Economic analysis of angiography and preemptive angioplasty to prevent hemodialysis‐access thrombosis

Abstract Objectives: We sought to determine the economic value of early angiography and prophylactic angioplasty to prevent hemodialysis‐access thrombosis. Background: End stage renal disease consumes more than 6% of the Medicare budget. There is a need to understand the financial impact of each component of care. Methods: We conducted an observational economic analysis of a closed cohort of 818 hemodialysis patients, of whom 560 were referred for 1437 consecutive radiographic procedures during an 8‐year period. Patient‐level, bottom‐up microcosting methods provided supply and personnel costs before and after expansion of an angiographic referral program. Results: The rate of referral for malfunctioning but nonthrombosed hemodialysis accesses increased from 18.8 ± 8.8 to 48.3 ± 11.9 angiographic procedures per 100 patient‐years ( P < 0.001), which was associated with a decline in access thrombosis from 27.6 to 22.0 events per 100 patient‐years ( P = 0.029) and a net cost of $34,586 per 100 patient‐years. The incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio for invasive surveillance was $6,177 per thrombosis event avoided. The angiographic program expanded at the same time that the proportion of autogenous fistulas increased from 28.3% ± 11.3% to 59.7% ± 10.7% of total referrals ( P = 0.0001). On multivariable logistic regression analysis, the expanded angiography program ( P = 0.001) and the proportion of autogenous fistulas ( P = 0.0001) were both independently associated with the reduction in access thrombosis. Conclusions: Given the incremental costs and the relatively modest benefits in preventing access thrombosis, preemptive angiographic management may represent a less efficient use of healthcare resources than increasing the number of patients with autogenous fistulas. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.