The clinical, economic, and humanistic burden of treatments for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and cost-effectiveness of treatments: A systematic literature review

Background: To examine the burden of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), specifically the clinical impact of EPI on patients, their quality of life (QoL) and the cost-effectiveness of existing treatments.

Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using key search terms for the clinical, economic, and humanistic burden. Databases were searched from 2010 to 2022, with articles screened independently by 2 reviewers at abstract and full-text stage against pre-defined eligibility criteria.

Results: Seventy-one publications were identified that reported relevant clinical, humanistic, and economic data. Prevalence and incidence of EPI varied across identified studies; EPI appears to be especially prevalent as a comorbid condition in patients with cystic fibrosis. EPI has a large impact on QoL, with lower QoL scores in patients with EPI compared with those without EPI. The instruments used to assess QoL, however, were inconsistent across studies. Where reported, economic burden studies highlighted that patients with EPI have higher healthcare resource utilization compared with those without, with costs increasing with disease severity.

Conclusion: This systematic literature review highlights that patients with EPI have higher treatment costs and lower QoL scores than patients without EPI. The prevalence of EPI as a comorbid condition is high, particularly in patients with cystic fibrosis.