Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 22, 2026
Optimization of a Quantitative Micro-neutralization Assay
Published on: December 14, 2016
Oseltamivir Treatment for Children with Influenza-Like Illness in China: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
Kunling Shen1, Tengbin Xiong2, Seng Chuen Tan3
1Department of Respiratory Care, Beijing Children's Hospital, Beijing, China.
Insights
Empiric oseltamivir treatment for children with influenza-like illness (ILI) is cost-saving and highly cost-effective in China. This strategy maximizes quality-adjusted life years (QALY) compared to no antiviral therapy or post-test treatment.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Economics
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Influenza causes widespread epidemics and pandemics.
- Oseltamivir is an antiviral neuraminidase inhibitor for influenza.
- Cost-effectiveness of oseltamivir for pediatric influenza-like illness (ILI) in China is unstudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate the cost-effectiveness of empiric oseltamivir vs. post-RIDT oseltamivir vs. no antiviral therapy for pediatric ILI.
- Compare clinical and economic outcomes of different influenza management strategies in children.
Main Methods:
- Developed a decision-analytic model simulating 1-year outcomes for pediatric ILI management.
- Utilized literature and expert opinion from China for model inputs.
- Measured outcomes in costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALY), comparing strategies using ICER.
Main Results:
- Empiric oseltamivir treatment yielded the highest QALY gains.
- Empiric oseltamivir was highly cost-effective (ICER RMB 4,438) vs. no antiviral therapy.
- Empiric oseltamivir dominated post-RIDT oseltamivir treatment, with 100% and 99% probability of being very cost-effective.
Conclusions:
- Empiric oseltamivir is a cost-saving and highly cost-effective strategy for managing pediatric ILI in China.
- Modeling suggests empiric oseltamivir improves both clinical and economic outcomes.
- Findings support widespread adoption of empiric oseltamivir for pediatric influenza management in China.
Background:
Influenza is a common viral respiratory infection that causes epidemics and pandemics in the human population. Oseltamivir is a neuraminidase inhibitor-a new class of antiviral therapy for influenza. Although its efficacy and safety have been established, there is uncertainty regarding whether influenza-like illness (ILI) in children is best managed by oseltamivir at the onset of illness, and its cost-effectiveness in children has not been studied in China.
Objective:
To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of post rapid influenza diagnostic test (RIDT) treatment with oseltamivir and empiric treatment with oseltamivir comparing with no antiviral therapy against influenza for children with ILI.
Methods:
We developed a decision-analytic model based on previously published evidence to simulate and evaluate 1-year potential clinical and economic outcomes associated with three managing strategies for children presenting with symptoms of influenza. Model inputs were derived from literature and expert opinion of clinical practice and research in China. Outcome measures included costs and quality-adjusted life year (QALY). All the interventions were compared with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER).
Results:
In base case analysis, empiric treatment with oseltamivir consistently produced the greatest gains in QALY. When compared with no antiviral therapy, the empiric treatment with oseltamivir strategy is very cost effective with an ICER of RMB 4,438. When compared with the post RIDT treatment with oseltamivir, the empiric treatment with oseltamivir strategy is dominant. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis projected that there is a 100% probability that empiric oseltamivir treatment would be considered as a very cost-effective strategy compared to the no antiviral therapy, according to the WHO recommendations for cost-effectiveness thresholds. The same was concluded with 99% probability for empiric oseltamivir treatment being a very cost-effective strategy compared to the post RIDT treatment with oseltamivir.
Conclusion:
In the Chinese setting of current health system, our modelling based simulation analysis suggests that empiric treatment with oseltamivir to be a cost-saving and very cost-effective strategy in managing children with ILI.
More Related Videos
09:31Fluorescence-based Neuraminidase Inhibition Assay to Assess the Susceptibility of Influenza Viruses to The Neuraminidase Inhibitor Class of Antivirals
Published on: April 15, 2017
08:36Author Spotlight: Evaluating the Adjuvant Efficacy and Safety of Angong Niuhuang Pill in Viral Encephalitis Treatment
Published on: April 19, 2024
