PLoS ONE (Jan 2020)

Evaluating the cost-consequence of a standardized strategy for the etiological diagnosis of uveitis (ULISSE study).

  • Audrey de Parisot,
  • Yvan Jamilloux,
  • Laurent Kodjikian,
  • Marie-Hélène Errera,
  • Neila Sedira,
  • Emmanuel Heron,
  • Laurent Pérard,
  • Pierre-Loïc Cornut,
  • Christelle Schneider,
  • Sophie Rivière,
  • Priscille Ollé,
  • Grégory Pugnet,
  • Pascal Cathébras,
  • Pierre Manoli,
  • Bahram Bodaghi,
  • David Saadoun,
  • Stéphanie Baillif,
  • Nathalie Tieulie,
  • Marc André,
  • Frédéric Chiambaretta,
  • Nicolas Bonin,
  • Philip Bielefeld,
  • Alain Bron,
  • Frédéric Mouriaux,
  • Boris Bienvenu,
  • Nassira Amamra,
  • Pascale Guerre,
  • Evelyne Decullier,
  • Pascal Sève,
  • ULISSE group

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0228918
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 2
p. e0228918

Abstract

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MAIN OBJECTIVE:To prospectively assess the cost-consequence of a standardized diagnostic strategy as to compared to an open one for the etiological diagnosis of uveitis. DESIGN:This was a prospective, non-inferiority, multicentre, randomized controlled trial. METHODS:We included all consecutive patients with uveitis who had visited at least one of the Departments of Ophthalmology. In the standardized group, patients had a minimal work-up regardless of the type of uveitis (including evaluation of the CBC, ESR, C-reactive protein, tuberculin skin test, syphilis serology and chest X-ray). Depending on ophthalmological findings, further investigations could be performed. In the open strategy, ophthalmologists were free to order any kind of investigation. The main outcome was the mean cost per patient of each strategy. RESULTS:903 uveitis patients were included from January, 2010 to May, 2013. The mean cost per patient of the standardized strategy was 182.97 euros [CI 95% (173.14; 192.80)], and the mean cost per patient of the open strategy was 251.75 euros [CI 95% (229.24; 274.25)]. Therefore, the mean cost per patient of the standardized strategy was significantly lower than the mean cost per patient of the open strategy (p<0.001). There were significantly fewer visits (p<0.001), fewer radiological procedures (p<0.004) and fewer laboratory investigations (p<0.001) in the standardized group. CONCLUSION:A standardized strategy is a cost-saving approach for the etiological diagnosis of uveitis.