Cost-effectiveness and short-term clinical outcomes of argon plasma coagulation compared with endoscopic submucosal dissection in the treatment of gastric low-grade dysplasia

Endoscopic treatment such as endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) or argon plasma coagulation (APC) is widely performed to treat gastric low-grade dysplasia (LGD). We aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of APC versus ESD for gastric LGD in terms of cost-effectiveness. This was a retrospective review of patients with gastric LGD who were treated with endoscopic intervention (APC or ESD) between March 2011 to December 2015. Fifty-nine patients treated with APC and 124 patients treated with ESD were included. Patients in the APC group were significantly older (mean age, 67.68 vs 63.90 years, respectively, P < .01), had an increased rate of Helicobacter pylori infection (27.1 vs 10.5%, respectively, P < .01), and had a higher mean Charlson Comorbidity Index score (2.32 vs 0.38, respectively, P < .01) than those in the ESD group. The 2 groups did not differ in tumor size, location, macroscopic morphology, or surface configuration. The procedure time (11.31 vs56.44 minutes, respectively, P < .01), and hospital stay (3.2 vs 5.6 days, respectively, P < .01) were significantly, shorter in the APC group than in the ESD group. Additionally, the cost incurred was significantly, lower in the APC group than in the ESD group (962.03 vs 2,534.80 dollars, respectively, P < .01). APC has many advantages related to safety, and cost-effectiveness compared with ESD. Therefore, APC can be considered an alternative treatment option for gastric LGD.