To investigate the cost-effectiveness of long-acting versus short-acting recombinant human granulocyte stimulating factor in the treatment of III° and IV° bone marrow suppression after chemotherapy.

The data of patients who presented with III and IV° bone marrow suppression after chemotherapy and received treatment with recombinant human granulocyte stimulating factor from January 2018 to December 2019 were collected. These patients were divided into the short-acting recombinant human granulocyte stimulating factor group (rhG-CSF group) and the long-acting recombinant human granulocyte stimulating factor group (PEG-rhG-CSF group) group. Clinical efficacy, the incidence of adverse reactions, and cost-effectiveness were compared between the two groups.

There were 88 patients, aged (63.97 ± 11.64) years, in the rhG-CSF group. There were 80 patients, aged (63.26 ± 9.09) years in the PEG-rhG-CSF group. There was no significant difference in baseline data between the two groups (P > 0.05). Total response rate was 72.72% (64/88) in the rhG-CSF group and 78.75% (63/80) in the PEG-rhG-CSF group (χ² = 0.82, P = 0.360). The incidence of related adverse reactions was 7.95% (7/88) and 7.5% (6/80) in the rhG-CSF and PEG-rhG-CSF groups respectively (χ² = 0.01, P = 0.910). The average cost was (124.88 ± 113.07) yuan and (3 159.04 ± 505.05) yuan in the rhG-CSF and PEG-rhG-CSF groups respectively (t = 51.68, P < 0.01). The cost-effectiveness ratio was 1.55 and 40.11 in the rhG-CSF and PEG-rhG-CSF groups respectively. Taking the rhG-CSF group as a reference, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio in the PEG-rhG-CSF group was 505.13.

Long-acting and short-acting recombinant human granulocyte stimulating factors have similar curative effects and related adverse reactions in the treatment of III° and IV°bone marrow suppression after chemotherapy. The cost-effectiveness ratio of the rhG-CSF group is lower than that of the PEG-rhG-CSF group. Appropriate treatment schemes for increasing white blood cell levels should be selected based on the individual situation of the patient.

Antineoplastic combined chemotherapy protocols; Bone marrow suppression; Recombinant human granulocyte stimulating factor; Long-acting recombinant human granulocyte stimulating factor; Cost-effectiveness analysis; Effectiveness; Pharmacoeconomics; Adverse drug reaction