (USD 39.2) for melatonin and triclofos, respectively (p < 0.05). The cost-effectiveness ratio-1 (CER-1) for melatonin and triclofos per successful EEG recorded was INR 18.45 (USD 0.39) and INR 26.66 (USD 0.58), respectively. The CER-2 for melatonin and triclofos per abnormal EEG detected was INR 37.64 (USD 0.53) and INR 63.01 (USD 0.89), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Melatonin is more cost-effective than triclofos when charged based on individual dose requirements. Hospitals, diagnostic centers, healthcare institutions may consider resource-utilization-based costing system for cost-effective allocation of resources.
