Health Care Utilization Following Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy in Pediatric Epilepsy Patients From a Pediatric Accountable Care Organization

Hospital costs associated with vagus nerve stimulation and medical treatment in pediatric patients with refractory epilepsy

Objectives

Refractory epilepsy is a diagnosis of recurrent seizures that requires multiple resources for optimal chronic management. The disease negatively impacts the lives of affected patients and families and poses an economic burden to the health care system. This study compares hospital costs between pediatric patients treated with antiseizure medications (ASMs) only and ASMs plus vagus nerve stimulation (VNS).

Methods

Patients 0–17 years of age who were diagnosed with refractory epilepsy between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2016, were identified from the Children's Hospital Association's Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database. Patients treated with ASMs only or ASMs plus VNS were included in the study and were followed 1 year prior and 2 years after meeting pre‐determined criteria for refractory epilepsy. The difference‐in‐difference (DID) approach along with the two‐part model was used to compare the changes in mean hospital costs captured in the PHIS database over time between the two cohorts.

Results

One thousand one hundred thirteen patients treated with ASMs plus VNS and 3471 patients treated with ASMs only were included. At a follow‐up time of 2 years, for the ASMs‐only cohort, the adjusted all‐cause and epilepsy‐related mean annual total costs increased by $14 715 (95% confidence interval [CI]: $12 375–$17 055) and $18 437 (95% CI: $15 978–$20 896), respectively. By comparison, the adjusted all‐cause and epilepsy‐related mean annual total costs of the ASMs plus VNS cohort increased by $12 838 (95% CI: $8171–$17 505) and $15 183 (95% CI: $10 253–$20 113), respectively. Compared to ASMs only, ASMs plus VNS generated a cost savings of $3254 for epilepsy‐related annual costs per year after the index date.

Significance

Compared to ASMs alone, ASMs plus VNS is a treatment modality associated with lower annual hospital costs over time. Our study shows that VNS is a cost‐beneficial treatment for a national cohort of pediatric patients with refractory epilepsy.

Comparison of healthcare resource utilization in pediatric patients with refractory epilepsy: Vagus nerve stimulation and medical treatment cohorts

OBJECTIVES

Refractory epilepsy imposes a substantial burden on affected patients, families, and healthcare system. In terms of treating seizures in children, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been proved to be comparable to that of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). This study compared healthcare resource utilization between pediatric patients treated with AEDs only and AEDs plus VNS.

METHODS

Pediatric patients diagnosed with refractory epilepsy between the 1st of January 2011 and the 31st of December 2016 were identified from the Pediatric Health Information System Database. Patients treated with AEDs only or AEDs plus VNS were included in the study and were followed up from one year before to two years after the date when defined criteria for refractory epilepsy were met. The difference-in-difference approach along with the hurdle model was used to compare the changes in healthcare resource utilization over time between patients treated with AEDs only and AEDs plus VNS.

RESULTS

The study included 1502 patients treated with AEDs plus VNS and 4541 patients treated with AEDs only. There was a difference in post-index all-cause and epilepsy-related inpatient visits compared to the pre-index period: inpatient hospitalizations were decreased in the AEDs plus VNS cohort, and increased in the AEDs only cohort. There was no significant difference in the pre-index to post-index change for all-cause and epilepsy-related emergency department visits between the two treatment cohorts. For outpatient encounters in the initial post-index period, patients treated with AEDs plus VNS had significantly higher increase in all-cause and epilepsy-related outpatient visits compared to the AEDs only cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to those treated with AEDs only, pediatric patients with refractory epilepsy treated with AEDs plus VNS have fewer inpatient visits and more outpatient visits within a 2-year follow-up. Given the lower acuity of care in outpatient versus inpatient settings, this study can inform treatment choices for children with refractory epilepsy.