Search

Inleiding Huisartsen krijgen vaak patienten op het spreekuur die knieklachten hebben na een doorgemaakt trauma. Huisartsen kunnen voor deze patienten direct een MRI-scan aanvragen. Methode De onderzoekers voerden een kosteneffectiviteitsanalyse uit, parallel aan een prospectief multicentre gerandomiseerd en gecontroleerd onderzoek in de Nederlandse huisartsenzorg. In totaal includeerden zij via 150 huisartsen 356 patienten van 18 tot 45 jaar met traumatische knieklachten. Zij hebben de patienten in twee gelijke groepen gerandomiseerd, waarin de ene helft binnen twee weken na inclusie een MRI-scan kreeg en de andere helft zorg kreeg conform de NHG-Standaard Traumatische knieproblemen. De primaire uitkomstmaten waren quality-adjusted life years (QALY’s), met kosten vanuit een gezondheidszorg- en maatschappelijk perspectief. Resultaten De gemiddelde QALY in de MRI-groep was 0,888 versus 0,899 in de standaardzorggroep (p = 0,255). De gezondheidszorgkosten waren hoger in de MRI-groep (€ 1109) dan in de standaardzorggroep (€ 837) (p = 0,05), voornamelijk door hogere kosten voor de MRI-scan, terwijl het aantal verwijzingen naar de orthopeed niet afnam. Conclusie Een MRI-scan aangevraagd door huisartsen was niet kosteneffectief bij 18- tot 45-jarige patienten met traumatische knieklachten. De MRI-scan leidde tot hogere zorgkosten, zonder verbetering van de kwaliteit van leven.

Objective The suggested high costs of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) hamper the choice of insurance companies and financial regulators for EVAR as the primary option for elective abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. However, arguments used in this debate are impeded by time related aspects such as effect modification and the introduction of confounding by indication, and by asymmetric evaluation of outcomes. Therefore, a re-evaluation minimising the impact of these interferences was considered. Methods A comparative analysis was performed evaluating a period of exclusive open repair (OR; 1998–2000) and a period of established EVAR (2010–2012). Data from four hospitals in The Netherlands were collected to estimate resource use. Actual costs were estimated by benchmark cost prices and a literature review. Costs are reported at 2019 prices. A break even approach, defining the costs for an endovascular device at which cost equivalence for EVAR and OR is achieved, was applied to cope with the large variation in endovascular device costs. Results One hundred and eighty-six patients who underwent elective AAA repair between 1998 and 2000 (OR period) and 195 patients between 2010 and 2012 (EVAR period) were compared. Cost equivalence for OR and EVAR was reached at a break even price for an endovascular device of €13 190. The main cost difference reflected the longer duration of hospital stay (ward and Intensive Care Unit) of OR (€11 644). Re-intervention rates were similar for OR (24.2%) and EVAR (24.6%) (p = .92). Conclusion Cost equivalence for EVAR and OR occurs at a device cost of €13 000 for EVAR. Hence, for most routine repairs, EVAR is not costlier than OR until at least the five year follow up.

Background: Supporting older people with several healthcare needs in sustaining adequate functioning and independence puts a major challenge on the healthcare system. Proactive approaches are needed. Objectice: This study summarizes the (cost-)effectiveness of eight proactive, multidisciplinary,[for full text, please go to the a.m. URL], 51. Kongress für Allgemeinmedizin und Familienmedizin

