Cost-Effectiveness of Posthospital Management of Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Real-World Investigation From Italy

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness profile of adherence to recommendations for the community management of patients discharged with a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Methods: The cohort of 50 282 residents in the Lombardy Region (Italy) who were discharged with a diagnosis of ACS during 2011 to 2015 was followed up until 2018. Adherence to selected recommendations including drug therapies (DTs), outpatient controls, and rehabilitation, experienced during the first year after index discharge, was considered. Adherent and nonadherent cohort members were matched on high-dimensional propensity scores. Composite clinical outcomes (cardiovascular hospital admissions and all-cause mortality) and healthcare costs were assessed for a time horizon of 5 years. Cost-effectiveness profile of adherence to recommendations was measured through the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, that is, the incremental cost for 1 day free from the composite clinical outcome. Results: Adherence to DTs, outpatient controls, and rehabilitation, respectively, regarded 39%, 81%, and 3% of cohort members. Compared with nonadherent patients, those adherent to DTs, outpatient controls, and rehabilitation had (1) a delay in the occurrence of the composite clinical outcome of 50, 43, and 73 days, respectively, and (2) lower (on average, €199 per year for DTs) and higher costs (€292 and €1024 for outpatient controls and rehabilitation). Cost-effectiveness profiles were better for patients with myocardial infarction than those with angina and for patients with more severe clinical complexity than those with milder conditions. Conclusions: Health-related and economic benefits are expected from improving adherence to international guidelines recommendations concerning outpatient treatments and monitoring of patients with ACS.