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Introduction: Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and surgical bypass (BYP) are treatment options for symptomatic peripheral arterial disease (PAD). PTA and BYP have different clinical outcomes and cost implications. This paper aims to compare hospital-related costs of PTA and BYP for PAD of the lower limbs in an Australian health service.Methods: A retrospective cost analysis using clinical and financial data from an urban, tertiary hospital was performed. Patient cohorts were matched to existing published studies and 3-year findings were calculated. Outcomes measured were mean initial admission cost; mean bed stay; mean complication rate; mean cost of re-intervention at 12 months and extrapolated mean cost at 3 years.Results: The mean total admission costs for PTA compared to BYP were $8758 vs. $27,849 (P < 0.001). Patients undergoing BYP were admitted for 10.25 vs. 3.77 nights (P < 0.001). The complication rate was greater in the BYP group for infection only. Re-intervention was required by 13% of the PTA group and 16% of the BYP group, at a mean cost of $11,798 and $14,728, respectively (P = 0.453). The extrapolated total mean cost at 3 years was higher in the BYP group for patients with both intermittent claudication ($26,764 vs. $11,402) and critical limb ischaemia ($27,719 vs. $12,655).Conclusions: In this cohort, PTA is a favourable alternative to BYP for PAD of the lower limbs as it is less costly, does not result in a greater re-intervention rate at 1 year and has been previously demonstrated to have comparable clinical outcomes. Given the limitations of this retrospective analysis, a prospective cost-effectiveness analysis is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burkitt lymphoma is an aggressive B cell malignancy accounting for 1-2% of all adult lymphomas. Treatment with dose-intensive, multi-agent chemotherapy is effective but associated with considerable toxicity. In this observational study, we compared real-world efficacy, toxicity, and costs of four frequently employed treatment strategies for Burkitt lymphoma: the Lymphome Malins B (LMB), the Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster (BFM), the HOVON, and the CODOX-M/IVAC regimens. We collected data from 147 adult patients treated in eight referral centers. Following central pathology assessment, 105 of these cases were accepted as Burkitt lymphoma, resulting in the following treatment groups: LMB 36 patients, BFM 19 patients, HOVON 29 patients, and CODOX-M/IVAC 21 patients (median age 39 years, range 14-74; mean duration of follow-up 47 months). There was no significant difference between age, sex ratio, disease stage, or percentage HIV-positive patients between the treatment groups. Five-year progression-free survival (69%, p = 0.966) and 5-year overall survival (69%, p = 0.981) were comparable for all treatment groups. Treatment-related toxicity was also comparable with only hepatotoxicity seen more frequently in the CODOX/M-IVAC group (p = 0.004). Costs were determined by the number of rituximab gifts and the number of inpatients days. Overall, CODOX-M/IVAC had the most beneficial profile with regards to costs, treatment duration, and percentage of patients completing planned treatment. We conclude that the four treatment protocols for Burkitt lymphoma yield nearly identical results with regards to efficacy and safety but differ in treatment duration and costs. These differences may help guide future choice of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The main objective of this article is to estimate the global cost related to the use of the two drugs (associated drugs, specialist visits, hospital admissions, plasma drug monitoring).Methods: The drug prescriptions were extracted from the Information System of the Pharmaceutical Prescriptions of the Marche Region for each ATC code in the years 2008-2012 and the number of patients per year and other outcomes measure were obtained.Results: 13,574 patients were treated with theophylline and 19,426 patients with doxophylline. The number of patients treated was approximately 5,000 per year. Co-prescription with other drugs, use of corticosteroids, mean number of visits and hospital admissions (per 100 patients) were lower for doxophylline vs theophylline (1.55vs5.50, 0.3vs0.7, 2.05vs3.73 and 1.57vs3.3 respectively). The annual mean cost per patient was €187.4 for those treated with doxophylline and €513.5 for theophylline.Conclusions: In our study, doxophylline resulted to be associated with a reduction of the overall cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine whether a cardioprotective dietary intervention based on UK dietary guidelines was more expensive than a conventional UK diet.Design: Cost analysis of food records collected at baseline and after a 12-week dietary intervention of a cardioprotective diet v. conventional UK diet.Setting: A randomized controlled dietary intervention study (CRESSIDA; ISRCTN 92382106) investigating the impact of following a diet consistent with UK dietary guidelines on CVD risk.Subjects: Participants were healthy UK residents aged 40-70 years. A sub-sample of participants was randomly selected from those who completed the cardioprotective dietary intervention (n 20) or the conventional UK dietary intervention (n 20).Results: Baseline diet costs did not differ between groups; mean daily food cost for all participants was £6·12 (sd £1·83). The intervention diets were not more expensive: at end point the mean daily cost of the cardioprotective diet was £6·43 (sd £2·05) v. the control diet which was £6·53 (sd £1·53; P=0·86).Conclusions: There was no evidence that consumption of a cardioprotective diet was more expensive than a conventional dietary pattern. Despite the perception that healthier foods are less affordable, these results suggest that cost may not be a barrier when modifying habitual intake and under tightly controlled trial conditions. The identification of specific food groups that may be a cost concern for individuals may be useful for tailoring interventions for CVD prevention for individuals and populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent economic crisis along with changing demographic trends has stimulated an increased interest in the value obtained from social care expenditure so as to ensure the sustainability of systems in the future. In Ireland, the Department of Health, further to a recent review of its disability services, commited to a new approach that will reshape and redesign its service provision. It specifically outlined a reorganisation of financing services, from a model of prospective block grant funding to a system of individualised budgeting based on an assessment of need. This paper examines the relationship between need, service utilisation and cost for high-cost users of adult intellectual disability residential services in an Irish county under the current model of block grant financing. The analysis reported is based on primary data collected from 68 high-cost users of adult intellectual disability residential services in an Irish county in 2013. Statistical analysis was performed to identify the relationship between need and cost, and also to examine the variations in the cost of support between the service provider organisations. Our analysis determined an association between need and cost, with poorer levels of psychological well-being related to higher costs. However, the study found no evident relationship between staff/client ratios, the numbers of staff engaged at the residential units and need. An examination of cost variations between the service provider organisations revealed that agency status; service unit size; client and staff characteristics all contributed to variations in the cost of care. This study supports the development of a national resource allocation framework as being fundamental to the equitable and transparent distribution of scarce resources, as recommended by the Department of Health in Ireland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Asthma exacerbations are frequent in patients with severe disease. This report describes results from two retrospective cohort studies describing exacerbation frequency and risk, emergency department (ED)/hospital re-admissions, and asthma-related costs by asthma severity in the US and UK.Methods: Patients with asthma in the US-based Clinformatics™ DataMart Multiplan IMPACT (2010-2011; WEUSKOP7048) and the UK-based Clinical Practice Research Datalink (2009-2011; WEUSKOP7092) databases were categorized by disease severity (Global Initiative for Asthma [GINA]; Step and exacerbation history) during the 12 months pre-asthma medical code (index date). Outcomes included: frequency of exacerbations (asthma-related ED visit, hospitalization, or oral corticosteroid use with an asthma medical code recorded within ±2 weeks) 12 months post-index, asthma-related ED visits/hospitalization, and asthma-related costs 30 days post-index. Risk of a subsequent exacerbation was determined by proportional hazard model.Results: Of the 222,817 and 211,807 patients with asthma included from the US and UK databases, respectively, 12.5 and 8.4% experienced ≥1 exacerbation during the follow-up period. Exacerbation frequency increased with disease severity. Among the 5,167 and 2,904 patients with an asthma-related ED visit/hospitalization in the US and UK databases, respectively, 9.2 and 4.7% had asthma-related re-admissions within 30 days. Asthma-related re-admission rates and costs increased with disease severity, approximately doubling between GINA Step 1 and 5 and in patients with ≥2 versus <2 exacerbations in the previous year. Risk of a subsequent exacerbation increased 32-35% for an exacerbation requiring ED