Efficacy and marginal cost of treatment with tocilizumab in COVID-19 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the marginal cost and survival of patients treated with tocilizumab in a university hospital under real-life conditions and to evaluate factors that could influence costs and health outcomes will be evaluated.

METHODS: Observational, single-center, retrospective study of a cohort of adult patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 treated with tocilizumab. The one-year restricted mean survival time was analyzed in life-years gained (LYG). The influence of sex, age and severity on patient survival was evaluated. The marginal cost/LYG and marginal cost/survivor ratios were calculated.

RESULTS: 508 patients (66 ± 13 years; 32% women) were included. Seventeen percent were admitted to the ICU. Overall survival was 77%. Age older than 71.5 years (HR = 1.08; 95% CI 1.07-1.10; p < 0.001) and ICU admission at initiation of treatment (HR = 2.01; 95% CI 1.30-3.09; p = 0.002) were identified as risk factors. The total budgetary impact of tocilizumab in the period analyzed was 206,466 euros. The patients with the highest cost per unit of health outcome were those admitted to the ICU and those over 71.5 years, with a marginal cost/LYG of € 966 and a marginal cost/survivor of € 1,136.

CONCLUSION: The efficiency of treatment with tocilizumab is associated with the age and severity of the patients. The figures are lower in all subgroups than the thresholds usually used in cost-effectiveness evaluations. The results of the present study suggest that early first dose of tocilizumab is an efficient strategy.