Immunosuppressive therapy for kidney transplantation in children and adolescents: Systematic review and economic evaluation

cost-effectiveness analysis
kidney transplantation
Markov model
systematic review
Authors

Haasova, M.

Snowsill, T.

Jones-Hughes, T.

Crathorne, L.

Cooper, C.

Varley-Campbell, J.

Mujica-Mota, R.

Coelho, H.

Huxley, N.

Lowe, J.

Dudley, J.

Marks, S.

Hyde, C.

Bond, M.

Anderson, R.

Published

Aug 2016

Abstract

Background: End-stage renal disease is a long-term irreversible decline in kidney function requiring kidney transplantation, haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. The preferred option is kidney transplantation followed by induction and maintenance immunosuppressive therapy to reduce the risk of kidney rejection and prolong graft survival. Objectives: To systematically review and update the evidence for the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of basiliximab (BAS) (Simulect,® Novartis Pharmaceuticals) and rabbit antihuman thymocyte immunoglobulin (Thymoglobuline,® Sanofi) as induction therapy and immediate-release tacrolimus [Adoport® (Sandoz); Capexion® (Mylan); Modigraf® (Astellas Pharma); Perixis® (Accord Healthcare); Prograf® (Astellas Pharma); Tacni® (Teva); Vivadex® (Dexcel Pharma)], prolonged-release tacrolimus (Advagraf,® Astellas Pharma); belatacept (BEL) (Nulojix,® Bristol-Myers Squibb), mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) [Arzip® (Zentiva), CellCept® (Roche Products), Myfenax® (Teva), generic MMF is manufactured by Accord Healthcare, Actavis, Arrow Pharmaceuticals, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Mylan, Sandoz and Wockhardt], mycophenolate sodium, sirolimus (Rapamune,® Pfizer) and everolimus (Certican,® Novartis Pharmaceuticals) as maintenance therapy in children and adolescents undergoing renal transplantation. Data sources: Clinical effectiveness searches were conducted to 7 January 2015 in MEDLINE (via Ovid), EMBASE (via Ovid), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (via Wiley Online Library) and Web of Science [via Institute for Scientific Information (ISI)], Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects and Health Technology Assessment (HTA) (The Cochrane Library via Wiley Online Library) and Health Management Information Consortium (via Ovid). Cost-effectiveness searches were conducted to 15 January 2015 using a costs or economic literature search filter in MEDLINE (via Ovid), EMBASE (via Ovid), NHS Economic Evaluation Databases (via Wiley Online Library), Web of Science (via ISI), Health Economic Evaluations Database (via Wiley Online Library) and EconLit (via EBSCOhost). Review methods: Titles and abstracts were screened according to predefined inclusion criteria, as were full texts of identified studies. Included studies were extracted and quality appraised. Data were meta-analysed when appropriate. A new discrete time state transition economic model (semi-Markov) was developed; graft function, and incidences of acute rejection and new-onset diabetes mellitus were used to extrapolate graft survival. Recipients were assumed to be in one of three health states: functioning graft, graft loss or death. Results: Three randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and four non-RCTs were included. The RCTs only evaluated BAS and tacrolimus (TAC). No statistically significant differences in key outcomes were found between BAS and placebo/no induction. Statistically significantly higher graft function (p < 0.01) and less biopsy-proven acute rejection (odds ratio 0.29, 95% confidence interval 0.15 to 0.57) was found between TAC and ciclosporin (CSA). Only one cost-effectiveness study was identified, which informed NICE guidance TA99. BAS [with TAC and azathioprine (AZA)] was predicted to be cost-effective at £20,000-30,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) versus no induction (BAS was dominant). BAS (with CSA and MMF) was not predicted to be cost-effective at £20,000-30,000 per QALY versus no induction (BAS was dominated). TAC (with AZA) was predicted to be cost-effective at £20,000-30,000 per QALY versus CSA (TAC was dominant). A model based on adult evidence suggests that at a cost-effectiveness threshold of £20,000-30,000 per QALY, BAS and TAC are cost-effective in all considered combinations; MMF was also cost-effective with CSA but not TAC. Limitations: The RCT evidence is very limited; analyses comparing all interventions need to rely on adult evidence. Conclusions: TAC is likely to be cost-effe tive (vs. CSA, in combination with AZA) at £20,000-30,000 per QALY. Analysis based on one RCT found BAS to be dominant, but analysis based on another RCT found BAS to be dominated. BAS plus TAC and AZA was predicted to be cost-effective at £20,000-30,000 per QALY when all regimens were compared using extrapolated adult evidence. High-quality primary effectiveness research is needed. The UK Renal Registry could form the basis for a prospective primary study.

