Ferric carboxymaltose solution versus iron sucrose complex in treating Iron-deficiency anemia patients with heavy uterine bleeding: A cost-efficacy study from a tertiary care hospital in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Heavy uterine bleeding (HUB) affects 4.0%–51.6% of women and is responsible for the high prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA). Ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) is a novel Type I polynuclear iron (III)-hydroxide carbohydrate complex that is highly stable and requires short administration time. The current study estimated the budgetary impact of adopting FCM to treat IDA in HUB patients from the perspective of a tertiary care hospital in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A budget impact model was adopted to compare the total annual costs of iron sucrose complex (ISC) versus FCM from a tertiary care hospital setting perspective in a 1-year time horizon. RESULTS: The total annual cost in ”ISC” scenario was higher than in ”FCM” scenario (Saudi Riyal [SAR] 1,079,535 vs. SAR 724,981), resulting in a cost saving of SAR 355,000 over a 1-year time horizon with FCM. Lower expenditure on health professionals and lower costs of disposables and overhead were the main drivers to the cost savings accounting for nearly 96% of the savings. Although the direct IV iron cost was higher in ”FCM” scenario, the increase in pharmaceutical drug cost was offset by the savings in the cost associated with disposables (−SAR 232,000) and resource utilization (−SAR 451,195). CONCLUSION: FCM was associated with cost savings as compared to ISC for the treatment of IDA in HUB patients from the tertiary care hospital perspective in the KSA.

Keywords

• ferric carboxymaltose
• heavy uterine bleeding
• iron-deficiency anemia
• iron sucrose complex