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Background and aims: Atopic eczema generates a high economic burden, eg. 1.2-3.5 billion€ per annum in Germany. The GINI trial, a prospective, randomized, double-blind intervention study in Germany that recruited a cohort of 2,252 infants with parental and/or sibling-related heredity for atopy between 1995 and 1998 showed that children fed with certain hydrolysate formulas at least the first four months of life have a reduction of the relative risk for atopic dermatitis by 26-45% compared to a cow's milk formula. The objective of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of feeding hydrolysate formulas in the prevention of atopic eczema.

Methods: Cost-effectiveness was assessed with a decision tree model programmed with the software TreeAge. Children were followed over a 6 year period. Costs and effects were analyzed using the perspective of the German statutory health insurance (SHI) and a societal …