Table 7

Sensitivity analysis

Parameter varied

Incremental Costs (IVIG-corticosteroids)

Incremental QALYs (IVIG-corticosteroids

$/QALY IVIG vs. corticosteroids

Patient Weight

35 kg

$58,102

0.177

$327,665

45 kg

$74,043

0.177

$417,569

55 kg

$89,985

0.177

$507,474

65 kg

$105,927

0.177

$597,378

75 kg

$121,869

0.177

$687,282

85 kg

$137,810

0.177

$777,186

95 kg

$153,752

0.177

$867,090

Starting Age

35 years old

$122,293

0.178

$686,130

45 years old

$122,077

0.178

$686,759

55 years old

$121,504

0.177

$687,371

65 years old

$119,999

0.176

$683,643

75 years old

$116,182

0.170

$683,219

Discount rate

0%

$126,340

0.185

$682,390

3%

$123,542

0.180

$685,346

Model time horizon

1 year

$59,546

0.078

$764,917

3 years

$102,457

0.146

$702,569

5 years

$121,869

0.177

$687,282

10 years

$139,986

0.209

$670,396

20 years

$143,690

0.218

$658,267

Incremental IVIG utility gain = 0.25

$121,869

0.364

$335,038

Assume corticosteroid patients switch to IVIG after adverse event

$113,444

0.166

$682,309

Relapse rate for IVIG not extrapolated beyond 25 weeks

$173,189

0.257

$672,616

Maintenance IVIG dose and frequency

1.0 mg/kg every 3 weeks

$121,869

0.177

$687,282

1.0 mg/kg every 6 weeks

$65,304

0.177

$368,284

1.0 mg/kg every 8 weeks

$51,163

0.177

$288,535

0.4 mg/kg every 3 weeks

$55,661

0.177

$313,905

0.4 mg/kg every 6 weeks

$32,200

0.177

$181,595

0.4 mg/kg every 8 weeks

$26,335

0.177

$148,518

Blackhouse et al. Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation 2010 8:14   doi:10.1186/1478-7547-8-14