visit/hospitalization versus oral corticosteroids.Conclusion: Increased disease severity was associated with higher exacerbation frequency, ED/hospitalization re-admission, costs and risk of subsequent exacerbation, indicating that these patients require high-intensity post-exacerbation management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sustained efforts at preventing diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) and subsequent leg amputations are sporadic in most health care systems despite the high costs associated with such complications. We sought to estimate effectiveness targets at which cost-savings (i.e. improved health outcomes at decreased total costs) might occur.Methods: A Markov model with probabilistic sensitivity analyses was used to simulate the five-year survival, incidence of foot complications, and total health care costs in a hypothetical population of 100,000 people with diabetes. Clinical event and cost estimates were obtained from previously-published trials and studies. A population without previous DFU but with 17% neuropathy and 11% peripheral artery disease (PAD) prevalence was assumed. Primary prevention (PP) was defined as reducing initial DFU incidence.Results: PP was more than 90% likely to provide cost-savings when annual prevention costs are less than $50/person and/or annual DFU incidence is reduced by at least 25%. Efforts directed at patients with diabetes who were at moderate or high risk for DFUs were very likely to provide cost-savings if DFU incidence was decreased by at least 10% and/or the cost was less than $150 per person per year.Conclusions: Low-cost DFU primary prevention efforts producing even small decreases in DFU incidence may provide the best opportunity for cost-savings, especially if focused on patients with neuropathy and/or PAD. Mobile phone-based reminders, self-identification of risk factors (ex. Ipswich touch test), and written brochures may be among such low-cost interventions that should be investigated for cost-savings potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Robotic-assisted surgery is gaining popularity in general surgery. Our objective was to evaluate and compare operative outcomes and total costs for robotic cholecystectomy (RC) and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC).Methods and Procedures: A retrospective review was performed for all patients who underwent single-procedure RC and LC from January 2011 to July 2015 by a single surgeon at a large academic medical center. Demographics, diagnosis, perioperative variables, postoperative complications, 30-day readmissions, and operative and hospital costs were collected and analyzed between those patient groups.Results: A total of 237 patients underwent RC or LC, and comprised the study population. Ninety-seven patients (40.9 %) underwent LC, and 140 patients (50.1 %) underwent RC. Patients who underwent RC had a higher body mass index (p = 0.03), lower rates of coronary artery disease (p < 0.01), and higher rates of chronic cholecystitis (p < 0.01). There were lower rates of intraoperative cholangiography (p < 0.01) and conversion to an open procedure (p < 0.01), however longer operative times (p < 0.01) for patients in the RC group. There were no bile duct injuries in either group, no difference in bile leak rates (p = 0.65), or need for reoperation (p = 1.000). Cost analysis of outpatient-only procedures, excluding cases with conversion to open or use of intraoperative cholangiography, demonstrated higher total charges (p < 0.01) and cost (p < 0.01) and lower revenue (p < 0.01) for RC compared to LC, with no difference in total payments (p = 0.34).Conclusions: Robotic cholecystectomy appears to be safe although costlier in comparison with laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Further studies are needed to understand the long-term implications of robotic technology, the cost to the health care system, and its role in minimally invasive surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Diabetes mellitus (DM) patients are susceptible to foot injury or foot diseases such as diabetic foot and peripheral arterial disease. Although these conditions are considered important, few studies have investigated them in detail. Therefore, we investigated the epidemiology of diabetic foot complications (DFC) with respect to the effects on the public healthcare system.Methods: We evaluated the incidence, clinical characteristics, health service utilization frequency and medical expenses of DFC in type 2 DM patients in the Korea National Diabetes Program (KNDP), the largest multi-center, prospective cohort in Korea (n=4405). To determine precise outcomes, we used national representative databases, including claims data from the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service of Korea.Results: During a median follow-up period of 3.30years, 528 patients (12.0%) were newly diagnosed with DFC at an incidence rate of 43.02 cases per 1000 person-years. The patients with DFC were significantly older than patients without DFC, but other clinical characteristics were similar between the two groups. The patients with DFC had more hospital visits (p<0.001), longer duration of hospitalization (p<0.001), and increased expenses (p<0.001) compared to patients without DFC. After multiple adjustments, the differences in number of hospital visits and medical expenses were consistent. In a before and after comparison within the DFC group, all three variables increased significantly after the onset of DFC (p<0.001).Conclusions: DFC were significantly associated with poor clinical outcomes and caused a substantial burden to the national healthcare system in Korea. Therefore, intervention to prevent DFC is important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A combination of vinorelbine and cisplatin is a standard treatment in non-small-cell lung cancer; oral vinorelbine is registered in 45 countries. Pemetrexed and cisplatin are recommended in front-line chemotherapy of non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer (NS-NSCLC). The objective of this study was to conduct a cost minimization analysis from the perspective of the national health service (NHS) in each of 12 European countries, based on a randomized phase II study in NS-NSCLC (NAVoTRIAL01), with 100 oral vinorelbine plus cisplatin patients (arm A) and 51 pemetrexed plus cisplatin patients (arm B).Research Design and Methods: Country-specific costs and DRG codes considered included those relating to anticancer drugs, administration settings (out-patient/in-patient/at home), serious adverse events (defined as involving hospitalization and considered due to anticancer drugs) and concomitant medications. Relevant costs were calculated based on country-specific reimbursement procedures and official tariffs.Main Outcome Measures: Cost and savings per patient.Results: Using the NHS perspective, savings per patient treated with oral vinorelbine ranged from €1317 (Denmark) to €35,001 (Germany). Expressed as percentages, savings per patient treated with oral vinorelbine compared with pemetrexed ranged between 5% (France) and 83% (Czech Republic). Pooled average costs for each treatment arm across the 12 countries resulted in cost savings for payers of €12,871, favoring oral vinorelbine plus cisplatin.Conclusions: Given the reported efficacy with both regimens, this pan-European economic analysis provides compelling evidence supporting oral vinorelbine use over pemetrexed for the treatment of NS-NSCLC. Oral vinorelbine provides similar efficacy and an easily manageable safety profile at lower overall cost per patient treated, combined with an easier/more convenient mode of administration. Sensitivity analysis across varied scenarios demonstrated the robustness of the results. The principle weakness of our study was its reliance upon a single small scale study to provide efficacy data, since this is the only study conducted in this specific population of patients. Further large scale trials are needed to confirm these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Inguinal hernia repair is frequently performed in premature infants. Evidence on optimal management and timing of repair, as well as related medical costs is still lacking. The objective of this study was to determine the direct medical costs of inguinal hernia, distinguishing between premature infants who had to undergo an emergency procedure and those who underwent elective inguinal hernia repair.Methods: This cohort study based on medical records concerned premature infants with inguinal hernia who underwent surgical repair within 3 months after birth in a tertiary academic children's hospital between January 2010 and December 2013. Two groups were distinguished: patients with incarcerated inguinal hernia requiring emergency repair and patients who underwent elective repair. Real medical costs were calculated by multiplying the volumes of healthcare use with corresponding unit prices. Nonparametric bootstrap techniques were used to derive a 95 % confidence interval (CI) for the difference in mean costs.Results: A total of 132 premature infants were included in the analysis. Emergency surgery was performed in 29 %. Costs of hospitalization comprised 65 % of all costs. The total direct medical costs amounted to €7418 per premature infant in the emergency repair group versus €4693 in the elective repair group. Multivariate analysis showed a difference in costs of €1183 (95 % CI -1196; 3044) in favor of elective repair after correction for potential risk factors.Conclusion: Emergency repair of inguinal hernia in premature infants is more expensive than elective repair, even after correction for multiple confounders. This deserves to be taken into account in the debate on timing of inguinal