Long-term costs and cost-effectiveness of adjunctive corticosteroids for patients with septic shock in New Zealand

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine whether adjunctive hydrocortisone reduced healthcare expenditure and was cost-effective compared with placebo in New Zealand patients in the Adjunctive Glucocorticoid Therapy in Patients with Septic Shock (ADRENAL) trial.Design: This is a health economic analysis using data linkage to New Zealand Ministry of Health data-bases to determine resource use, costs, and cost-effectiveness for a 24-month period.Setting: The study was conducted in New Zealand. Participants and intervention: Patients with septic shock were randomised to receive a 7-day continuous infusion of 200 mg of hydrocortisone or placebo in the ADRENAL trial.Main outcome measures: Healthcare expenditure was associated with all hospital admissions, emergency department presentations, outpatient visits, and pharmacy expenditure. Effectiveness outcomes included mortality at 6 months and 24 months and quality of life at 6 months. Cost-effectiveness out-comes were assessed with reference to quality-adjusted life years gained at 6 months and life years gained at 24 months.Results: Of 3800 patients in the ADRENAL trial, 419 (11.0%) were eligible, and 405 (96.7% of those eligible) were included. The mean total costs per patient over 24 months were $143,627 +/- 100,890 and $143,772 +/- 97,117 for the hydrocortisone and placebo groups, respectively (p = 0.99). Intensive care unit costs for the index admission were $50,492 and $62,288 per patient for the hydrocortisone and placebo groups, respectively (p = 0.09). The mean number of quality-adjusted life years gained at 6 months and mean number of life years gained at 24 months was not significantly different by treatment group, and the probability of hydrocortisone being cost-effective was 55% at 24 months.Conclusions: In New Zealand, adjunctive hydrocortisone did not reduce total healthcare expenditure or improve outcomes compared with placebo in patients with septic shock. (c) 2021 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.