Cost-effectiveness of macrogol 4000 compared to lactulose in the treatment of chronic functional constipation in the UK

Abstract

Within the limitations of the model, treatment with macrogol 4000 relative to lactulose is expected to increase the probability of being successfully treated by 35% at 3 months (p<0.0001), although this yields only a 1% improvement in health gain. Nevertheless, macrogol 4000 affords a cost-effective addition to the range of laxatives available for this potentially resource-intensive condition, since it is clinically more effective than lactulose and the cost-effective strategy from the perspective of the NHS.