Cost-effectiveness analysis of glycaemic control of a glucose monitoring system (FreeStyle Libre®) for patients with type 1 diabetes in primary health care of Burgos.

OBJECTIVE

This study seeks to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of FreeStyle Libre® versus traditional monitoring in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus in the Health Area of Burgos (Spain).

METHOD: A transversal ambispective descriptive study was carried out to compare costs and effectiveness between two forms of glycaemic control. The information was obtained from the computerized clinical history (Medora) and by referring to patients. An analysis of the monitoring material and clinical glycaemic control variables (HbA1c and symptomatic hypoglycaemia events, <70mg/dL) were carried out one year before and one year after the start of FreeStyle Libre®.

RESULTS

We included 23 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus of 35.4 (± 15.1) years old (60.9% males). Monitoring by FreeStyle Libre® system has an average annual cost per patient four times higher than the traditional method. The HbA1c level was reduced by 5% (P=.024) and the rate of symptomatic hypoglycaemia decreased by 58.9% (P=.013). This determines an effectiveness in the absolute risk reduction of .232 (23.2%) of hypoglycaemia and an incremental cost-effectiveness of €6,194.71.

CONCLUSIONS

The FreeStyle Libre® system has a high clinical effectiveness associated with a high but potentially acceptable cost for glycaemia monitoring in type 1 diabetes mellitus.