Research Article

Cost-Effectiveness of Rifaximin-α versus Lactulose for the Treatment of Recurrent Episodes of Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy: A Meta-Analysis

Table 2

Characteristics of studies identified in the literature review.

StudyCountryModelling approachTime horizonDiscounting (C/B)PerspectiveSensitivity analysisPopulation

Kabeshova et al., [15]FranceMarkov model2 years and 5 yearsNRFrench national health insurance1-way and PSA years and in remission from previous episodes of OHE, associated with hepatic cirrhosis (equivalent to conn )
Bajaj et al., [22]United StatesMarkov model5 years3.0%Societal perspectiveUnivariateA simulated cohort of 1000 cirrhotic patients with compensated liver disease and without OHE, from entry into treatment
Congly et al., [25]United StatesMarkov model5 yearsNRThird-party payer’s perspective1 wayPatients in remission from previous OHE
Jesudian et al., [14]United StatesMarkov modelLifetime3.0%Third-party US payer perspectiveUnivariate, PSAPatients in remission of recurrent HE
Huang et al., [26]United StatesMarkov modelLifetime3.0%Third-party US payer perspective1 wayPatients entered the model without previous treatment for HE and were then allocated among 6 treatment strategies
Rivas et al., [31]MexicoDecision tree model14 days5.0%Mexican Institute of Social Security perspectiveUnivariatePatients with acute HE
Berni et al., [13]United KingdomMarkov model2 years, 5 years, 10 years, and lifetime3.5%UK National Health ServiceDeterministic and PSAAdult cirrhotic patients in remission (conn score 0-1) from recurrent OHE episodes (≥ 2 prior episodes)
Cardona et al., [24]MexicoDecision tree model10 daysNRMexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) perspectiveUnivariatePatients with HE
Whitehouse et al., [32]NetherlandsMarkov model5 years4.0%/1.5%NRNRPatients with liver cirrhosis
Paul et al., [28]NRMarkov model6 months, 1 year, and lifetimeNRThird-party payer’s perspectiveUnspecifiedAdult patients ( years) with OHE
Poole et al., [30]United KingdomMarkov model5 years and 10 years3.5%/3.5%UK National Health Service payer perspectiveUnspecifiedCirrhotic patients with OHE
Poole et al., [29]SwedenMarkov model5 years, 10 years, and lifetime3.5%/3.5%Payer perspective of the Swedish healthcare systemUnspecifiedCirrhotic patients with OHE
Berni et al., [23]BelgiumMarkov model5 years, 10 years, and lifetime3.5%/1.5%Payer perspective of the Belgian healthcare systemNRCirrhotic patients with recurrent OHE
Alhawwashi et al., [21]Saudi ArabiaNRNRNRHealthcare payer perspective: Tertiary hospital in Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaNRPatients with HE
Koh et al., [27]SingaporeMarkov modelNRNRNRNRPatients with HE

Abbreviations: B: benefit; C: cost; HE: hepatic encephalopathy; NR: not reported; OHE: overt hepatic encephalopathy, PSA: probabilistic sensitivity analysis.