Health-economic evaluation of fluocinolone acetonide 190 µg implant in people with diabetic macular edema

Abstract

Objectives: To assess healthcare resource use and costs of treating people with clinically significant diabetic macular edema (DME) with fluocinolone acetonide (FAc) 190 µg intravitreal implant in routine clinical practice. Methods: The retrospective Iluvien Clinical Evidence (ICE-UK) study collected data on people prescribed the FAc implant in any one of 13 ophthalmology centers between April 1, 2013 and April 15, 2015. Data were collected for 12 months before and after implantation. Standard UK costs were attributed to healthcare resource use. Results: In total, 208 people contributing 233 FAc-treated eyes were selected. Mean age was 68.1 years and 62% were male. The mean (standard deviation, SD) number of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections per FAc treated eye in the 12 months prior to implant was 2.8 (2.5), decreasing to 0.6 (1.4) for the same period after implant (p