Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Methodological Systematic Review of Health Economic Decision Modeling Studies.

In 30 seconds

This systematic review evaluated the methodological quality of health economic decision modeling studies on endovascular treatment for acute ischemic strokes. It included 49 articles, revealing that while most used high-quality evidence for transition probabilities, many lacked country-specific cost and utility data. The review highlights the need for improved modeling practices.

Key findings

• All included articles defined health states using the modified Rankin scale, but 15 merged levels into broader categories.
• 47 articles employed Markov cohort models for long-term outcomes, with 40 modeling recurrences.
• Internal validation was reported in only ten of the 49 articles.

Why it matters

Understanding the economic implications of endovascular treatment for acute ischemic strokes is crucial for healthcare decision-making. Improved modeling can lead to better resource allocation and patient outcomes.