Cost‐Effectiveness of Cilostazol Added to Aspirin or Clopidogrel for Secondary Prevention After Noncardioembolic Stroke

BACKGROUND: The objective of the study was to assess the cost‐effectiveness of cilostazol (a selective phosphodiesterase 3 inhibitor) added to aspirin or clopidogrel for secondary stroke prevention in patients with noncardioembolic stroke. METHODS AND RESULTS: A Markov model decision tree was used to examine lifetime costs and quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs) of patients with noncardioembolic stroke treated with either aspirin or clopidogrel or with additional cilostazol 100 mg twice daily. Cohorts were followed until all patients died from competing risks or ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis using Monte Carlo simulation was used to model 10 000 cohorts of 10 000 patients. The addition of cilostazol to aspirin or clopidogrel is strongly cost saving. In all 10 000 simulations, the cilostazol strategy resulted in lower health care costs compared with aspirin or clopidogrel alone (mean $13 488 cost savings per patient; SD, $8087) and resulted in higher QALYs (mean, 0.585 more QALYs per patient lifetime; SD, 0.290). This result remained robust across a variety of sensitivity analyses, varying cost inputs, and treatment effects. At a willingness‐to‐pay threshold of $50 000/QALY, average net monetary benefit from the addition of cilostazol was $42 743 per patient over their lifetime. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the best available data, the addition of cilostazol to aspirin or clopidogrel for secondary prevention following noncardioembolic stroke results in significantly reduced health care costs and a gain in lifetime QALYs.