Cost-effectiveness of early initiation of first-line combination antiretroviral therapy in Uganda

BMC Public Health

Table 1 Model Inputs for the patient characteristics and cost

Input	Value	Sensitivity Range		Source Data
Life Expectancy, in years
CD4 = 50-200	9.60	8.16	11.04	[19]
CD4 = 200-350	19.30	16.41	22.20	[19]
CD4 tests per year	2			[20]
Median CD4 cell decline, per 6 months	45.75	30.65	62.35	[21]
DALY Adjustment^a
HIV	0.123			[22]
AIDS	0.5			[22]
Years of AIDS before death	1			Assumption
Annual Number of Inpatient Days with OI^b,c
CD4 > 350 (on cART)	0.37	0.19	0.56	[23]
CD4 > 350 (off cART)	5.7	2.85	8.55	[23]
CD4 = 201-350 (on cART)	0.52	0.26	0.78	[23]
CD4 = 201-350 (off cART)	10.8	5.4	16.2	[23]
Annual Number of Inpatient Days without OI^b,c
CD4 > 350 (on cART)	0.14	0.07	0.21	[23]
CD4 > 350 (off cART)	1.9	0.95	2.85	[23]
CD4 = 201-350 (on cART)	0.39	0.2	0.59	[23]
CD4 = 201-350 (off cART)	3	1.5	4.5	[23]
Costs
cART drug cost, per year^d	$192.44	$100	$300	[24]
cART maintenance cost, year	$113.40	$50	$200	[25]
Total Treatment cost, sum	$305.84	$150	$500	[24, 25]
Annual costs incurred while waiting
Clinic Personel	$14.32			[25]
Lab	$35.04			[25]
Other Medication	$33.72			[25]
Radiology	$1.68			[25]
Sum	$84.76	$0	$150	[25]
Cost per Inpatient Day	$31.48			[26]
Discount Rate	3%	0%	6%	[18]

^aDALY - Disability Adjusted Life Years.
^b OI – Opportunistic infections.
^c The sensitivity range is not reported in[23]. In our model, we assume a 50% decrease and 50% increase in OI’s relative to the base case.
^dcART- combination antiretroviral therapy, containing: AZT – zidovudine ; 3TC – lamivudine; EFV- efavirenz.

ISSN: 1471-2458