Search

Copyright of Monatsschrift Kinderheilkunde is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: To calculate the cost-effectiveness of roflumilast in combination with a long-acting beta agonist (LABA) versus LABA as a monotherapy in patients with severe and very severe COPD in Germany., Methods: The cost-effectiveness of Roflumilast plus LABA vs. LABA as monotherapy was calculated by a long-term model (Markov). The effectiveness data are based on the clinical trials AURA and HERMES (M2-124 and M2-125). Roflumilast plus LABA compared to LABA monotherapy reduced the exacerbation rate by 20.7 % (95 % CI, -31,-9) and improved post-bronchodilator FEV1 by 46 ml (2). These data were used to calculate the mean life expectancy of the COPD cohort (start age: 64 years). Costs for the treatment of exacerbations in the inpatient setting and the outpatient setting were included in the model. Endpoints were incremental costs per avoided exacerbation and per quality adjusted life year (QALY). The input variables were addressed in sensitivity analyses. German data on epidemiology and management of COPD were to populate the model and the cost-effectiveness was analyzed from the perspective of German statutory health insurance (SHI)., Results: The model predicts a mean life expectancy of 8.1 years for patients with roflumilast plus LABA and 7.8 years for patients with LABA alone. This corresponds with a gain of 0.26 life years or 0.23 QALYs. Within this time span patients receiving roflumilast plus LABA experienced 2.43 exacerbations less than the comparator group. The incremental cost for roflumilast plus LABA is €1,852 per exacerbation avoided and €19,457 per QALY gained., Conclusion: The model calculation indicates that the cost-effectiveness of roflumilast as an add-on to LABA in patients with severe and very severe COPD is comparable to the cost-effectiveness of established and reimbursed treatment options in Germany. Analogue consideration of the cost-effectiveness of the treatment options LAMA, LABA and ICS are advisable., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Background: In Europe information is scarce about the impact of rotavirus, probably the most important cause of acute gastroenteritis in children up to the age of 4 years. The aim of this study was to collect data on the frequency and symptoms of community-acquired rotavirus-positive acute gastroenteritis in Switzerland., Patients and Methods: In 6 paediatric practices, 3 each in the Geneva and Basle areas, every child up to the age of 48 months presenting with acute gastroenteritis between December 1997 and May 1998 was eligible for inclusion in the study. The symptoms, course of the disease and treatment were recorded in a standardized fashion after informed consent had been obtained. Stool specimens were screened for rotavirus by ELISA, and PCR was performed for serotyping in ELISA-positive samples., Results: 294 of 6672 children under observation were taken to their paediatrician because of acute gastroenteritis during the study period. Informed consent was obtained in 256 cases (mean age 19.2 months). 234 stool specimens were available of which 96 (41%) were rotavirus-positive. The incidence of rotavirus-positive acute gastroenteritis was 1.6 per 100 children and winter season. Acute gastroenteritis due to rotavirus was more severe than rotavirus-negative acute gastroenteritis, with diarrhoea and vomiting in 84% versus 54%, and dehydration in 42% versus 28%, 5% of the acute gastroenteritis cases compared to 11% of the rotavirus-positive cases were hospitalized. In the Geneva and Basle areas the predominant rotavirus types, as identified by PCR in ELISA-positive stool specimens, were G4 P[8] and G1 P[8] respectively (67% each)., Conclusion: Rotavirus infection was a relevant cause of acute gastroenteritis in our study population, resulting in more severe symptoms than rotavirus-negative acute gastroenteritis. All G-types identified in our study are included in the recently developed tetravalent vaccine. Cost-benefit analysis and ethical issues will need to be considered in evaluating the impact of the vaccine in Switzerland.