Treatment of the critically ill patient with protein C: is it worth the cost?

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: We have shown that low protein C levels predict poor survival up to five years in a general intensive care unit patient material and hypothesize that treatment with protein C is beneficial. The objectives were to calculate costs of protein C treatment, at best-case scenario, per statistical life saved. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-two patients with deranged global haemostatic tests admitted to the mixed surgical medical intensive care unit, Malmö University Hospital. We hypothesized that increasing protein C levels in patients with low levels would enhance survival to the same rate as a cohort with higher protein C. Number of statistical lives saved were estimated using survival analysis. Costs per life saved at 30days were calculated. RESULTS: Total costs per life saved in 2007 prices (upper limit of 95% CI) were calculated at euro 50,200 (recombinant activated protein C, drotrecogin alfa (activated), Xigris) and euro 46,000 (zymogen protein C, Ceprotin), which may be compared to the value of a statistical life (euro 937,000). CONCLUSIONS: Our theoretical model of converting a low protein C group to a higher protein C group by treating with activated protein C or the protein zymogen showed no major difference between the treatments in terms of costs, and that costs are lower than the value of a statistical life. Although our study has several caveats the results support the PROWESS study, in that patients with a very severe disease, having low protein C levels, may benefit from protein C treatment in a cost effective way.