Cost-Effectiveness Of Culture-Based Versus Empirical Antibiotic Treatment For Hospitalized Adults With Community-Acquired Pneumonia In Indonesia: A Real-World Patient-Database Study

OBJECTIVE: This study analyzes the cost-effectiveness of culture-based treatment (CBT) versus empirical treatment (ET) as a guide to antibiotic selection and use in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A model was developed from the individual patient data of adults with CAP hospitalized at an academic hospital in Indonesia between 2014 and 2017 (ICD-10 J.18x). The directed antibiotic was assessed based on microbiological culture results in terms of the impact on hospital costs and life expectancy (LE). We conducted subgroup analyses for implementing CBT and ET in adults under 60 years, elderly patients (≥ 60 years), moderate-severe CAP (PSI class III-V) cases, and ICU patients. The model was designed with a lifetime horizon and adjusted patients’ ages to the average LE of the Indonesian population with a 3% discount each for cost and LE. We applied a sensitivity analyses on 1,000 simulation cohorts to examine the economic acceptability of CBT in practice. Willingness to pay (WTP) was defined as 1 or 3 times the Indonesian GDP per capita (US$ 3,570). RESULTS: CBT would effectively increase the patients’ LE and be cost-saving (dominant) as well. The ET group’s hospitalization cost had the greatest influence on economic outcomes. Subgroup analyses showed that CBT’s dominance remained for Indonesian patients aged under 60 years or older, patients with moderate-severe CAP, and patients in the ICU. Acceptability rates of CBT over ET were 74.9% for 1xWTP and 82.8% for 3xWTP in the base case. CONCLUSION: Both sputum and blood cultures provide advantages for cost-saving and LE gains for hospitalized patients with CAP. CBT is cost-effective in patients all ages, PSI class III or above patients, and ICU patients.