Health and economic evaluation of herbal medicines for heart failure: A population-based cohort study

Background: Heart failure (HF) represents an advanced stage of various cardiovascular disorders, with its elevated admission rates and resultant health economic burden posing an ongoing global concern.

Purpose: To evaluate the health and economic benefits of herbal medicine (HM) for patients with HF.

Study design: Population-based cohort study.

Methods: A five-year retrospective cohort study was carried out at a nationally recognized hospital in China. The study utilized propensity score matching (PSM) to match patients with HF. Chi-square tests were used to analyze dichotomous variables, and t-tests were employed for continuous variables. Logistic regression was used to examine hospital readmission rates, while multiple linear regression was utilized to evaluate direct medical costs. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results: After implementing PSM, 1924 HF patients were included in the analysis. The study identified two significant risk factors affecting the readmission rates: age over 65 years (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.25, 95 % confidence interval (CI) [1.02, 1.53]) and smoking (adjusted OR = 1.31, 95 % CI [1.01, 1.70]). Additionally, patients who received adjunctive HM treatment exhibited a significantly lower readmission rate compared to those without HM treatment (adjusted OR = 0.76, 95 % CI [0.64, 0.92]). Furthermore, the use of HM during patient hospitalization did not significantly impact direct medical expenses but instead provided positive health economic benefits (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) = 98.52). Factors influencing direct routine medical costs included over 65 years of age (Coef = 60.78, 95 % CI [36.25, 85.31]), and cardiac function classification (New York Heart Association (NYHA) III: Coef = 1979.92, 95 % CI [1401.82, 2558.03]; NYHA IV: Coef = 6052.48, 95 % CI [5166.59, 6938.38]).

Conclusions: The integration of HM in patients with HF reduced readmission rates without a notable increase in direct medical costs, and the expense of HM remains an economically range indicating positive health economic outcomes.