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Real-world costs of autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantations for haematological diseases: a multicentre study

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Abstract

Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is an expensive lifesaving procedure, which is increasingly performed in patients with haematological diseases. Developments in the protocol for SCT have resulted in cost estimates that require updating. We aimed to calculate actual costs for SCT and to identify major cost drivers by means of a daily practice cost study. We randomly selected 191 patients, treated at three university hospitals, who underwent an autologous (auto) SCT or allogeneic (allo) SCT in 2007, 2008 or 2009. Allo-SCT included sibling donors, matched unrelated donors (MUD) and umbilical cord blood (UCB). Resource use was collected from the hospital registration systems and medical files. The total costs included selection and harvesting of stem cells, transplantation and 1-year follow-up. The average costs per patient were 45,670 € for auto-SCT and 101,919 € for sibling allo-SCT. The costs of transplantations from unrelated donors were much higher: 171,478 € for allo-SCT-MUD and 254,689 € for allo-SCT-UCB. Hospital inpatient days together with laboratory and other activities were the main cost drivers across all types of SCT. Besides, donor search costs were a large cost component in allo-SCT-sib (18 %) and allo-SCT-MUD (12 %). Real-world costs were above routine reimbursement and appropriate financing is necessary to guarantee the continuation of SCT. The costs calculated in this study provide reliable up-to-date input for cost-effectiveness studies and budget revision.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the hospitals that participated and the Dutch Society for Hematology for financing this study. We are grateful to Arjan Bandel, Kafong Cheung, Simone Markus, Koen Meijssen, Geraldine Droog and Ger Boonen for providing the hospital data and Jennifer Gaultney for her proofreading and feedback.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Medical ethics review statement

This retrospective study was exempted of medical ethics review since people were not subjected to procedures or obliged to follow rules of behaviour.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Medical Technology Assessment, Institute of Health Policy & Management, Erasmus University, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

    H. M. Blommestein & C. A. Uyl-de Groot

  2. Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

    S. G. R. Verelst & J. J. Cornelissen

  3. VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    P. C. Huijgens

  4. Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands

    N. M. A. Blijlevens

  5. Haemato-Oncology Foundation for Adults in the Netherlands (HOVON), Rotterdam, the Netherlands

    P. C. Huijgens

  6. Daniel Den Hoed Cancer Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

    J. J. Cornelissen

  7. Stem Cell transplantation Working Group HOVON, Rotterdam, the Netherlands

    J. J. Cornelissen

Authors
  1. H. M. Blommestein
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  2. S. G. R. Verelst
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  3. P. C. Huijgens
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  4. N. M. A. Blijlevens
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  5. J. J. Cornelissen
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  6. C. A. Uyl-de Groot
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to H. M. Blommestein.

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Blommestein, H.M., Verelst, S.G.R., Huijgens, P.C. et al. Real-world costs of autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantations for haematological diseases: a multicentre study. Ann Hematol 91, 1945–1952 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00277-012-1530-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00277-012-1530-2

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