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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Jan 1.
Published in final edited form as: Ann Emerg Med. 2014 Nov 12;65(1):72–80.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2014.08.019

Table 3. Base Case Output.

(per 1,000 children with minor head trauma)

PECARN Rules Usual Care Difference a
CT scans, n b 274 353 79
Radiation-induced malignancy 0.34 0.45 0.11
Missed ciTBI (delayed treatment), n 0.26 0.02 −0.24
Total cost $904,940 $954,420 $49,480
Total QALY loss −4.64 −5.79 −1.15
 QALY loss due to missed ciTBI −0.92 −0.99 −0.07
 QALY loss due to radiation-induced malignancy −3.72 −4.80 −1.08
Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of usual care, as compared with PECARN rules c −$43,030 (dominated)
Net monetary benefit of PECARN rules d $106,980

Abbreviations: CT, computed tomography; ciTBI, clinically important traumatic brain injury; QALY, quality-adjusted life year; WTP, willingness-to-pay

a

- difference = usual care – PECARN rules

b

- including CT scans for those who return to hospital for ongoing issues

c

- incremental cost-effectiveness ratio = Δtotal cost / ΔQALY loss

d

- net monetary benefit = (Δtotal QALY * WTP per QALY) - Δtotal cost. WTP used here is $50,000/QALY.