olicy Analysis Inc. (PAI)， Brookline， MA 02245-7629， USA. tdelea@pai2.com

BACKGROUND: In the LIPS (Lescol Intervention Prevention Study)， fluvastatin 80 mg/day reduced the risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) by 22% versus placebo (p = 0.01) following successful first percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with stable or unstable angina or silent ischemia. The cost-effectiveness of such therapy is unknown.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of fluvastatin following successful first PCI from a US healthcare system perspective.
 
METHODS: We used a Markov model to estimate expected outcomes and costs of 2 alternative treatment strategies following successful first PCI in patients with stable or unstable angina or silent ischemia: (1) diet/lifestyle counseling plus immediate fluvastatin 80 mg/day; and (2) diet/lifestyle counseling only， with initiation of fluvastatin 80 mg/day following occurrence of future nonfatal MACE. The model was estimated with data from LIPS and other published sources. Cost-effectiveness was calculated as the ratio of the difference in expected medical-care costs to the expected difference in life-years (LYs) and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) alternatively.

RESULTS: Treatment with fluvastatin following successful first PCI was found to increase life expectancy by 0.78 years (QALYs 0.68). Cost-effectiveness of fluvastatin following successful first PCI is 13 505 dollars per LY (15 454 dollar per QALY) saved. Ratios are lower for patients with diabetes (9396 dollar per LY; 10 718 dollar per QALY) and those with multivessel disease (9662 dollar per LY; 11 076 dollar per QALY). Findings were robust with respect to changes in key model parameters and assumptions.

CONCLUSIONS: Fluvastatin therapy following PCI is cost-effective compared with other generally accepted medical interventions.