Citation

BibTeX citation:
@article{m.2016,
  author = {Haasova, M. and Snowsill, T. and Jones-Hughes, T. and
    Crathorne, L. and Cooper, C. and Varley-Campbell, J. and
    Mujica-Mota, R. and Coelho, H. and Huxley, N. and Lowe, J. and
    Dudley, J. and Marks, S. and Hyde, C. and Bond, M. and Anderson, R.},
  title = {Immunosuppressive Therapy for Kidney Transplantation in
    Children and Adolescents: {Systematic} Review and Economic
    Evaluation},
  journal = {Health Technology Assessment},
  volume = {20},
  number = {61},
  date = {2016-08-01},
  url = {https://tristansnowsill.co.uk/immunosuppressive-therapy-for-kidney-transplantation-in-children.html},
  doi = {10.3310/hta20610},
  langid = {en},
  abstract = {Background: End-stage renal disease is a long-term
    irreversible decline in kidney function requiring kidney
    transplantation, haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. The preferred
    option is kidney transplantation followed by induction and
    maintenance immunosuppressive therapy to reduce the risk of kidney
    rejection and prolong graft survival. Objectives: To systematically
    review and update the evidence for the clinical effectiveness and
    cost-effectiveness of basiliximab (BAS) (Simulect,® Novartis
    Pharmaceuticals) and rabbit antihuman thymocyte immunoglobulin
    (Thymoglobuline,® Sanofi) as induction therapy and immediate-release
    tacrolimus {[}Adoport® (Sandoz); Capexion® (Mylan); Modigraf®
    (Astellas Pharma); Perixis® (Accord Healthcare); Prograf® (Astellas
    Pharma); Tacni® (Teva); Vivadex® (Dexcel Pharma){]},
    prolonged-release tacrolimus (Advagraf,® Astellas Pharma);
    belatacept (BEL) (Nulojix,® Bristol-Myers Squibb), mycophenolate
    mofetil (MMF) {[}Arzip® (Zentiva), CellCept® (Roche Products),
    Myfenax® (Teva), generic MMF is manufactured by Accord Healthcare,
    Actavis, Arrow Pharmaceuticals, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Mylan,
    Sandoz and Wockhardt{]}, mycophenolate sodium, sirolimus (Rapamune,®
    Pfizer) and everolimus (Certican,® Novartis Pharmaceuticals) as
    maintenance therapy in children and adolescents undergoing renal
    transplantation. Data sources: Clinical effectiveness searches were
    conducted to 7 January 2015 in MEDLINE (via Ovid), EMBASE (via
    Ovid), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (via Wiley
    Online Library) and Web of Science {[}via Institute for Scientific
    Information (ISI){]}, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews,
    Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects and Health Technology
    Assessment (HTA) (The Cochrane Library via Wiley Online Library) and
    Health Management Information Consortium (via Ovid).
    Cost-effectiveness searches were conducted to 15 January 2015 using
    a costs or economic literature search filter in MEDLINE (via Ovid),
    EMBASE (via Ovid), NHS Economic Evaluation Databases (via Wiley
    Online Library), Web of Science (via ISI), Health Economic
    Evaluations Database (via Wiley Online Library) and EconLit (via
    EBSCOhost). Review methods: Titles and abstracts were screened
    according to predefined inclusion criteria, as were full texts of
    identified studies. Included studies were extracted and quality
    appraised. Data were meta-analysed when appropriate. A new discrete
    time state transition economic model (semi-Markov) was developed;
    graft function, and incidences of acute rejection and new-onset
    diabetes mellitus were used to extrapolate graft survival.
    Recipients were assumed to be in one of three health states:
    functioning graft, graft loss or death. Results: Three randomised
    controlled trials (RCTs) and four non-RCTs were included. The RCTs
    only evaluated BAS and tacrolimus (TAC). No statistically
    significant differences in key outcomes were found between BAS and
    placebo/no induction. Statistically significantly higher graft
    function (p \textless{} 0.01) and less biopsy-proven acute rejection
    (odds ratio 0.29, 95\% confidence interval 0.15 to 0.57) was found
    between TAC and ciclosporin (CSA). Only one cost-effectiveness study
    was identified, which informed NICE guidance TA99. BAS {[}with TAC
    and azathioprine (AZA){]} was predicted to be cost-effective at
    £20,000-30,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) versus no
    induction (BAS was dominant). BAS (with CSA and MMF) was not
    predicted to be cost-effective at £20,000-30,000 per QALY versus no
    induction (BAS was dominated). TAC (with AZA) was predicted to be
    cost-effective at £20,000-30,000 per QALY versus CSA (TAC was
    dominant). A model based on adult evidence suggests that at a
    cost-effectiveness threshold of £20,000-30,000 per QALY, BAS and TAC
    are cost-effective in all considered combinations; MMF was also
    cost-effective with CSA but not TAC. Limitations: The RCT evidence
    is very limited; analyses comparing all interventions need to rely
    on adult evidence. Conclusions: TAC is likely to be cost-effe tive
    (vs. CSA, in combination with AZA) at £20,000-30,000 per QALY.
    Analysis based on one RCT found BAS to be dominant, but analysis
    based on another RCT found BAS to be dominated. BAS plus TAC and AZA
    was predicted to be cost-effective at £20,000-30,000 per QALY when
    all regimens were compared using extrapolated adult evidence.
    High-quality primary effectiveness research is needed. The UK Renal
    Registry could form the basis for a prospective primary study.}
}
For attribution, please cite this work as:
Haasova, M., Snowsill, T., Jones-Hughes, T., Crathorne, L., Cooper, C., Varley-Campbell, J., Mujica-Mota, R., et al. 2016. “Immunosuppressive Therapy for Kidney Transplantation in Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review and Economic Evaluation.” Health Technology Assessment 20 (61). https://doi.org/10.3310/hta20610.