Cost-Effectiveness of Routine Screening for Cardiac Toxicity in Patients Treated with Imatinib in Brazil

We performed a cost-effectiveness study of different strategies of screening for cardiotoxicity in patients receiving imatinib, the first strategy based on yearly echocardiograms in all patients and the second strategy based on yearly B-type natriuretic peptide level measurement, reserving echocardiograms for patients with an abnormal test result. Results are presented in terms of additional cost per diagnosis as compared with not performing any screening. From the Brazilian private sector's perspective, strategies 1 and 2 resulted in additional costs of US $30,951.53 and US $19,925.64 per diagnosis of cardiotoxicity, respectively. From the perspective of the Brazilian public health system, the same strategies generated additional costs of US $7,668.00 and US $20,232.87 per diagnosis, respectively. In our study, systematic screening for cardiotoxicity in patients using imatinib has a high cost per diagnosis. If screening is to be adopted, a strategy based on B-type natriuretic peptide level measurement, reserving echocardiography for patients with abnormal results, results in lower costs per diagnosis in the private sector. From the public health system's perspective, costs per diagnosis will greatly depend on the reimbursement values adopted for B-type natriuretic peptide level measurement.