Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio of CGM App Below Recommended Thresholds

A continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) app for patients with type 2 diabetes had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio below thresholds recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Central Social Insurance Medical Council, “indicating that the introduction of this medical technology should be considered,” researchers wrote in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. 

“In comparison with conventional retrospective CGM, the use of CGM apps improves patients’ own blood glucose control,” researchers explained, “which is expected to help slow the progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus and prevent complications.” 

The study was a cost-effectiveness appraisal of CGM apps that considered medical costs associated with type 2 diabetes. Researchers conducted a medical cost simulation using a Markov model that included the transition states of insulin therapy, nephrosis, dialysis, and cardiovascular disease to signal changes in costs and utility values resulting from CGM app use and then calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. 

According to the study, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of CGM app use for patients with type 2 diabetes was US $33,039 per quality-adjusted life year. For comparison, WHO suggests an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio threshold of US $116,649 per quality-adjusted life year, researchers noted, while the Central Social Insurance Medical Council recommends a threshold of US $43,478 per quality-adjusted life year. 

“Our results provide basic data on the cost-effectiveness of introducing CGM apps, which are currently starting to come into use,” researchers wrote. 

—Jolynn Tumolo 

Reference

Tsuji S, Ishikawa T, Morii Y, Zhang H, Suzuki T, Tanikawa T, Nakaya J, Ogasawara K. Cost-Effectiveness of a Continuous Glucose Monitoring Mobile App for Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Analysis Simulation. J Med Internet Res. 2020 Sep 17;22(9):e16053. doi: 10.2196/16053. PMID: 32940613.