hernia repair in premature infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In a randomized controlled trial of two policies for induction of labor (IOL) using Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) vaginal gel, women who had an earlier amniotomy experienced a shorter IOL-to-birth time.Objective: To report the cost analysis of this trial and determine if there are differences in healthcare costs when an early amniotomy is performed as opposed to giving more PGE2 vaginal gel, for women undergoing IOL at term.Study Design: Following an evening dose of PGE2 vaginal gel, 245 women with live singleton pregnancies, ≥37+0 weeks, were randomized into an amniotomy or repeat-PGE2 group. Healthcare costs were a secondary outcome measure, sourced from hospital finance systems and included staff costs, equipment and consumables, pharmacy, pathology, hotel services and business overheads. A decision analytic model, specifically a Markov chain, was developed to further investigate costs, and a Monte Carlo simulation was performed to confirm the robustness of these findings. Mean and median costs and cost differences between the two groups are reported, from the hospital perspective.Results: The healthcare costs associated with IOL were available for all 245 trial participants. A 1000-patient cohort simulation demonstrated that performing an early amniotomy was associated with a cost-saving of $AUD289 ($AUD7094 vs $AUD7338) per woman induced, compared with administering more PGE2. Propagating the uncertainty through the model 10,000 times, early amniotomy was associated with a median cost savings of $AUD487 (IQR -$AUD573, +$AUD1498).Conclusions: After an initial dose of PGE2 vaginal gel, a policy of administering more PGE2 when the Modified Bishop's score is <7 was associated with increased healthcare costs compared with a policy of performing an amniotomy, if technically possible. Length of stay was the main driver of healthcare costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To undertake a cost-effectiveness analysis of outpatient uterine polypectomy compared with standard inpatient treatment under general anaesthesia.Design: Economic evaluation carried out alongside the multi-centre, pragmatic, non-inferiority, randomised controlled Outpatient Polyp Treatment (OPT) trial. The UK National Health Service (NHS) perspective was used in the estimation of costs and the interpretation of results.Setting: Thirty-one secondary care UK NHS hospitals between April 2008 and July 2011.Participants: Five hundred and seven women with abnormal uterine bleeding and hysteroscopically diagnosed endometrial polyps.Interventions: Outpatient uterine polypectomy versus standard inpatient treatment. Clinicians were free to choose the technique for polypectomy within the allocated setting.Main Outcome Measures: Patient-reported effectiveness of the procedure determined by the women's self-assessment of bleeding at 6 months, and QALY gains at 6 and 12 months.Results: Inpatient treatment was slightly more effective but more expensive than outpatient treatment, resulting in relatively high incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Intention-to-treat analysis of the base case at 6 months revealed that it cost an additional £9421 per successfully treated patient in the inpatient group and £ 1,099,167 per additional QALY gained, when compared with outpatient treatment. At 12 months, these costs were £22,293 per additional effectively treated patient and £445,867 per additional QALY gained, respectively.Conclusions: Outpatient treatment of uterine polyps associated with abnormal uterine bleeding appears to be more cost-effective than inpatient treatment at willingness-to-pay thresholds acceptable to the NHS.Tweetable Abstract: HTA-funded OPT trial concluded that outpatient uterine polypectomy is cost-effective compared with inpatient polypectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antifungal prophylaxis/therapy (AP/AT) raises the cost of allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT). Its efficacy, different approaches for AP/AT, diagnostic measures and cost-effectiveness must still be evaluated. In 2010, we conducted a prospective study with 106 consecutive patients receiving an alloHCT analysing AP/AT, choice and costs of diagnostics applied including CT scans, galactomannan (Gal) and β-D-glucan (β-D) testing. Antifungal prophylaxis in 91 patients consisted of fluconazole (FLU) or L-AMB (AmBisome™ 1 or 3 mg/kg/day b.w.), and antifungal therapy had to be initiated in 38 % of the FLU/L-AMB-1-mg patients but in none with L-AMB 3 mg. Empirical AT consisted of L-AMB 1 mg/kg (n = 12) and preemptive AT of L-AMB 3 mg/kg (n = 17) and proved very efficacious with no further antifungal drug escalation in 89.6 %. Mean costs of diagnostic measures were 402 €/alloHCT; however, only 22 % of the CT scans, 4 % of β-D and 3 % of galactomannan testing were positive. We detected one proven, 17 probable and 14 possible fungal infections. Due to the German diagnosis-related group system with additional compensation, all our AP/AT strategies were adequately reimbursed. While clinical symptoms and CT scans are the most commonly used, inexpensive decision-making tools for starting AT, the expensive laboratory diagnostic procedures are ineffective; we have therefore discontinued regular GAL/β-D testing and changed our AP in patients at risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Health technology assessment is not required for regulatory submission or approval in either the United States (US) or Japan. This study was designed as a cross-country evaluation of cost analyses conducted in the US and Japan based on the PRONOUNCE phase III lung cancer trial, which compared pemetrexed plus carboplatin followed by pemetrexed (PemC) versus paclitaxel plus carboplatin plus bevacizumab followed by bevacizumab (PCB).Methods: Two cost analyses were conducted in accordance with International Society For Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research good research practice standards. Costs were obtained based on local pricing structures; outcomes were considered equivalent based on the PRONOUNCE trial results. Other inputs were included from the trial data (e.g., toxicity rates) or from local practice sources (e.g., toxicity management). The models were compared across key input and transferability factors.Results: Despite differences in local input data, both models demonstrated a similar direction, with the cost of PemC being consistently lower than the cost of PCB. The variation in individual input parameters did affect some of the specific categories, such as toxicity, and impacted sensitivity analyses, with the cost differential between comparators being greater in Japan than in the US.Conclusion: When economic models are based on clinical trial data, many inputs and outcomes are held consistent. The alterable inputs were not in and of themselves large enough to significantly impact the results between countries, which were directionally consistent with greater variation seen in sensitivity analyses. The factors that vary across jurisdictions, even when minor, can have an impact on trial-based economic analyses.Funding: Eli Lilly and Company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Published studies suggest hospital costs on Day 1 in the intensive care unit (ICU) far exceed those of subsequent days, when costs are relatively stable. Yet, no study stratified patients by ICU type.Objectives: To determine whether daily cost patterns differ by ICU type.Methods: We performed a retrospective study of adults admitted to five ICUs (two surgical: quaternary surgical ICU [SICU quat] and quaternary cardiac surgical ICU [CSICU quat]; two medical: tertiary medical ICU [MICU tertiary] and quaternary medical ICU [MICU quat]; one general: community medical surgical ICU [MSICU comm]) at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York during 2013. After excluding costs clearly accrued outside the ICU, daily hospital costs were merged with clinical data. Patterns of daily unadjusted costs were evaluated in each ICU using median regression. Generalized estimating equations with first-order autocorrelation were used to identify factors independently associated with daily costs.Measurements and Main Results: Unadjusted daily costs were higher on Day 1 than on subsequent days only for surgical ICUs-SICU quat (median [interquartile range], $2,636 [$1,834-$4,282] on Day 1 vs. $1,840 [$1,501-$2,332] on Day 2; P < 0.001) and CSICU quat ($5,166 [$3,136-$9,493] on Day 1 vs. $2,060 [$1,336-$2,528] on Day 2; P < 0.001). In nonsurgical ICUs, there was no change (MICU tertiary P = 0.12) or a small increase (MSICU comm P = 0.03; MICU quat P = 0.01) in cost from Days 1 to 2. After multivariate adjustment, there remained a significant decrease in cost from ICU Day 1 to 2 in surgical units with statistically similar Day 1 and 2 costs for other ICUs.Conclusions: Higher Day 1 costs are not seen in patients admitted to medical/nonsurgical ICUs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This research examines the existing funding model for in-hospital trauma patient episodes in New South Wales (NSW), Australia and identifies factors that cause above-average treatment costs. Accurate information on the treatment costs of injury is needed to guide health-funding strategy and prevent inadvertent underfunding of specialist trauma centres, which treat a high trauma casemix. Methods. Admitted trauma patient data provided by 12 trauma centres were linked with financial data for 2008-09. Actual costs incurred by each hospital were compared with state-wide Australian Refined Diagnostic Related Groups (AR-DRG) average costs. Patient episodes where actual cost was higher than AR-DRG cost