Ferric carboxymaltose for patients with heart failure and iron deficiency in Italy: cost-effectiveness and budget impact

Aims: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of intravenous ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) versus placebo for the management of iron deficiency in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) in the Italian healthcare system and to estimate its impact on the national healthcare budget. Materials&Methods: A Markov model was developed to project costs and health outcomes over 1 year, based on data from literature. Healthcare resources consumption was derived from an e-survey administered to clinicians. Costs were obtained from official tariffs. Results: Treatment with FCM represents a dominant strategy compared to placebo, leading to national budget annual savings of 20-97 million Euros, according to different increasing utilization rates. Conclusions: FCM is a cost-saving option for the treatment of CHF patients with iron deficiency in Italy.