Background Reduction of blood transfusion in cardiac surgery is an important target. The aim of this study was to investigate the cost-effectiveness of the use of CryoSeal®, an allogeneic single-donor fibrin sealant, in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods This randomized clinical study involved seven cardiac surgery centres in the Netherlands. Patients undergoing elective isolated CABG with the use of at least one internal thoracic artery (ITA) graft were assigned randomly to receive either CryoSeal® (5 ml per ITA bed) or no CryoSeal®. Primary efficacy endpoints were units of transfused red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma and platelet concentrates, and duration of intensive care unit stay. Secondary efficacy endpoints were 48-h blood loss, reoperation for bleeding, mediastinitis, 30-day mortality and duration of hospital stay. Results Between March 2009 and January 2012, 1445 patients were randomized. The intention-to-treat (ITT) population comprised 1436 patients; the per-protocol (PP) population 1292. In both the ITT and the PP analysis, no significant difference between the treatment groups was observed for any of the primary and secondary efficacy endpoints. In addition, no significant difference between the groups was seen in the proportion of transfused patients. Estimated CryoSeal® costs were €822 (95 per cent c.i. €808 to €836) per patient, which translated to €72 000 per avoided transfusion (unbounded 95 per cent c.i.). Conclusion The use of the fibrin sealant CryoSeal® did not result in health benefits. Combined with the high cost per avoided transfusion, this study does not support the implementation of routine CryoSeal® use in elective isolated CABG. Registration number: NTR1386 (http://www.trialregister.nl).

Objective: To assess the relative cost effectiveness of clinical nurse specialist care, inpatient team care, and day patient team care. Methods: Incremental cost effectiveness analysis and cost utility analysis, alongside a prospective randomised controlled trial with two year follow up. Included were patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with increasing difficulty in performing activities of daily living over the previous six weeks. Quality of life and utility were assessed by the Rheumatoid Arthritis Quality of Life questionnaire, the Short Form-6D, a transformed rating scale, and the time tradeoff. A cost-price analysis was conducted to estimate the costs of inpatient and day patient hospitalisations. Other healthcare and non-healthcare costs were estimated from cost questionnaires. Results: 210 patients with RA (75% female, median age 59 years) were included. Aggregated over the two year follow up period, no significant differences were found on the quality of life and utility instruments. The costs of the initial treatment were estimated at €200 for clinical nurse specialist care, €5000 for inpatient team care, and €4100 for day patient team care. Other healthcare costs and non-healthcare costs were not significantly different. The total societal costs did not differ significantly between inpatients and day patients, but were significantly lower for the clinical nurse specialist patients by at least €5400. Conclusions: Compared with inpatient and day patient team care, clinical nurse specialist care was shown to provide equivalent quality of life and utility, at lower costs. Therefore, for patients with health conditions that allow for any of the three types of care, the preferred treatment from a health-economic perspective is the care provided by the clinical nurse specialist.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) fatigue is not being well-managed currently, and evidence of effective interventions is limited. Aerobic exercise may provide benefit to treat fatigue in RA. Therefore, the purpose of this meta-analysis is to analyze the effect of aerobic land-based exercise on fatigue in RA.A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and trial registers to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a supervised land-based aerobic exercise program performed with an intensity between 50% and 90% of maximal heart rate, of at least 15 minutes' duration, performed at least 2 times a week, and lasting for a time period of at least 4 consecutive weeks. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool. A meta-analysis of fatigue outcomes was performed by calculating the standardized mean difference (SMD) using a random-effects model.Five RCTs were included. None of the trials selected patients with RA for having fatigue. Risk of bias was low in 3 RCTs and unclear in 2. Land-based aerobic exercise programs had a positive effect on fatigue in RA compared to no exercise at 12 weeks, SMD -0.31 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] -0.55, -0.06). At 24 weeks, the effect of aerobic land-based exercise was smaller and not statistically significant: SMD -0.15 (95% CI -0.33, 0.02).There is evidence with low risk of bias that an aerobic exercise program is effective in reducing fatigue among patients with RA, especially in the short term; however, effects are small. To substantiate the evidence, RCTs should be performed in patients with RA selected for having fatigue.

