Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38751245›Full record

SynthesisInternational journal of technology assessment in health care2024

A systematic review of the cost and cost-effectiveness of immunoglobulin treatment in patients with hematological malignancies.

Sara Carrillo de Albornoz, Khai Li Chai, Alisa M Higgins, Dennis Petrie, Erica M Wood, Zoe K McQuilten

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in International journal of technology assessment in health care, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Intravenous versus subcutaneous immunoglobulin in patients with haematological malignancies: time-driven activity-based costing.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Sara Carrillo de AlbornozSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1206-5392
Khai Li ChaiSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
Alisa M HigginsSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
Dennis PetrieCentre for Health Economics, Monash Business School, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
Erica M WoodSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
Zoe K McQuiltenSchool of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council Blood Synergy grant (#1189490)
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesPatients with hematological malignancies are likely to develop hypogammaglobulinemia. Immunoglobulin (Ig) is commonly given to prevent infections, but its overall costs and cost-effectiveness are unknown.

methodsA systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines to assess the evidence on the costs and cost-effectiveness of Ig, administered intravenously (IVIg) or subcutaneously (SCIg), in adults with hematological malignancies.

resultsSix studies met the inclusion criteria, and only two economic evaluations were identified; one cost-utility analysis (CUA) of IVIg versus no Ig, and another comparing IVIg with SCIg. The quality of the evidence was low. Compared to no treatment, Ig reduced hospitalization rates. One study reported no significant change in hospitalizations following a program to reduce IVIg use, and an observational study comparing IVIg with SCIg suggested that there were more hospitalizations with SCIg but lower overall costs per patient. The CUA comparing IVIg versus no Ig suggested that IVIg treatment was not cost-effective, and the other CUA comparing IVIg to SCIg found that home-based SCIg was more cost-effective than IVIg, but both studies had serious limitations.

conclusionsOur review highlighted key gaps in the literature: the cost-effectiveness of Ig in patients with hematological malignancies is very uncertain. Despite increasing Ig use worldwide, there are limited data regarding the total direct and indirect costs of treatment, and the optimal use of Ig and downstream implications for healthcare resource use and costs remain unclear. Given the paucity of evidence on the costs and cost-effectiveness of Ig treatment in this population, further health economic research is warranted.

Indexed as

Cost-Benefit AnalysisHematologic NeoplasmsImmunoglobulins, IntravenousAgammaglobulinemiaHospitalizationHumansImmunoglobulinsImmunoglobulinsImmunoglobulins, Intravenouscostcost-effectivenesshematological malignancieshypogammaglobulinemiaimmunoglobulin

Identifiers

PMID38751245
PMCPMC11569901

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.