Cost-effectiveness of low-dose colchicine in patients with chronic coronary disease in The Netherlands

AIMS: Recent trials have shown that low-dose colchicine (0.5 mg once daily) reduces major cardiovascular events in patients with acute and chronic coronary syndromes. We aimed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of low-dose colchicine therapy in patients with chronic coronary disease when added to standard background therapy. METHODS AND RESULTS: This Markov cohort cost-effectiveness model used estimates of therapy effectiveness, transition probabilities, costs, and quality of life obtained from the Low-Dose Colchicine 2 trial, as well as meta-analyses and public sources. In this trial, low-dose colchicine was added to standard of care and compared with placebo. The main outcomes were cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction, stroke, and coronary revascularization, quality-adjusted life year (QALY), the cost per QALY gained (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio), and net monetary benefit. In the model, low-dose colchicine therapy yielded 0.04 additional QALYs compared with standard of care at an incremental cost of €455 from a societal perspective and €729 from a healthcare perspective, resulting in a cost per QALY gained of €12 176/QALY from a societal perspective and €19 499/QALY from a healthcare perspective. Net monetary benefit was €1414 from a societal perspective and €1140 from a healthcare perspective. Low-dose colchicine has a 96 and 94% chance of being cost-effective, from a societal and a healthcare perspective, respectively, when using a willingness to pay of €50 000/QALY. Net monetary benefit would decrease below zero when annual low-dose colchicine costs would exceed an annual cost of €221 per patient. CONCLUSION: Adding low-dose colchicine to standard of care in patients with chronic coronary disease is cost-effective according to commonly accepted thresholds in Europe and Australia and compares favourably in cost-effectiveness to other drugs used in chronic coronary disease.