A study published in the Journal of Hospital Infection examined the cost-effectiveness of oral probiotics as a preventative strategy for Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea in hospitalized children and adolescents.
Researchers used a decision tree model combining clinical effectiveness, utility and cost data. They conducted sensitivity analyses to determine the robustness of the model outcomes.
The oral probiotics strategy offered patients 0.05876 quality-adjusted life years, and the no probiotics strategy offered 0.056 quality-adjusted life years. The cost of the oral probiotics strategy was $16,668.70, while the no probiotics strategy was $20,355.28.
"The oral probiotics strategy exhibited higher QALY and lower cost, and represents the cost-saving strategy," study authors wrote.