Analytical approach:
The economic evaluation was based on a multicentre trial. The time horizon was equal to the follow-up of the trial (26 weeks). The authors stated that the study perspective was that of UK health and social care services.
Effectiveness data:
The evidence came from a European multicentre randomised open-label trial of aripiprazole compared with standard-of-care (other atypical antipsychotic medicines). Analysis of covariance was conducted with adjustments for a range of patient characteristics and context-specific factors to account for confounding. In total 555 patients were randomised and followed for a maximum of 26 weeks. The main clinical estimates were clinically significant improvements in Investigators Assessment Questionnaire (IAQ), Clinical Global Impression (CGI)-Improvement response rate, Quality of Life Scale (QOLS) and Impact of Weight on Quality of Life Lite (IWQoL-Lite) measures.
Monetary benefit and utility valuations:
Not relevant.
Measure of benefit:
The primary measures of benefit were unit gain in IAQ, CGI-Improvement response rate, QLS and IWQoL-Lite.
Cost data:
The cost categories were costs associated with utilisation of in-patient and outpatient hospital services, community-based day services and primary and community care contacts. Resource use data were collected during the trial using the Client Sociodemographic and Service Receipt Inventory (CSSRI). Resource use collected across all European centres were costed using standard published UK unit costs. The price year was 2009. Costs collected in 2003 price levels were inflated using the published cost indices for hospital and community health services from the Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) Unit Costs volume.
Analysis of uncertainty:
Uncertainty around the impact of loss to follow-up was explored by multiple imputation and simulation of missing values. Bootstrapping was used to reflect the uncertainty in the estimation of the net monetary benefit statistics.