Cost-effectiveness analysis of drug therapy for children with tic disorder in China

Abstract Background There is lack of economic evaluation of drug treatment for children with tic disorder. The study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of four drug therapies for children with tic disorder in China. Methods We used the decision tree model to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of four treatment options for children for tic disorder, including tiapride, clonidine adhesive patch, aripiprazole and tiapride plus clonidine patch. A one-year decision tree model was constructed using effective rate as the outcome, and direct and indirect costs of four treatment options were obtained from published studies. One-way sensitivity analysis and probability sensitivity analysis were applied to test whether the results were robust. Results Clonidine adhesive patches cost more than tiapride but were more effective. The cost-effectiveness ratio was 9,315.33 yuan, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was 13,407,143.696 yuan. At the willingness to pay threshold of 85,698 yuan, patches were not economical. Aripiprazole or tiapride combined with clonidine patches were both inferior treatments. The sensitivity analysis showed that the results were stable. Conclusions Tiapride was the most cost-effective therapeutic drug, and clonidine adhesive patches were not economical.