Cost-effectiveness analysis of noninvasive tests to identify advanced fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Advanced fibrosis is associated with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) and mortality in NAFLD. As treatments specifically targeted at NAFLD are lacking, patient management focuses on surveillance for early detection of complications related to end-stage liver disease. Although current and emerging diagnostic tools for the detection of advanced fibrosis are crucial for surveillance, their added value is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the costs and health outcomes of noninvasive tests in patient management strategies for diagnosing advanced fibrosis in NAFLD patients. METHOD: A decision analytical model was developed to evaluate 13 patient management strategies, including a no-testing strategy and 12 diagnostic algorithms with noninvasive tests (fibrosis 4- score, enhanced liver fibrosis, vibration controlled transient elastography), and liver biopsy. Model inputs were synthesized from the literature and Swedish registries. Lifetime health care costs, life years, quality-adjusted life years, clinical outcomes, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were calculated for a cohort of 55-year-old patients diagnosed with NAFLD. RESULT: The cost per quality-adjusted life year was above €50 000 for all diagnostic algorithms compared to no-testing. The cost per quality-adjusted life year of the most promising diagnostic algorithm (fibrosis 4- score, enhanced liver fibrosis, vibration controlled transient elastography, and liver biopsy) was ∼ €181 000 compared with no testing. Sensitivity analysis indicated that if treatment slowed down disease progression, the value of testing increased. CONCLUSION: The result questions the overall value of comprehensive diagnostic testing in a broad NAFLD population in current routine clinical care. The role of noninvasive tests may change if evidence-based treatments to slow down disease progression emerge.