As additional treatments for painful crises in juvenile sickle cell disease, vitamin D and omega-3 could result in overall cost savings and therapeutic benefits.
Painful crises are the most prevalent complication of sickle cell disease (SCD). Omega-3 and vitamin D were found to have a possible therapeutic effect on painful crises. This research was published in European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences and aimed to compare the cost-effectiveness of omega-3 and vitamin D supplementation to standard therapy for treating painful crises in children with SCD.
The economic analysis was based on data from a prospective, randomized, 10-month clinical trial. Participants were recruited from government hospitals in Beni-Suef and Giza. Patients who presented with liver, renal, or other chronic disorders were ineligible for the trial. Fifty patients were assigned to the omega-3 + standard therapy group (hydroxyurea and folic acid daily with ibuprofen, as needed), 50 patients to the vitamin D + standard therapy group, and 50 patients to the control group, which received normal therapy alone. Cost estimates were determined from the payer’s vantage point.
Adding omega-3 fatty acids or vitamin D to standard therapy was less expensive than normal treatment alone. Between the two therapies, vitamin D was a cheaper but less cost-effective option for most outcomes, including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). It was also less expensive but less effective in terms of lowering vaso-occlusive crisis episodes and pain severity. Furthermore, omega-3 supplementation was significantly more cost-effective than vitamin D supplementation and the standard treatment for LDL-C and HDL-C. Both therapies’ incremental costs were covered by their high efficacy compared to the control group.
The current study concluded that employing vitamin D and omega-3 as supplemental therapies for a painful crisis in juvenile sickle cell disease could result in total cost savings and therapeutic advantages. To improve policy and clinical decision-making, however, additional trials with a longer period of therapy are required to establish the therapies’ more significant impacts.
This finding could have a big impact on legislation, clinical decision-making, and the expense of treating painful vaso-occlusive crises in juvenile SCD patients. Policymakers and physicians should implement interventions to improve results for this patient population.
Reference:
Abdelhalima, S. M., Murphy, J. E., Meabed, M. H., Elberry, A. A., Gamaleldin, M. M., Alshaeri, H. K., . . . Hussein, R. R. S. (2022). Cost-effectiveness analysis of adding omega-3 or vitamin D supplementation to standard therapy in treating painful crises of pediatric sickle cell disease patients. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci, 26(20), 7506-7513. doi:10.26355/eurrev_202210_30021
