Cost-effectiveness of faecal microbiota transplantation compared with vancomycin monotherapy for early Clostridioides difficile infection: economic evaluation alongside a randomised controlled trial

Camilla R Birch; Sara E Paaske; Morten B Jensen; Simon M D Baunwall; Lars H Ehlers; Christian L Hvas

doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2024.11.003

Cost-effectiveness of faecal microbiota transplantation compared with vancomycin monotherapy for early Clostridioides difficile infection: economic evaluation alongside a randomised controlled trial

J Hosp Infect. 2024 Nov 13:S0195-6701(24)00372-4. doi: 10.1016/j.jhin.2024.11.003. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Camilla R Birch¹, Sara E Paaske², Morten B Jensen³, Simon M D Baunwall⁴, Lars H Ehlers¹, Christian L Hvas⁵

Affiliations

¹ Nordic Institute of Health Economics, Aarhus, Denmark.
² Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
³ Nordic Institute of Health Economics, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
⁴ Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
⁵ Department of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 39547534
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhin.2024.11.003

Abstract

For Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is currently recommended for patients with three or more CDI episodes. A recent randomised controlled trial (RCT) show that FMT may be considered early, defined as intervention during the first or second CDI episode. Compared with standard care for first or second CDI, patients randomised to FMT had €1,645 lower hospital costs over 26 weeks owing to fewer admissions and hospital contacts and less medication use.

Keywords: Clostridioides difficile infection; cost effectiveness; fecal microbiota transplantation; health economics.