Cost-effectiveness of treatment and care of patients with gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases: a systematic review.
Kristina Randlová, Petra Marešová, Lukáš Režný et al.
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In 30 seconds
This PRISMA-guided systematic review descriptively synthesized 18 studies published between 2013 and 2024 evaluating treatment cost-effectiveness in Crohn’s disease and/or ulcerative colitis. Biologic therapies generally produced better health outcomes than conventional treatments and were considered cost-effective despite higher costs. Reported QALYs ranged from 2.23 to 18.12 for biologics and from 1.69 to 17.99 for non-biologic treatments. Infliximab was reported as a cost-effective biologic option for Crohn’s disease; findings in ulcerative colitis varied, and colectomy was cost-effective in selected scenarios.
Key findings
- Across the 18 included studies, reported QALYs ranged from 2.23 to 18.12 for biologics and from 1.69 to 17.99 for non-biologic treatments.
- Biologics generally had higher costs but were considered cost-effective, with superior health outcomes compared with conventional treatments.
- Infliximab was reported as cost-effective for Crohn’s disease, whereas findings for ulcerative colitis varied.
- Colectomy was identified as cost-effective in selected clinical scenarios.
Why it matters
The review brings together economic evidence across both major forms of inflammatory bowel disease and several treatment strategies. Its findings suggest that higher acquisition costs do not necessarily preclude value when health outcomes improve. However, variation in methods and model assumptions means that estimates should be interpreted in context rather than treated as directly comparable across studies.
What to keep in mind
Substantial methodological heterogeneity and reliance on model-based economic evaluations limit direct comparability across studies.