Background: Statin use in adults with diabetes is sub-optimal. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring can provide a visual quantification of CV risk and may improve statin initiation and long-term use. Objective: Estimate the cost-utility of CAC scoring compared to traditional CV risk counselling only, for improving statin use in adults with diabetes who have not previously had a CV event, and are not on statin therapy.

Methods: Probabilistic Markov model from a health system perspective, over a 10-year time horizon. The effectiveness of CAC scoring was obtained from the EISNER trial. Outcomes included acute coronary syndrome (ACS), stroke, heart failure, mortality, and radiation-induced cancer. Outcome rates and costs were obtained from an analysis of Alberta administrative data, and from publicly available sources. The base population modeled was men age 60, with additional analyses for other age, sex-groups and scenarios.

Results: CAC scoring increased statin use to 44% vs 25% with traditional CV risk counselling only. There were 8.4 fewer ACS, 5.5 fewer strokes, and 1.6 fewer deaths / 1000 individuals. Costs were slightly lower (-$14, 95% CI [-$402-(+$208)]) (CAD), for a small benefit in quality-adjusted life years (+0.01, [0.00-0.02]), with mean ICER of $7,132 (-$27,828-(+$65,513)) / QALY. At a willingness-to-pay of $50,000 / QALY, CAC was cost-effective in 95% of trials. CAC scoring was not cost-effective in younger men or in women, but could be cost-effective or cost savings in men (age ≥ 40) and older women (age ≥ 60) who refuse statin therapy, but would be persuaded by personalized evidence of coronary artery disease (CAC score > 10).

Conclusion: CAC scoring may be cost-effective in older men not receiving statins, and in men or older women who agree to use statins if shown personalized evidence of coronary artery disease.

Disclosure

D.Lau: None. G.J.Pearson: Advisory Panel; HLS Therapeutics Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Pharmacience, Consultant; Trimedic Therapeutics. P.Raggi: None. S.Klarenbach: Research Support; Bayer Inc., Allergan, GlaxoSmithKline plc., CSL Behring, Lundbeck, University Hospital Foundation (University of Alberta), Purdue Canada.

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