allocation were examined. Results. There were 16 693 patients at a total cost of AU$178.7 million. The total costs incurred by trauma centres were $14.7 million above the NSW peer-group average cost estimates. There were 10 AR-DRG where the total cost variance was greater than $500 000. The AR-DRG with the largest proportion of patients were the upper limb injury categories, many of whom had multiple body regions injured and/or a traumatic brain injury (P < 0.001). Conclusions. AR-DRG classifications do not adequately describe the trauma patient episode and are not commensurate with the expense of trauma treatment. A revision of AR-DRG used for trauma is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the cost of two treatment regimens for moderate to severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS): conservative inpatient versus outpatient management with paracentesis.Design: A decision-tree mathematical model comparing conservative inpatient versus outpatient management of moderate to severe OHSS was created. The common final pathway of either management was resolution of OHSS. Sensitivity analyses were performed over the range of variables.Main Outcome Measure(s): Total management cost of OHSS.Result(s): The cost of conservative therapy including first-tier complications was $10,099 (range $9,655-$15,044). The cost of outpatient management with paracentesis was $1954 (range $788-$12,041). This resulted in an estimated cost savings of $8145 with outpatient management with paracentesis. One-way sensitivity analyses were performed. Varying the probability of admission after outpatient treatment still indicated that outpatient treatment was the most cost-effective (probability = 1.0, cost = $6110). Varying the duration of hospitalization with primary inpatient treatment was equal to outpatient treatment costs only at a stay of 0.71 days or shorter.Conclusion(s): Our model suggests early outpatient paracentesis for moderate to severe OHSS is the most cost-effective management plan when compared with traditional conservative inpatient therapy. The cost savings for outpatient management persisted throughout a variety of outcome probabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Palivizumab is one of the most costly paediatric medications for Medicaid and other health plans. It is uncertain whether the costs of palivizumab administration are justified in specific risk groups. Ongoing investigations of palivizumab require identification of reliable data sources.Objective: To estimate the reliability between Medicaid paid claims data and medical records documentation in a cost analysis of palivizumab.Study Design: A cross-sectional study of data reliability was performed within a cost analysis study of palivizumab in a cohort of at-risk patients during the US 2002/3 respiratory syncytial virus season. Exposure classification (to palivizumab prophylaxis) was compared using Medicaid claims and medical records data.Methods: The study was performed in 28 widely dispersed paediatric medical practices serving North Carolina, USA Medicaid patients within the AccessCare/Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC) Program, an enhanced primary care case management programme. Patients were eligible if they were born between 1 March 2002 and 28 February 2003 at 32-35 weeks estimated gestational age, were enrolled in the North Carolina primary care case management Medicaid programme during the study period and were patients of the participating practices. Medicaid healthcare claims were obtained in December 2003 for services provided between October 2002 and May 2003. Medical records were abstracted by community-based case managers. Primary variables included frequency, dates and dose of palivizumab injections. The main outcomes measures were agreement in the number of palivizumab injections, dates of administration and doses of palivizumab between Medicaid paid claims and medical record data.Results: Injection frequencies matched between medical record and Medicaid claims data for only 46.2% of study participants. Congruence in injection service dates occurred between data sources for only 1% of injections. Doses were similar between data sources for 81.9% of injections.Conclusions: In Medicaid recipients receiving palivizumab injection, Medicaid claims data were inconsistent with medical records data. Use of multiple data sources and validation are recommended to identify temporal relationships between drug administration and endpoints of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated medical resource consumption, productivity loss and costs associated with patients treated with antidepressants for depression in primary care in Sweden. Patients on treatment for depression were followed naturalistically for six-months, and data on patients' characteristics, daily activity and resource-use were collected. The total cost per patient was estimated at euro 5,500 (95%CI euro 5,000-6,100) over six months in 2005 prices. Direct costs were estimated at euro 1,900 (euro 1,700-2,200), 35% of total costs, and indirect costs at euro 3,600 (euro 3,100-4,100), 65% of total costs. The cost for antidepressants represented only 4% of the total costs. We conclude that the burden of depression is high, both to the individual as well as to wider society, and there seems to be a particular need for therapies that have the potential to improve productivity in depressed patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the results of a cost analysis of schizophrenia treatment with second-generation antipsychotic medications in the Medicaid program of North Carolina. It showed that olanzapine costs more than risperidone in terms of drug expenditures but is associated with lower use of nondrug medical services.

Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) have been evaluated clinically in a wide range of breast cancer treatment settings. Although these agents appear to have clinical superiority, they are more expensive than the therapies (primarily tamoxifen) they have been compared with, thus economic evaluation is required to consider their incremental value to the payer. This paper reviews published economic evaluations of AIs as first-line therapy for advanced cancer, and as adjuvant therapy for early breast cancer. The evaluations in the advanced setting demonstrate a range of different modelling techniques and consider the payer's perspective in three healthcare systems. There is broad similarity in the application of standard cohort Markov modelling techniques to evaluate AIs in the early breast cancer setting, covering four separate health system perspectives. AIs appear cost effective compared with current practice. An analysis in the advanced setting suggests that letrozole may be the more cost-effective AI. No direct comparisons of alternative AIs in the adjuvant setting are reported, although indirect comparisons may be feasible. Future evaluations of treatment strategies over the entire course of the disease may also be needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Excellent treatment outcomes with long-term durability and few adverse effects are expectations of treatments for chronic conditions. The long-term cost effectiveness of newer treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), including high-energy transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT) and combination pharmaceutical therapy, has not been sufficiently studied against existing alternatives. The objective of this study was to estimate the incremental cost effectiveness of BPH treatment alternatives.Methods: We employed a Markov model over a 20-year time horizon and the payer's perspective to evaluate the cost effectiveness of watchful waiting (WW), pharmaceuticals (alpha-adrenoceptor antagonists [alpha-blockers], 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors [5-ARIs], combination therapy), TUMT and transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) in treating BPH. Markov states included improvement in symptoms, no improvement in symptoms, adverse effects and death. We used data from the published literature for outcomes, including systematic reviews whenever possible. Costs were estimated using a managed-care claims database and Medicare fee schedules, and were reported in Dollars US, 2004 values. Costs and effectiveness outcomes were discounted at a rate of 3% per year. Men (aged > or =45 years) with moderate to severe lower urinary tract symptoms and uncomplicated BPH were included in the analysis, and results were stratified by age and BPH symptom levels. Outcomes included costs, QALYs, incremental cost-utility ratios and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves. Sensitivity analysis was performed on important parameters, with an emphasis on probabilistic sensitivity analysis.Results: alpha-Blockers and TUMT were cost effective for treating moderate symptoms using the threshold of Dollars US 50,000 per QALY. For example, at 65 years of age, the cost per QALY was Dollars US 16,018 for alpha-blockers compared with WW and Dollars US 30,204 for TUMT versus alpha-blockers. TURP was the most cost-effective treatment for severe symptoms (Dollars US 5824 per QALY ) versus WW. Model results were robust to changes in costs and sensitive to the assumed probabilities, utility weights, extent of improvement and life expectancy. Nevertheless, acceptability curves consistently demonstrated the same alternatives as most likely to be cost effective.Conclusions: Our model suggests that alpha-blockers and TURP appear to be the most cost-effective alternatives, from a US payer perspective, for BPH patients with moderate and severe symptoms, respectively. TUMT was promising for patients with moderate symptoms and the oldest patients with severe symptoms, but otherwise was dominated. Value of information analysis could be used to determine the net benefit of additional research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the costs associated with the diagnostic work-up and percutaneous revascularization of renal artery stenosis from various perspectives. A prospective multicenter comparative study was conducted between 1998 and 2001. A total of 402 hypertensive patients with suspected renal artery stenosis were included. Costs were assessed of computed tomography angiography (CTA), magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), digital subtraction angiography (DSA), and percutaneous revascularization. From the societal perspective, DSA was the most costly (euro 1,721) and CTA the least costly diagnostic technique (euro 424). CTA was the least costly imaging procedure irrespective of the perspective used. The societal costs associated with percutaneous renal artery revascularization ranged from euro 2,680 to euro 6,172. Overall the radiology department incurred the largest proportion of the total societal costs. For the management of renal artery stenosis, performing the analysis from different perspectives leads to the same conclusion concerning the least costly diagnostic imaging and revascularization procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine whether (1) desirable health outcomes (e.g., symptom resolution) would be achieved with a new national drug-management program implemented by the Canadian Forces (CF); (2) CF members would be satisfied with the services offered by the civilian pharmacists; and (3) cost implications of the new program would be favorable.Design: Open, nonrandomized, longitudinal program evaluation and cost analysis study.Setting: Canada.Participants: 583 CF members who did not have access to a military pharmacy in selected geographic areas of Canada and 65 community pharmacy providers.Intervention: A new drug-management program, which allowed members to obtain nonprescription medications from civilian pharmacies without first obtaining a prescription from a physician at no additional cost, was evaluated in a pilot study.Main Outcome Measures: A cost-analysis model conducted from the CF Health Services and Department of National Defense perspectives and telephone survey assessing health outcomes and members' satisfaction with the program.Results: Based on 563 transactions that occurred during the pilot study period, 96% of the CF members reported being very to somewhat satisfied with the service received under the new drug-management program, and a majority stated that desirable health outcomes were achieved. The one area of concern cited about the new program was the low percentage of members who recalled being instructed by civilian pharmacists to see a physician if their symptoms did not abate. The cost analysis showed the new program was more economical than previous physician-based system.Conclusion: The provision of nonprescription medications by civilian pharmacists to members who had no access to a base pharmacy was both cost-efficient and associated with a high level of satisfaction. Future evaluations should include prospective monitoring of drug use patterns as well as assessments of the quality of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Low molecular weight heparins are effective and have a good tolerability profile as first-line prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in major orthopaedic surgery. However, pharmacological inequivalence within the class could lead to differences in cost-effectiveness ratios.Objective: To quantify the potential economic impact of subcutaneous bemiparin sodium 3500 IU/day compared with enoxaparin sodium 40 mg/day as prophylaxis for VTE in patients undergoing total knee replacement (TKR) surgery, considering both in-hospital and post-discharge outcomes and costs during 6 weeks of postoperative follow-up.Methods: A cost-effectiveness analysis was performed using a decision modelling approach. The results were expressed in terms of costs and incremental cost effectiveness in Euro (2002 values). The treatment costs (hospital stay, physician services, drug administration) and costs incurred due to complications such as pulmonary embolism and/or proximal deep vein thrombosis, bleeding events, wound haematoma and thrombocytopenia were considered for this analysis. The target population comprised all adult patients undergoing TKR surgery included in a previous clinical trial (n = 381). The study was conducted in the setting of the Spanish National Health System. The time horizon chosen was 6 weeks.Results: Bemiparin provided cost savings of Euro144.48 per patient compared with enoxaparin when costs derived from treatment and complications during the 6-week postoperative period were considered (Euro4675.01 vs Euro4819.49). Pharmacy costs per patient were lower for bemiparin during hospital stay (Euro43.34 vs Euro50.20; difference, Euro-6.86) and for post-discharge prophylaxis (Euro68.63 vs Euro87.78; difference Euro-19.15). Bemiparin was calculated to avoid 42 additional VTE events per 1000 patients treated at 6 weeks. The incremental cost-effectiveness analysis indicated that bemiparin was dominant over enoxaparin, producing better outcomes and cost savings. The sensitivity analysis supported the cost effectiveness of bemiparin in all the ranges tested for complications and costs.Conclusions: Our model suggests, based on its underlying assumptions and data, that bemiparin may be more cost effective than enoxaparin for thromboprophylaxis in total knee replacement surgery in the Spanish healthcare setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the efficacy, safety, and costs associated with catheter-directed thrombolysis with urokinase (UK) and the recombinant agents alteplase (tissue plasminogen activator [TPA]) and reteplase (recombinant plasminogen activator [RPA]) in the treatment of symptomatic deep vein thrombosis (DVT).Materials and Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective analysis on 74 patients (82 limbs) who underwent treatment for DVT. Thrombosed extremities were treated with either urokinase with therapeutic heparin dosing (UK group; 38 limbs), alteplase with subtherapeutic heparin dosing (TPA group; 32 limbs), or reteplase with subtherapeutic heparin dosing (RPA group; 12 limbs). Infusion times, dosages, drug costs, success rates, and complications were compared among the groups.Results: Gender, age, disease location, duration of symptoms, and use of additional interventional therapies did not differ statistically among the three cohorts. Median hourly infused doses, total doses, infusion times, drug costs, and success rates per limb were: UK, 11.3 (10(4)) U/hour, 4.361 million U, 40.6 hours, US dollars 6577, 97.4%; TPA, 0.57 mg/hour, 21.6 mg, 30.8 hours, US dollars 488, 96.9%; RPA, 0.74 U/hour, 21.4 U, 24.3 hours, US dollars 1787, 100.0%. Major and overall complication rates were: UK, 5.3% and 10.5%; TPA, 3.1% and 12.5%; RPA, 8.3% and 16.7%. Infusion times, success rates, and complications were not statistically different among the three groups. Alteplase and reteplase were significantly less expensive than urokinase (P <.001 and P <.01, respectively).Conclusion: Catheter-directed thrombolysis for the treatment of DVT is safe and effective, regardless of the agent used. However, the new recombinant agents are significantly less expensive than urokinase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To document the costs and outcomes of the various forms of the septic syndromes [systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock), particularly those associated with infection acquired in an intensive care unit (ICU).Design: Prospective data collection for all septic patients admitted to a medical ICU during a 1-year period. Costs were computed from the viewpoint of the hospital.Results: Mean total hospital costs were Euro 26,256, Euro 35,185, and Euro 27,083 for patients with sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock, respectively. Total costs varied slightly according to the site of infection and the severity of sepsis but were influenced mostly by its mode of acquisition: patients having sepsis associated with ICU-acquired infection incurred total costs about three times those of patients presenting with infection and sepsis on ICU admission (from Euro 39,908 in patients with ICU acquired sepsis to Euro 44,851 in patients with ICU-acquired septic shock). Stratifying patients by the presence of ICU-acquired infection also showed that a first episode of infection complicated by ICU-acquired sepsis incurred at least 2.5 times more costs than a single episode of sepsis.Conclusions: In this series the medical costs of sepsis were not markedly influenced by its severity but by its mode of acquisition. Due to wide variations in ICU costs cost-effectiveness analyses of treatments for sepsis should document the case-mix of patients and the contribution to this of nosocomial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The objective of this study was to assess the cost effectiveness of a continuous combined oral preparation of norethisterone (norethindrone) acetate and ethinylestradiol (NA/EE) [FemHRT] as both a first-line and second-line therapy for menopausal women.Perspective: Third-party payer.Methods: The cost effectiveness of NA/EE was assessed as both a first- and second-line therapy in comparison with conjugated equine oestrogen 0.625mg and medroxyprogesterone acetate 2.5mg (CEE/MPA) and no therapy. Analysis was conducted within a Markov model with states relating to the presence and absence of vaginal bleeding, menopausal symptoms and hip fracture. Analysis forecasted life expectancy, QALYs and lifetime costs for a 50-year-old