Cost-Effectiveness of Pharmacotherapy for the Treatment of Obesity in Adolescents
Authors' conclusion
In this economic evaluation of pharmacotherapy for adolescents with obesity, top-dose phentermine and topiramate as adjunct to lifestyle counseling was estimated to be cost-effective after 5 years. Long-term clinical trials in adolescents are needed to fully evaluate the outcomes of pharmacotherapy, especially into adulthood.
Study context
- Population
- Hypothetical cohort of adolescents with obesity, age 15, initial body mass index (BMI) 37; 58% female
- Participants
- 100,000 simulated adolescents
- Exposure
- Lifestyle counseling alone vs adjunct liraglutide, mid-dose phentermine/topiramate, top-dose phentermine/topiramate or semaglutide
- Outcome
- QALYs, costs (2022 US dollars) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs); cost-effective if ICER <$100 000 per QALY gained
- Follow-up
- 13 months, 2 years, and 5 years
Methodological detailscost-effectiveness microsimulation model, hypothetical cohort, costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) discounted 3.0% annually, one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses, Model inputs from clinical trials, published literature and national sources; data analysed April 2022 to July 2023
- Cost-effectiveness microsimulation model
- Hypothetical cohort
- Costs and QALYs discounted 3.0% annually
- One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses
- Model inputs from clinical trials, published literature and national sources; data analysed April 2022 to July 2023
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
ICER
$56 876 per QALY gained
Top-dose phentermine and topiramate vs Lifestyle counseling · preferred strategy at 5 years
ICER
$1.1 million per QALY gained
Semaglutide vs Top-dose phentermine and topiramate · unfavorable; semaglutide yielded the most QALYs
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Preferred strategy at 13 months and 2 years
- Lifestyle counseling estimated to be the preferred strategy
Sensitivity analyses
- Results most sensitive to utility of weight reduction and weight loss of lifestyle counseling and top-dose phentermine and topiramate
Original publication
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →