Sedation-free upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and its cost-effectiveness

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the success rate of sedation-free upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy and evaluate the cost-effectiveness of this drug-free approach.The study included patients who underwent gastroscopy between February 2020 and December 2022. Demographic information such as age and gender, along with clinical data including whether the procedure was performed with sedation and the patients' tolerance status, were recorded. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference between the sedation and sedation-free groups in terms of procedural success. Interestingly, a notable cost difference of 43% was observed between the two groups, with the sedation-free group demonstrating higher cost-effectiveness. Despite the nearly 50% higher cost associated with administering sedation, there was no significant disparity in the successful completion of the procedure between the two groups. The findings of this study indicate that sedation-free upper GI endoscopy can achieve comparable success rates to the sedation-assisted approach. Moreover, the cost-effectiveness analysis highlights the economic advantage of the drug-free alternative, given the substantial cost reduction observed in the sedation-free group. This study underscores the feasibility of implementing sedation-free procedures as a cost-effective and successful option for upper GI endoscopy