menopausal woman. Compliance was modelled related to menopausal symptoms and vaginal bleeding. For the base-case analysis, it was assumed that compliant women would take therapy for up to 5 years. Sensitivity analysis assumed therapy was taken only for 1 year.Results: Compared with both CEE/MPA and no therapy, NA/EE led to an increase in both costs and QALYs, both as a first- and second-line therapy. For first-line therapy, the incremental cost per QALY gained for NA/EE was $2200 Canadian dollars ($Can; 1999 values) [compared with no therapy] and was $Can20 300 (compared with CEE/MPA). For second-line therapy, the incremental cost per QALY gained for NA/EE was $Can900 (compared with no therapy) and was $Can16 400 (compared with CEE/MPA). Results were robust to most sensitivity analyses.Conclusions: NA/EE is a cost-effective therapy for women with menopausal symptoms both as a first-line and second-line therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating illness that causes enormous emotional stress to affected families and is associated with substantial medical and nonmedical costs.Objective: To determine the effects of 28 weeks of memantine treatment for patients with AD on resource utilisation and costs.Study Design and Methods: Multicentre, prospective, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial performed in the US. The Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test was used to examine the resource utilisation variables and logistic regression models were used for multivariate resource utilisation analyses. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) models (log and non-log) were computed to examine costs from a societal perspective. All costs were calculated in 1999 US dollars.Study Population: Outpatients with moderate to severe AD. Overall, 252 patients received randomised treatment, and 166 patients (placebo n = 76, memantine n = 90) formed the treated-per-protocol (TPP) subset for the health economic analyses, on which the main cost analysis was based.Main Outcome Measure: Resource Utilisation in Dementia (RUD) scale, measuring patient and caregiver resource utilisation, and various sources for cost calculations.Results: Controlling for baseline differences between the groups, significantly less caregiver time was needed for patients receiving memantine than for those receiving placebo (difference 51.5 hours per month; 95% CI -95.27, -7.17; p = 0.02). Analysis of residential status also favoured memantine: time to institutionalisation (p = 0.052) and institutionalisation at week 28 (p = 0.04 with the chi-square test). Total costs from a societal perspective were lower in the memantine group (difference dollars US 1089.74/month [non-overlapping 95% CI for treatment difference -1954.90, -224.58]; p = 0.01). The main differences between the groups were total caregiver costs (dollars US-823.77/month; p = 0.03) and direct nonmedical costs (dollars US-430.84/month; p = 0.07) favouring memantine treatment. Patient direct medical costs were higher in the memantine group (p < 0.01), mainly due to the cost of memantine.Conclusion: Resource utilisation and total health costs were lower in the memantine group than the placebo group. The results suggest that memantine treatment of patients with moderate to severe AD is cost saving from a societal perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the Balloon Angioplasty and Anticoagulation Study (BAAS), coumarins added to routine aspirin therapy before coronary angioplasty reduced cardiac events at the cost of a slightly higher risk of bleeding complications.Objective: To determine the cost effectiveness of coumarin treatment, based on the occurrence of both cardiac and bleeding events.Methods: Effectiveness was measured, applying two definitions, in terms of the number of events occurring at one year. In the first definition, the occurrence of death, myocardial infarction (MI), or stroke was assessed. The second definition also included revascularisations and major bleeding episodes as an event. Costs were limited to direct medical costs. Cost effectiveness was addressed by probability ellipses representing the point estimates and uncertainties surrounding both costs and effectiveness.Results: At 1 year, death, MI or stroke occurred 1.1% less often when treating with aspirin plus coumarins rather than aspirin therapy alone. When revascularisations and major bleeding events were also included, the difference was 5.0%. Overall, the additional costs in relation to coumarin treatment were compensated by a reduction in repeat interventions. When including all costs, the savings associated with coumarin treatment were estimated at Euros 235 per patient after 1 year. The probability that coumarins are cost saving was estimated at 0.85. The probability that coumarins combine additional effectiveness with cost savings was estimated at 0.70 when survival free of MI or stroke as an effectiveness measure was considered, and at 0.83 when survival free of MI, stroke, revascularisation or major bleeding was considered.Conclusion: Coumarin therapy added to routine aspirin therapy before coronary angioplasty, and continued during follow-up, may not only be considered more effective but also cost saving relative to aspirin therapy alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine whether the use of risperidone in a US managed-care environment is associated with a reduction in the use of mental healthcare services.Methods: Mental health service use and costs for patients with psychoses treated with risperidone versus those treated with conventional antipsychotic agents were compared by both between-group and within-group comparisons. The study controlled for differences between the groups. Only direct medical costs were considered. All costs were for the years 1994 to 1996.Perspective: US managed care plan.Results: Costs (excluding antipsychotic drug costs) per member per month (PMPM) were 180 US dollars lower with risperidone (p < 0.05); per member per year (PMPY) costs were 2160 US dollars lower. In patients who received both risperidone and conventional treatments, PMPM costs were 212 US dollars (2544 US dollars PMPY) lower during risperidone treatment. Total costs (including antipsychotic drug costs) were 624 US dollars PMPY lower with risperidone by between-group comparisons and 1008 US dollars PMPY lower by within-group comparisons.Conclusions: These results show that higher risperidone acquisition costs are offset by reductions in other mental healthcare costs, particularly inpatient hospitalisation costs. This indicates that risperidone may be a more economical choice than traditional antipsychotics for the treatment of psychoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors enhance thrombolysis in patients with acute coronary syndromes. This analysis evaluates the economic impact of abciximab, a GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor, as an adjunct to urokinase in peripheral artery occlusions of less than 6 weeks duration.Study Design: A post-hoc economic analysis was performed using clinical data and inpatient resource utilisation derived from the prospective comparative phase II Platelet Receptor Antibodies in Order to Manage Peripheral Artery Thrombosis (PROMPT) pilot study. Study endpoints were amputation-free survival and survival without open surgery or major amputation after 90 days, and the rate of major complications at 30 days.Perspective: Third-party payer and the societal perspective.Patients and Methods: Seventy patients with lower extremity thrombi were randomised (2 : 5 ratio) to urokinase plus placebo or to urokinase plus abciximab. Economically relevant data were retrospectively derived from the clinical study database from a specific evaluation of patient records and from expert opinion.Results: From the viewpoint of the society, average total per-patient direct and indirect costs accruing over 3 months were more favourable for treatment with abciximab plus urokinase than for urokinase alone [9723 euros (EUR) vs EUR10 322; 2000 values], despite higher initial hospitalisation costs of the combination therapy. Abciximab plus urokinase was the dominant strategy at 3 months due to a clinically higher rate of survival without amputation or bypass surgery coupled with a lower average per-patient cost. From the perspective of the third-party payer, treatment with abciximab plus urokinase was economically also superior to urokinase alone (EUR8773 vs EUR9663).Conclusions: Based on the preliminary findings of the PROMPT trial, the use of abciximab as an adjunct to urokinase in patients with subacute peripheral artery occlusions may be the favourable strategy compared with urokinase alone, in terms of clinical and economic outcomes. Further trials are needed to confirm these clinical and economic findings. The preliminary clinical benefits experienced by patients treated with abciximab plus urokinase in the PROMPT trial translated into cost savings in terms of reduced direct medical costs at 3 months. These cost savings more than offset the cost of abciximab. The use of abciximab as an adjunct to urokinase in patients with subacute peripheral artery occlusions may be the favourable strategy compared with urokinase-alone in terms of clinical and economic outcomes, but further trials are needed to confirm the these clinical and economic findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and cost effectiveness of two treatments of pressure sores on the heel: a collagenase-containing ointment and a hydrocolloid dressing.Design: Study and cost data were collected prospectively in a randomised clinical trial in The Netherlands by counting the resource use for each patient until wound healing occurred.Study Participants: All 24 female study participants were