Efficacy-cost analysis of endoscopic mucosal resection and cold snare polypectomy: A propensity score matching analysis.

Background: Although substantial evidence supports the advantages of cold snare polypectomy (CSP) in terms of polypectomy efficacy and reduced postoperative adverse events, few studies have examined the cost differences between CSP and traditional endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) for the treatment of intestinal polyps.

Aim: To compare the efficacy-cost of EMR and CSP in the treatment of intestinal polyps.

Methods: A total of 100 patients with intestinal polyps were included in the retrospective data of our hospital from April 2022 to May 2023. According to the treatment methods, they were divided into EMR ( = 46) group and CSP ( = 54) group. The baseline data of the two groups were balanced by 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM), and the cost-effectiveness analysis was performed on the two groups after matching. The recurrence rate of the two groups of patients was followed up for 1 year, and they were divided into recurrence group and non-recurrence group according to whether they recurred. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to screen out the influencing factors affecting the recurrence of intestinal polyps after endoscopic resection.

Results: Significant disparities were observed in the number of polyps and smoking background between the two groups before PSM ( < 0.05). Following PSM, the number of polyps and smoking history were well balanced between the EMR and CSP groups. The direct cost incurred by the CSP group was markedly higher than that incurred by the EMR group. Concurrently, the cost-effectiveness ratio in the CSP group was substantially reduced when juxtaposed with that in the EMR group ( < 0.05). Upon completion of the 1-year follow-up, the rate of recurrence after endoscopic intestinal polypectomy was 38.00%. Multivariate methods revealed that age ≥ 60 years, male sex, number of polyps ≥ 3, and pathological type of adenoma were risk factors for recurrence after endoscopic intestinal polypectomy (all < 0.05).

Conclusion: CSP was more cost-effective for the treatment of intestinal polyps. An age ≥ 60 years, male sex, having a number of polyps ≥ 3, and pathological type of adenoma are independent influencing factors for recurrence.