The health-economic impact of urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio testing for chronic kidney disease in Japanese non-diabetic patients

BackgroundThe objective of this analysis was to estimate the clinical and economic impact of undertaking urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) testing alongside regular estimated glomerular filtration rate testing for chronic kidney disease in non-diabetic Japanese patients versus no testing and versus urine protein-creatinine ratio (UPCR) testing.MethodsAn economic model, taking a Japanese healthcare perspective, estimated the health-economic impact of UACR testing over a lifetime time horizon. Outcomes reported were additional costs, clinical benefits measured, such as prevented dialyses and cardiovascular events, quality-adjusted life years gained, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Health states were derived from risk levels reported in the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes heatmap. Results were derived assuming that after testing, treatment was available in the form of current standard-of-care or emerging chronic kidney disease therapies.ResultsRepeated UACR testing was found to be cost-effective compared to both no urine testing and UPCR testing, with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of & YEN;1,953,958 and & YEN;1,966,433, respectively.ConclusionOverall, this model demonstrates the health-economic value of undertaking UACR testing within the non-diabetic Japanese population.