inpatients from the same hospital with grade IV pressure sores on the heel following orthopaedic surgery.Interventions: Two different treatment strategies were analysed: a collagenase-containing ointment (Novuxol) and a hydrocolloid dressing (Duoderm).Perspective: Hospital perspective.Main Outcome Measures and Results: The average costs per patient for treatment with the hydrocolloid dressing were about 5% higher than those with the collagenase-containing ointment. The treatment costs were similarly distributed within both groups, with 34% for materials and 66% for personnel. The cost-effectiveness analysis revealed that cost savings of 899 Dutch guilders (1998 values) per successfully treated patient could be expected using the collagenase-containing ointment instead of the hydrocolloid dressing. In addition, wound healing was achieved, on average, within a shorter time period with the collagenase treatment (10 weeks) compared with the hydrocolloid treatment (14 weeks). The robustness of the results were also tested using sensitivity analyses. These analyses served to confirm that collagenase treatment provides a better cost-effectiveness ratio than hydrocolloid treatment.Conclusions: With regard to overall costs and costs per successfully treated patient, this study showed collagenase treatment to be more cost effective than the hydrocolloid treatment in patients with grade IV pressure sores on the heel and that the amount of time needed for wound healing was shorter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the total costs associated with the administration of two different tumour necrosis factor (TNF) strategies used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA): etanercept, a soluble TNF receptor that can be administered at home by subcutaneous injection, versus infliximab, an antibody that requires an intravenous infusion in a hospital outpatient setting.Design and Setting: The main analytical framework of the study was a cost-cost analysis comparing the total annual costs associated with the administration of etanercept and infliximab in adult RA patients. The perspective of the study was that of the Dutch society. An economic model was constructed to determine the costs of both treatments. The cost evaluation included direct medical costs, direct nonmedical costs and indirect costs. The base-case analysis compared monotherapy with etanercept versus a combination therapy with infliximab and methotrexate. Data for the economic model came from published literature, expert opinion and official price and tariff lists. All costs were in 1999 values.Patients and Participants: The analysis was performed for the adult RA population eligible for treatment with etanercept or infliximab in The Netherlands.Main Outcome Measures and Results: The analysis showed that the total annual drug costs per patient do not differ substantially between infliximab and etanercept, with costs of Netherland guilders (NLG)31,526 (12,610 US dollars) and NLG31,334 (12,534 US dollars), respectively. However, the other medical costs (i.e. excluding the costs of the two drugs themselves) are substantially higher for infliximab due to the additional costs associated with administration in an outpatient clinic and the use of methotrexate [NLG 12,621 (5048 US dollars) versus NLG269 (107 US dollars) for etanercept]. The impact of direct nonmedical costs (transportation) and indirect costs were negligible. Overall treatment with infliximab is more expensive than treatment with etanercept with total costs of NLG45 115 (18,046 US dollars) and NLG3I,621 (12,648 US dollars), respectively (42.7% increase).Conclusions: Based on the assumptions used in the model, we may conclude that the use of etanercept compares favourably with infliximab from a budgetary and health economic perspective: the total costs are substantially lower when the efficacy of etanercept is assumed to be at least equivalent to the efficacy of infliximab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate economic and health effects of sumatriptan relative to customary therapy in Canada. The relationship between treatment and functionality was established based on analysis of existing data from a multinational study. A Monte Carlo model was developed to simulate 1 year for each of customary therapy and six sumatriptan formulations. Costs are expressed in 1998 Canadian dollars. Sumatriptan is expected to reduce the time spent with migraine symptoms and resulting time lost. Under customary therapy, the annual cost of lost time is estimated at pound908 ($1973). With sumatriptan, these costs ranged from pound406 ($882) with subcutaneous sumatriptan to pound577 ($1254) with nasal sumatriptan 10 mg, saving pound331-502 ($719-1091) in the annual cost of time lost. All these benefits are expected to be obtained at an additional drug cost ranging from pound869 ($1889) for subcutaneous sumatriptan to pound278 ($605) for sumatriptan suppository. The cost of sumatriptan treatment is significantly offset by a substantial reduction of costs associated with time lost due to migraine symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To estimate the economic impact of using tibolone 2.5 mg compared with 17 beta-estradiol 2 mg/norethisterone acetate 1 mg (E2/NETA) in postmenopausal women with climacteric symptoms.Design and Setting: This was a modelling study performed from the perspective of the UK's National Health Service (NHS).Methods: The clinical outcomes from a previously reported trial were used as the clinical basis for the analysis, which showed that 48 weeks' treatment with tibolone and E2/NETA significantly alleviated the climacteric symptoms experienced by postmenopausal women. These data were combined with resource utilisation estimates derived from a panel of 10 GPs and 3 gynaecologists, enabling us to construct a Markov model depicting changes in the health status of postmenopausal women. The model was used to estimate the expected NHS costs and consequences after 48 weeks' treatment with tibolone and E2/NETA.Main Outcome Measures and Results: The mean expected direct healthcare cost of using tibolone and E2/NETA to manage postmenopausal women for 48 weeks was estimated to be 260 Pounds and 239 Pounds (1997/1998 prices) per patient, respectively. Starting hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with tibolone instead of E2/NETA was equally effective in alleviating climacteric symptoms (65.9 and 62.2%, respectively; p = 0.516) over 48 weeks and significantly reduced the incidence of vaginal bleeding by 36% (p < 0.0001) and breast tenderness by 57% (p < 0.0001) for a mean additional cost of 21 Pounds (ranging between -3 Pounds and 42 Pounds) per patient. The acquisition cost of HRT was the primary cost driver for tibolone-treated patients, whereas the cost of managing adverse events was the primary cost driver for E2/NETA-treated patients.Conclusions: The true cost of prescribing tibolone and E2/NETA is impacted on by a broad range of resources, not only drug acquisition costs. Although the acquisition cost of tibolone is higher than that of E2/NETA, the difference in the expected NHS cost of the first year of treatment between the 2 HRTs is negligible. This is because of the higher incidence of adverse events among E2/NETA-treated patients, which also results in a higher continuation rate among tibolone-treated patients. Factors such as patient preferences should also be taken into consideration so that treatment choices are not decided solely on the basis of acquisition costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To perform an evaluation from the societal perspective of the cost of treatment with enoxaparin sodium versus unfractionated heparin (UFH) in patients with unstable angina and non-Q wave myocardial infarction in France.Design: Four complementary cost-minimisation analyses based on the results of the Efficacy and Safety of Subcutaneous Enoxaparin in Non-Q wave Coronary Events (ESSENCE) international trial were conducted. We assessed differences in medical resource consumption and in duration of hospital stay in the whole study population (n = 3171) and for the French patients (n = 133).Results: Results were consistent for the study group as a whole and for the French subgroup. Among patients treated with enoxaparin sodium, there was a statistically significant reduction in the use of angiography and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (whole group study: p = 0.024 and 0.006, respectively) and a trend towards shorter lengths of hospital stay. The differences in angiography and angioplasty rates led to estimated average net cost savings with enoxaparin sodium of French Francs (FF)1555 per treated patient (whole study population) and FF9993 (French subgroup) [1996 values]. The analyses based on the duration of hospital stay resulted in estimated net cost savings with enoxaparin sodium of between FF1014 per treated patient (whole study population) and FF2804 (French subgroup).Conclusion: Our study confirmed earlier results which show that enoxaparin sodium is cost saving in the treatment of unstable angina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: --To examine the added neonatal cost and length of hospital stay associated with fetal cocaine exposure.Design: --All cocaine-exposed infants in the study population (n = 355) were compared with a random sample of unexposed infants (n = 199). Regression analysis was used to control for the independent effects of maternal age, smoking, alcohol consumption, prenatal care, race, gravidity, and sex of the infant.Setting: --A large, public, inner-city hospital studied from 1985 to 1986.Patients: --All infants were routinely tested for illicit substances, records were reviewed for maternal histories of substance abuse, and all known