• James H Stephen, Casey H Halpern, Cristian J Barrios, Usha Balmuri, Jared M Pisapia, John A Wolf, Kyle M Kampman, Gordon H Baltuch, Arthur L Caplan, and Sherman C Stein.
• Department of Neurosurgery, Centers for Functional and Restorative Neurosurgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
• Addiction. 2012 Mar 1;107(3):624-34.

AimsTo determine the success threshold at which a theoretical course of deep brain stimulation (DBS) would provide the same quality of life (QoL) and cost-effectiveness for heroin dependence as methadone maintenance treatment (MMT).DesignWe constructed a decision analysis model to calculate QoL after 6 months of MMT and compared it to a theoretical course of DBS. We also performed a cost-effectiveness analysis using societal costs of heroin dependence, MMT and DBS.SettingSystematic literature review and meta-analysis.ParticipantsPatients (n = 1191) from 15 trials administering 6 months of MMT and patients (n = 2937) from 45 trials of DBS for movement disorders.MeasurementsData on QoL before and after MMT, retention in MMT at 6 months, as well as complications of DBS and their impact on QoL in movement disorders.FindingsWe found a QoL of 0.633 (perfect health = 1) in heroin addicts initiating MMT. Sixty-six per cent of patients completed MMT, but only 47% of them had opiate-free urine samples, resulting in an average QoL of 0.7148 (0.3574 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) over 6 months). A trial of DBS is less expensive ($81,000) than untreated (or relapsed) heroin dependence ($100,000), but more expensive than MMT ($58,000). A theoretical course of DBS would need a success rate of 36.5% to match MMT, but a success rate of 49% to be cost-effective.ConclusionsThe success rate, defined as the percentage of patients remaining heroin-free after 6 months of treatment, at which deep brain stimulation would be similarly cost-effective in treating opiate addiction to methadone maintenance treatment, is estimated at 49%.© 2011 The Authors, Addiction © 2011 Society for the Study of Addiction.

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