Economic Evaluation of Multilayer Silicone-Adhesive Polyurethane Foam Dressing for the Prevention of Pressure Ulcers in At-Risk Hospitalized Patients: US and Italian Perspective

Background: Hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) constitute an important source of concern for healthcare systems due to their negative consequences on patient quality of life and hospital costs. This phenomenon is increasing worldwide, driven by an aging population and increasing prevalence of chronic conditions. This economic evaluation aimed to determine whether using a multilayer, silicone-adhesive polyurethane foam dressing shaped for the sacrum area, alongside standard prevention (SP), is cost-effective in preventing HAPUs for hospitalized patients compared to SP alone. Methods: We developed a decision-analytic model to estimate the expected costs and clinical benefits of using the polyurethane foam dressing from Italian and US payor perspectives. Model inputs were taken from published studies, and uncertainty was assessed using one-way sensitivity analysis (OWSA) and probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA). Results: From both US and Italian perspectives, using a foam dressing in addition to SP was found to be cost-saving in all hospital settings. That is, it reduced the incidence of HAPUs at a lower cost overall. The estimated savings were <euro>179 per patient and $305 per patient from Italian and US perspectives. Following sensitivity analysis, the results remained cost-saving, suggesting that our findings are robust. Conclusion: This is the first economic analysis investigating the cost-effectiveness of preventive dressings and SP for avoiding sacral pressure ulcers for at-risk hospitalized patients. This analysis suggests that using a multilayer polyurethane foam dressing to prevent sacral HAPUs in at-risk hospitalized patients is a cost-effective strategy compared with SP alone and, therefore, should be considered as a strategy for PU prevention in hospital settings.