The cost-effectiveness of screening strategies for familial hypercholesterolaemia in Poland.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) elevates the cholesterol level and increases the risk of coronary events and death. Early detection and treatment reduce this risk. We aimed to determine the cost-effectiveness of FH screening in Poland in children, first job takers, and after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) event, each followed by a cascade screening in the relatives of the positively-diagnosed subjects.

METHODS: A decision tree was constructed to model the diagnosis process. We considered scenarios with and without genetic testing. A life-time Markov was built to investigate the effectiveness (life years gained, LYG; and quality-adjusted life years, QALY) and cost (public payer perspective) of treatment in FH-affected subjects. The clinical benefits result from early treatment reducing the risk of coronary heart disease (and death, in result). Model parameters were based on published data and experts' opinions. The costs (patients visits, tests, drugs) were estimated from the National Health Fund data and other publicly-available sources.

RESULTS: Screening ACS patients below 55/65 years of age in men/women is the most cost-effective strategy: the cost of one LYG (QALY) amounts to 100 EUR (110 EUR). Removing the age limit or using genetic tests reduced cost-effectiveness; nonetheless, all strategies remained cost effective: the cost of one LYG or QALY was <5040 EUR, much lower than the official threshold of ca. 29,800 EUR/QALY.

CONCLUSIONS: Screening for FH is highly cost-effective in Poland. The strategies are complementary, and using a combination thereof is recommended.