Cost-effectiveness analysis of grass pollen specific immunotherapy in children with allergic rhinitis compared to the standard of care symptomatic treatment in Portugal

Farraia M, Paciência I, Castro Mendes F, Cavaleiro Rufo J, Delgado L, Moreira A. Eur Ann Allergy Clin Immunol. 2023;55(5):212-228. doi: 10.23822/EurAnnACI.1764-1489.240.

Summary

Background. Cost-effectiveness studies evaluating allergen immunotherapy (AIT) in children are scarce. We aim to compare the cost-effectiveness of subcutaneous (SCIT) and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) against standard-of-care (SOC) treatment in children with grass pollen allergic rhinitis. 

Methods. We created a Markov model to compare the three strategies over a 10-year horizon. SOC was the reference to calculate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were used to assess models' uncertainty. 

Results of the probabilistic sensitivity analysis graphically represented on a
cost-effectiveness plan. 

Results. We obtained an ICER of €12,605 and € 6,318 for SLIT and SCIT, respectively. In sensitivity analysis, SCIT was more cost-effective than SLIT. 

Conclusions. AIT is cost-effective in children with grass pollen allergic rhinitis, especially for the subcutaneous route.

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