Switching from intravenous to oral linezolid therapy: a cost-minimization analysis

Abstract

Objective: To compare the direct costs of linezolid intravenous therapy with the costs of intravenous therapy switching to oral therapy after 72 hours as an intervention strategy in antimicrobial stewardship programs. Methods: Economic evaluation cost-minimization comparing direct costs of exclusive linezolid intravenous therapy with intravenous therapy for 72 hours and after switching to oral therapy in a simulated scenario, from the perspective of the National Health Service, with a decision tree as a decision modeling. Results: The alternative encompassing the therapy transition proved to be the most economical in all analyzed scenarios. For 28 days of treatment with linezolid, there was a 22% reduction in costs, considering the hospitalized patient. When considering discharge after the sixth day of treatment, the cost reduction ranged from 26%, with funding from the National Health Service for the rest of the treatment, to 84%, with funding for the post-discharge treatment by the patient. Conclusion: It was concluded that the linezolid therapy transition is an important strategy in antimicrobial management programs, capable of generating significant savings for the institution. In this context, economic cost-minimization assessments are an important tool to demonstrate the economic aspect with the potential to raise awareness among managers and decision-makers.