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. 2009 Apr 16;338:b1288. doi: 10.1136/bmj.b1288

Table 7.

 Results of sensitivity analysis* showing effects on cost effectiveness of variation in utility value of remission, risk of adverse events, length of stay, and calculation of risk of need for repeat surgery

Treatment strategy Cost (£) Incremental cost (£) Effectiveness (QALYs) Incremental effectiveness (QALYs) Incremental cost effectiveness ratio (£/QALYs)
Utility of IPSS <8 is 0.97
Diathermy vaporisation 380 774 844 893 516
Holmium laser enucleation 400 549 783 19 774 939 894 844 1328 14 889
Diathermy vaporisation + holmium vaporisation 413 712 972 13 163 189 895 584 740 17 791
Diathermy vaporisation + TURP repeated once if necessary 418 264 231 4 551 258 895 611 28 163 682
Relative risk of adverse events from all studies
Diathermy vaporisation 380 774 844 917 082
Holmium laser enucleation 400 549 783 19 774 939 919 656 2574 7682
Diathermy vaporisation + holmium vaporisation 413 712 972 13 163 189 921 041 1385 9505
Length of stay for TURP = length of stay for diathermy vaporisation = 2 days
Diathermy vaporisation 376 715 152 917 082
TURP 380 679 392 3 964 240 918 222 1140 3476
TURP repeated once if necessary 400 362 758 19 683 366 920 340 2117 9296
Diathermy vaporisation + TURP repeated once if necessary 409 495 593 9 132 834 921 091 751 12 156
Alternative calculation of probability of failure
Diathermy vaporisation 380 793 296 918 558
Diathermy vaporisation + holmium vaporisation 404 008 222 23 214 926 921 217 2659 8731
Diathermy vaporisation + TURP repeated once if necessary 406 972 673 2 964 451 921 269 52 56 845

QALY=quality adjusted life year; IPSS=international prostate symptom score; TURP=transurethral resection of prostate.

*Based on 10 000 Monte Carlo simulation samples and showing non-dominated and non-extendedly dominated strategies only.