Cost-effectiveness of Prophylactic Moisturization for Atopic Dermatitis

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Pediatrics
• Health Economics

Background:

• Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common skin condition in infants.
• Emerging evidence suggests prophylactic moisturization may prevent AD development in newborns and infants (0-6 months).
• AD poses a significant health expenditure and is linked to comorbidities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of daily total-body moisturization for preventing atopic dermatitis in high-risk newborns.
• To determine the most cost-effective prophylactic moisturizing agent for infants.

Main Methods:

• A cost-effectiveness analysis was performed on 7 common moisturizers for infants from birth to 6 months.
• Calculated costs based on average daily moisturizer usage and price per ounce.
• Estimated incremental gain in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) over a 6-month period, assuming a 50% relative risk reduction for AD.
• Conducted a sensitivity analysis varying relative risk from 0.28 to 0.90.

Main Results:

• Average daily moisturizer use ranged from 3.6 g at birth to 6.6 g at 6 months.
• The average incremental QALY benefit was 0.021 over 6 months.
• Petrolatum was the most cost-effective moisturizer at $353 per QALY.
• Even the most expensive moisturizers were below the $45,000/QALY threshold.

Conclusions:

• Daily prophylactic moisturization is a potentially cost-effective strategy to reduce the burden of atopic dermatitis in infants.
• Petrolatum demonstrates the best cost-effectiveness among the evaluated moisturizers for AD prevention.
• Implementing preventative moisturization can mitigate healthcare costs associated with atopic dermatitis.