Cost Effectiveness Analysis of Empiric Skin and Soft Tissue Infections Requiring Hospitalization and Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Coverage

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the cost-effectiveness of vancomycin, daptomycin, linezolid, oritavancin, and telavancin as empiric treatment for MRSA skin and soft tissue infections in an inpatient setting from a third party perspective. Methods: A decision analytic tree model was constructed using TreeAge Pro and utilizing efficacy data from published clinical trials and costs estimates using HCUPnet.gov and Micromedex’s RedBook. Sensitivity analyses were run on linezolid costs, as well as oritavancin’s costs and efficacy data. Results: Linezolid was the most cost effective medication, dominating all other therapies. In a sensitivity analysis, increasing linezolid’s cost to include 7 days of inpatient therapy did not result in other therapies no longer being dominated. In two other sensitivity analyses, oritavancin was no longer dominated at 91.8% efficacy, but was still dominated with only 3 days of inpatient therapy. Conclusions: Linezolid was the most cost effective therapy for empiric treatment of suspected MRSA skin and soft tissue infections requiring hospitalization from a third party perspective.