Analytical approach:
A decision-analytic model based on a clinical trial, the Total Body Hypothermia for Neonatal Encephalopathy Trial (TOBY), with a prospective economic evaluation and a meta-analysis, was used to evaluate the costs and benefits over an 18-month time horizon. The authors stated that the perspective was that of the British NHS health care and personal social services.
Effectiveness data:
The clinical evidence came from three randomised controlled trials. These data were synthesised using a Bayesian approach. The data from two trials were used as prior information for the likelihood data from the TOBY.
Monetary benefit and utility valuations:
Not relevant.
Measure of benefit:
The benefit was measured in terms of disability-free life-years (DFLY). To be disability free was defined as being free from neurological abnormality. The benefits were discounted at an annual rate of 3.5%.
Cost data:
The cost categories were the costs of the interventions; the unit costs were assigned to each resource item to obtain a cost per child, for each health state. The main sources of costs were NHS Reference Costs and the British National Formulary. All costs were expressed in 2006 to 2007 UK pounds sterling (£) and they were discounted at a rate of 3.5% per year.
Analysis of uncertainty:
Probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves were presented to show the parameter uncertainty in four different scenarios, including a time horizon of 18 years. The ranges and distributions used in these analyses were reported.