12 Nov 2019
A new study examines the cost effectiveness of the Neuropad screening test for diabetic neuropathy vs the 10g mononfilament test and also in combination with the 10g monofilament.
Compared with standard care, Neuropad, in combination with the 10-g monofilament tool, is the dominant strategy as it leads to higher health gains and lower costs.
In practice, compared with using the monofilament alone, performing both tests would lead to a savings of £1049.26 per patient and 0.044 QALY gain. Results were found to be consistent across the sensitivity analyses.
The authors concluded that using both screening tools (Neuropad + monofilament) is a cost-effective strategy and the dominant alternative, when compared against using the 10-g monofilament alone. The results would be of special relevance in the early detection of diabetic peripheral neuropathy and to ensure the efficient allocation of resources and, thus, the sustainability of healthcare systems.