ArticleHealth economics review2019
The cost-effectiveness of albumin in the treatment of decompensated cirrhosis in Germany, Italy, and Spain.
Article in Health economics review, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 12 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.
- Low-Dose vs. Standard Care Iv Human Albumin During Large-Volume Paracentesis in Patients With Liver Cirrhosis: A Systematic Review.Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver · 2026Pooled it
- European Society of Intensive Care Medicine clinical practice guideline on fluid therapy in adult critically ill patients. Part 1: the choice of resuscitation fluids.Intensive care medicine · 2024Guideline
- Exploring the Generalizability of Foreign Cost-Effectiveness Analysis to Spain Using Data From a Scoping Review of Multinational Studies.PharmacoEconomics · 2026Article
- Clinical Perspectives on Long-Term Albumin Therapy in Decompensated Cirrhosis: A Nationwide Delphi Survey in Spain-The ALBA Study.Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver · 2025Article
- [Research progress on albumin therapy for hepatic encephalopathy].Zhonghua gan zang bing za zhi = Zhonghua ganzangbing zazhi = Chinese journal of hepatology · 2024Review
- Efficacy of albumin use in decompensated cirrhosis and real-world adoption in Australia.JGH open : an open access journal of gastroenterology and hepatology · 2024Review
- Cost-effectiveness of albumin in the treatment of decompensated cirrhosis in resource-limited healthcare settings.Drugs in context · 2024Article
- Timely Albumin Improves Survival in Patients With Cirrhosis on Diuretic Therapy Who Develop Acute Kidney Injury: Real-World Evidence in the United States.Gastro hep advances · 2023Article
- Albumin administration in patients with cirrhosis: Current role and novel perspectives.World journal of gastroenterology · 2022Review
- Article
- Cost-Utility Analysis of Vasoconstrictors Plus Albumin in the Treatment of Thai Patients with Type 1 Hepatorenal Syndrome.ClinicoEconomics and outcomes research : CEOR · 2021Article
- Correction to: The cost-effectiveness of albumin in the treatment of decompensated cirrhosis in Germany, Italy, and Spain.Health economics review · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
6 authors at 4 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAlbumin is frequently prescribed in cirrhotic patients with acute decompensation. However, the true cost effectiveness of albumin use in cirrhotic patients is still under debate.
objectiveTo evaluate the cost-effectiveness of albumin in the treatment of decompensated cirrhosis in Germany, Italy, and Spain.
methodsA decision-tree economic model was developed to evaluate treatments for decompensated cirrhosis from the hospital perspective over a typical inpatient admission. The treatments for large volume paracentesis (LVP) were albumin vs saline, gelatin, or no fluid. The treatments for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) were albumin plus antibiotics vs antibiotics alone. The treatments for hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) were albumin plus a vasoconstrictor vs a vasoconstrictor alone. Effectiveness inputs were literature-based. Cost inputs included pharmacy costs and medical complication costs of decompensated cirrhosis. The primary model assessments were incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) per life saved and per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY).
resultsAlbumin was found to be both less costly and more effective relative to saline, gelatin, and no fluid for the treatment of LVP across all 3 countries. For SBP, albumin plus antibiotics was more clinically effective than antibiotics alone in all 3 countries. The combination of albumin plus antibiotics was less costly than antibiotics alone in Germany and Italy, making albumin a dominant treatment (ie, less costly and more effective). In the management of SBP in Spain, albumin plus antibiotics compared to antibiotics alone resulted in ICERs of €1516 per life saved and €3369 per QALY gained. Albumin plus a vasoconstrictor was both less costly and more effective than vasoconstrictor alone in the treatment of HRS across all 3 countries.
conclusionThis analysis demonstrates that albumin is cost-effective in terms of lives saved and QALYs gained in the management of decompensated cirrhosis associated with LVP, SBP, or HRS.
Indexed as
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.