Cost-effectiveness study of early versus late parenteral nutrition in critically ill children (PEPaNIC): preplanned secondary analysis of a multicentre randomised controlled trial

Table 4 Sensitivity analyses

	Early PN, €				Late PN, €				Mean difference (95% CI), €	P value (t test)
	N	Mean	SD	p25–p75	N	Mean	SD	p25–p75
Primary analysis (total ICU costs and post-ICU hospitalisation costs)	670	33.860	57.600	11.080–34.720	673	26.680	35.850	10.090–28.830	-7.180 (-12.920; -1.880)	0.007
Sensitivity analyses
1. Belgian unit prices^a	670	28.380	41.210	10.460–29.880	673	22.290	24.960	9.320–25.390	-6.090 (-9.950; -2.480)	<0.001
2. Dutch unit prices^b	670	37.960	62.120	12.570–38.350	673	29.270	37.180	11.560–32.390	-8.690 (-14.090; -3.190)	0.003
3. Belgian patients	373	22.930	22.460	10.060–23.780	377	17.600	15.920	9.150–19.700	-5.330 (-8.650; -2.360)	0.003
4. Dutch patients	297	47.580	78.820	14.860–46.410	296	38.250	48.630	12.790–42.380	-9.330 (-20.410; 1.250)	0.04
5. Total ICU and total post-ICU costs^c	670	34.990	58.316	11.470–35.580	673	27.800	36.859	10.530–30.580	-7.190 (-12.420; -1.970)	0.002

PN parenteral nutrition, CI confidence interval, ICU Intensive Care Unit
^aThe total costs were analysed using prices from the Belgian healthcare system for all patients
^bThe total costs were analysed using prices from the Dutch healthcare system for all patients
^cIn the primary analysis, only the hospitalisation costs of the post-ICU period were included. The estimated additional post-ICU costs (i.e. laboratory, medication) were added. These additional post-ICU costs were estimated based on the invoices of the Belgian patients

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