cocaine-exposed singleton infants were included.Main Outcome Measures: --Cost and length of stay until each infant was medically cleared for hospital discharge and cost and length of stay until each infant was actually discharged from the hospital.Results: --Neonatal hospital costs until medically cleared for discharge were $5200 more for cocaine-exposed infants than for unexposed infants (a difference of $7957 vs $2757 [P = .003]). The costs of infants remaining in the nursery while awaiting home and social evaluation or foster care placement increased this difference by more than $3500 (P less than .0001). Compared with other forms of cocaine, fetal exposure to crack was associated with much larger cost increases ($6735 vs $1226). Exposure to other illicit substances in addition to cocaine was also associated with much larger cost increases ($8450 vs $1283).Conclusions: --At the national level, we estimate that these individual medical costs add up to about $500 million. The large magnitude of these costs indicates that effective treatment programs for maternal cocaine abusers could yield savings within their first year of operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until a few years ago, griseofulvin and ketoconazole were the only 2 oral agents available for the treatment of dermatophyte onychomycosis of the toenails. With the availability of the newer antifungal agents, such as itraconazole, terbinafine and fluconazole, the armamentarium of drugs available to treat onychomycosis has expanded. The objective of this study was to determine the relative cost effectiveness of the most commonly used oral antifungal agents in the US for the treatment of dermatophyte onychomycosis of the toenails from the perspective of a third-party payer. The time horizon was 3 years. A 5-step approach was used in this pharmacoeconomic analysis. First, the purpose of the study, the comparator drugs and their dosage regimens were defined. In step II, the medical practice and resource-consumption patterns associated with the treatment of onychomycosis were identified. In step III, a meta-analysis was performed on all studies meeting prespecified criteria, and the mycological cure rates of the comparator drugs were determined. In step IV, the treatment algorithm for the management of onychomycosis was constructed for each drug. The cost-of-regimen analysis for each comparator incorporated the drug acquisition cost, medical-management cost and cost of managing adverse drug reactions. The expected cost per patient, number of symptom-free days (SFDs), cost per SFD and the relative cost effectiveness for the comparator drugs were calculated. In step V, a sensitivity analysis was performed. The drug comparators for this study were griseofulvin, itraconazole (continuous and pulse), terbinafine and fluconazole. The mycological cure rates [mean ± standard error (SE)] from the meta-analysis were griseofulvin 24.5 ± 6.7%, itraconazole (continuous) 66.4 ± 6.1%, itraconazole (pulse) 76 ± 9.3%, terbinafine 74 ± 7% and fluconazole 59%. The cost per mycological cure was griseofulvin $US8089, itraconazole (continuous) $US1877, itraconazole (pulse) $US991, terbinafine $US1125 and fluconazole $US1506. The corresponding cost per SFD was griseofulvin $US7.05, itraconazole (continuous) $US2.18, itraconazole (pulse) $US1.26, terbinafine $US1.28 and fluconazole $US2.12. The resulting ratios of cost per SFD relative to itraconazole (pulse) [1.00] were terbinafine 1.02, itraconazole (continuous) 1.73, fluconazole 1.69 and griseofulvin 5.62. In conclusion, in this analysis, itraconazole (pulse) and terbinafine were the most cost-effective therapies for dermatophyte onychomycosis of the toenails, both being substantially more cost effective than griseofulvin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meropenem is a carbapenem antibiotic which is active against the majority of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria implicated in serious infections. Its therapeutic efficacy in a wide range of serious infections is similar to that of imipenem/cilastatin and standard combination drug regimens. Hence, meropenem is suitable for use as monotherapy. Although the acquisition cost of meropenem is likely to be higher than that of aminoglycoside- and metronidazole-containing combination regimens, the latter incur additional drug administration costs and potentially higher costs for treatment of adverse effects. In addition, aminoglycoside-containing regimens also incur assay and toxicity monitoring costs. Economic analyses are required to compare overall treatment costs with combination therapy and meropenem. Cost analyses indicate that the ability to give meropenem, but not imipenem/cilastatin, by rapid intravenous bolus injection results in lower drug administration costs than with the standard infusion method. More comprehensive pharmacoeconomic data on meropenem are required. However, assuming that meropenem and imipenem/cilastatin have similar acquisition costs, the option of administering meropenem by bolus injection and its lower epileptogenic potential at high dosages (thus permitting its use in meningitis) should be considered potentially important attributes when choosing a carbapenem antibiotic for inclusion in a hospital formulary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A short term (6-month) cost-effectiveness model has been developed to simulate current medical practice and disease progression in patients with type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus uncontrolled by diet and exercise. The model is based on decision-analytical techniques and includes probabilities of switching between treatments, the reason for the switch and the most common switch options. Effectiveness and economic measures are the 2 main outcomes. In order to assess effectiveness, we use symptom-free days with acceptable control (SFDACs), which represent each day of treatment without adverse events or symptoms, and with acceptable control of glucose and lipids. For the economic evaluation, only incremental costs incurred directly by a health insurance system are considered. This model should prove useful in the evaluation of new oral antidiabetic agents, since the short term aim of antidiabetic therapy is to provide adequate control in the absence of adverse effects and symptoms (a prerequisite for successful long term treatment). Furthermore, short term analysis provides data for comparing initial investment in drug therapy with potential savings over a longer treatment period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclosporine is associated with lower hospitalization costs for transplantation of cadaver kidneys. Whether this cost-lowering effect persists after discharge was assessed for 203 patients who received cadaver kidneys at the University of California, San Francisco, between July 1982 and June 1986. During the transplantation hospitalization period, cyclosporine was associated with significantly better graft survival (88.7% vs 71.0%) and lower (standardized) costs ($37,174 vs $52,983). Following discharge, however, there were no significant differences in graft survival, total charges ($29,716 vs $34,434), the number of readmissions, the total number of days hospitalized, or physician charges, although cyclosporine was associated with higher drug costs ($3885 vs $373). The results suggest that the initial association of cyclosporine with lower costs diminished substantially over time. For grafts that survive beyond several months, there may be little additional cost-reducing benefits of cyclosporine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid growth of the oldest age groups will have a major impact on future health care costs. We use current US Census Bureau projections for the growth of our oldest age groups to project future costs for Medicare, nursing homes, dementia, and hip fractures. Without major changes in the health of our older population, these health care costs will escalate enormously, in large part as a result of the projected growth of the "oldest old," those aged 85 years and above. Medicare costs for the oldest old may increase sixfold by the year 2040 (in constant 1987 dollars). It is unlikely that these projected increases in health care costs will be restrained solely by cost-containment strategies. Successful containment of these health care costs will be related to our ability to prevent and/or cure those age-dependent diseases and disorders that will produce the greatest needs for long-term care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate institutional experiences regarding laparoscopic salpingo-oophorectomy in breast cancer patients and to compare the technique with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogs among premenopausal women with hormone-sensitive breast cancer.Methods: Between 2004 and 2009, 103 women with breast cancer underwent laparoscopic salpingo-oophorectomy at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK. All relevant medical records-including reasons for salpingo-oophorectomy, peri-operative events, and subsequent follow-up-were reviewed.Results: In the study period, 3 (2.9%) women experienced a recurrence of breast cancer but none had primary peritoneal/ovarian cancer within a median follow-up interval of 34 months (range, 0-70 months). No operative complications were noted among these women and all of them went home on the day of their operation.Conclusion: Laparoscopic salpingo-oophorectomy seems to be a safe, permanent, and cost-effective method of ovarian ablation compared with the use of GnRH analogs. Salpingo-oophorectomy also considerably reduces the risk of subsequent ovarian/fallopian tube malignancy in this high-risk population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]