Clinical Efficacy and Cost-Effectiveness of β-Lactam/β-Lactamase Inhibitor Combinations and Carbapenems in Liver Cirrhosis Patients with Gram-Negative Bacteria Bloodstream Infection

BACKGROUND: Gram-negative bacteria bloodstream infection (GNB-BSI) results in considerable mortality and hospitality costs in cirrhotic patients. β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations (BLBLIs) and carbapenems (CARs) are widely recommended for treating GNB-BSI in cirrhotic patients, while the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of two strategies have never been evaluated. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate the efficacy and the cost-effectiveness of BLBLIs and CARs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Cirrhotic patients with GNB-BSI treated by BLBLIs or CARs were included. A propensity score-matching analysis was performed to compare the efficacy between BLBLIs and CARs. A decision tree was used to estimate the clinical outcomes and direct costs of treating BSI using two strategies from the patients’ perspective. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was found between the BLBLIs (n = 41) group and the CARs (n = 43) group regarding the time to defervescence (2.4 ± 0.2 vs 2.5 ± 0.3, P = 0.94). Thirty-seven patients from each group were matched in propensity-score-matched cohort, and there was no significant difference between two groups in terms of the time to defervescence (2.4 ± 0.3 vs 2.4 ± 0.3, P = 0.75) and success rate (86.5% vs 78.4%; OR = 0.57; P = 0.36). Based on the drug and hospital costs in China, cefoperazone/sulbactam was cost-effective in the present analysis under the willingness-to-pay threshold (¥64,644). CONCLUSION: The efficacy of BLBLIs is similar to CARs. Cefoperazone/sulbactam could be a cost-effective therapy in cirrhotic patients with GNB-BSI. Carbapenems-sparing regimens should be encouraged in regions with a low prevalence of MDR bacteria.