Cost effectiveness of hs-CRP screening for statin therapy

January 01, 0001

Cost effectiveness of hs-CRP screening for statin therapy

High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) testing has been used to help identify patients who might benefit from statin therapy. These US researchers used a decision analytic Markov model to follow hypothetical cohorts of patients with normal lipid levels. The model compared current Adult Treatment Panel III practice guidelines, a strategy of statin use only with elevated hs-CRP in the absence of other indications, and a strategy of statin therapy at specified predicted risk thresholds without hs-CRP testing.

The researchers found: "Risk-based treatment without hs-CRP testing was the most cost-effective strategy, assuming that statins were equally effective regardless of hs-CRP status. However, if normal hs-CRP levels identified a subgroup with little or no benefit from statin therapy (<20% relative risk reduction), then hs-CRP screening would be the optimal strategy. If harms from statin use were greater than generally recognized, then use of current clinical guidelines would be the optimal strategy."

The researchers concluded: "Risk-based statin treatment without hs-CRP testing is more cost-effective than hs-CRP screening, assuming that statins have good long-term safety and provide benefits among low-risk people with normal hs-CRP."

This modeling raises doubt on the cost effectiveness of hs-CRP screening to indicate statin therapy

For the full abstract, click here.

Circulation 122(15):1478-1487, 12 October 2010 © 2010 American Heart Association, Inc.
Cost-Effectiveness of Using High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein to Identify Intermediate-and Low-Cardiovascular-Risk Individuals for Statin Therapy. Keane K. Lee, Lauren E. Cipriano, Douglas K. Owens, Alan S. Go, Mark A. Hlatky. Correspondence to Keane K. Lee: [email protected]

Category: K. Circulatory. Keywords: hs-CRP, C-reactive protein, dyslipidemia, statin, ATP-III, modeling, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Paul Schaefer, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 12 Nobember 2010

Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.