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This study used a microsimulation model to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of polyacrylate superabsorbent (SAP) dressings compared to foam dressings for managing moderate-to-highly exuding leg ulcers in Spain, finding a potential 2.41% improvement in healing rate and a cost reduction of €729 per patient over 24 weeks with SAP dressings. The model was informed by individual patient data from two observational studies (n=84) for SAP dressings and a meta-analysis of three studies for foam dressings. The model assumed compression therapy as standard of care.
Polyacrylate superabsorbent dressings may offer a cost-effective alternative to foam dressings for managing exuding leg ulcers in the Spanish healthcare setting, potentially improving healing rates and reducing overall costs.
AIM This study evaluates the incremental cost‑effectiveness and budget impact of polyacrylate Superabsorbent (SAP) dressings compared with foam dressings for the management of moderate‑to‑highly exuding leg ulcers in the Spanish healthcare setting. METHODS We developed a weekly-cycle microsimulation state-transition model over 24 weeks from the Spanish National Health System perspective. Clinical effectiveness inputs for SAP dressings were derived from IPD from two observational clinical studies (n = 84, 2-week follow-up). Foam-dressing effectiveness was informed by a systematic review and meta-analysis of three eligible studies reporting 14-day wound-area reduction. The modelled cohort represented patients with moderate-to-highly exuding leg ulcers managed with compression therapy as standard of care; baseline severity was parameterised from the IPD (mean ulcer duration 15.1 months; baseline wound size 5,765 mm2). RESULTS This early-stage model predicts an absolute incremental improvement in healing rate of 2.41 percentage points, an absolute incremental gain of 0.135 quality‑adjusted life weeks (QALWs) over a 24‑week period, and an absolute per‑patient direct cost reduction of €729 when SAP dressings are compared with foam dressings. When these incremental results are extrapolated to a hypothetical scenario of 100% adoption, the Spanish National Health System could achieve annual cost savings of €55.557 million. These estimates should be interpreted cautiously given the early‑stage, non‑comparative nature of the underlying evidence. LIMITATIONS Treatment‑effect estimates were derived from non‑randomized studies, which may introduce unmeasured confounding. As a result, the magnitude of the incremental effects is uncertain. To evaluate robustness, we conducted deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses, both of which showed that the direction of the base‑case findings remained consistent across all plausible parameter ranges. CONCLUSIONS Preliminary model predictions suggest that polyacrylate wound dressings may provide additional health benefits and potentially reduce costs compared with foam dressings within the Spanish Health Care System.