Purpose : To answer the question whether a single fraction of radiotherapy that is considered more convenient to the patient is as effective as a dose of multiple fractions for palliation of painful bone metastases. Patients : 1171 patients were randomised to receive either 8Gy×1 ( n =585) or 4Gy×6 ( n =586). The primary tumour was in the breast in 39% of the patients, in the prostate in 23%, in the lung in 25% and in other locations in 13%. Bone metastases were located in the spine (30%), pelvis (36%), femur (10%), ribs (8%), humerus (6%) and other sites (10%). Method : Questionnaires were mailed to collect information on pain, analgesics consumption, quality of life and side effects during treatment. The main endpoint was pain measured on a pain scale from 0 (no pain at all) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). Costs per treatment schedule were estimated. Results : On average, patients participated in the study for 4 months. Median survival was 7 months. Response was defined as a decrease of at least two points as compared to the initial pain score. The difference in response between the two treatment groups proved not significant and stayed well within the margin of 10%. Overall, 71% experienced a response at some time during the first year. An analysis of repeated measures confirmed that the two treatment schedules were equivalent in terms of palliation. With regard to pain medication, quality of life and side effects no differences between the two treatment groups were found. The total number of retreatments was 188 (16%). This number was 147 (25%) in the 8Gy×1 irradiation group and 41 (7%) in the 4Gy×6 group. It was shown that the level of pain was an important reason to retreat. There were also indications that doctors were more willing to retreat patients in the single fraction group because time to retreatment was substantially shorter in this group and the preceding pain score was lower. Unexpectedly, more pathological fractures were observed in the single fraction group, but the absolute percentage was low. In a cost-analysis, the costs of the 4Gy×6 and the 8Gy×1 treatment schedules were calculated at 2305 and 1734Euro respectively. Including the costs of retreatment reduced this 25% cost difference to only 8%. The saving of radiotherapy capacity, however, was considered the major economic advantage of the single dose schedule. Conclusion : The global analysis of the Dutch study indicates the equality of a single fraction as compared to a 6 fraction treatment in patients with painful bone metastases provided that 4 times more retreatments are accepted in the single dose group. This equality is also shown in long term survivors. A more detailed analysis of the study is in progress.

Many cost-of-illness studies have investigated the impact of rheumatoid arthritis on productivity, invariably concluding that productivity costs are high. Different methods exist to value productivity. The human-capital method takes the patient's perspective and counts any hour not worked as an hour lost. By contrast, the friction-cost method takes the employer's perspective, and only counts as lost those hours not worked until another employee takes over the patient's work. Both methods can produce widely different results. Productivity costs have the potential to compensate for the costs of expensive biological agents, but only in early-onset disease when patients still have jobs and if productivity is given full weight by using the human-capital method. If productivity is given less weight by excluding productivity costs or by using the friction-cost method, then currently, biological agents are probably too expensive.

The perception of the seriousness of a false-negative or false-positive diagnosis could influence treatment decision making for carious lesions. In order to investigate this hypothesis, the perceived risk of a complaint at a disciplinary tribunal was used as an indicator of the seriousness of the consequences of treatment decision errors. Using a computer programme for caries diagnosis on radiographs and by means of a questionnaire, was investigated in a group of fourth-year dental students whether their accuracy of treatment decision making for carious lesions was dependent on the perception of the risk of a complaint at a disciplinary tribunal. The perception of the likelihood of complaints does not seem to play a significant role in the accuracy of decision making. However, the students demonstrated unrealistical high risk perceptions of a complaint at a disciplinary tribunal following a treatment decision making error by a false diagnosis of a carious lesion on a bitewing radiograph.

Background The role of clinical nurse specialists in the management of patients with RA is evolving, and their effectiveness in comparison with care provided by a rheumatologist alone has been established. However, controlled studies showing how the effectiveness of clinical nurse specialists compares to that of multi-disciplinary team care, a treatment strategy that is considered to be optimal in chronic disease management, are lacking. Objectives The first aim of the study was to compare the clinical effectiveness of care delivered by a clinical nurse specialist with inpatient team care and day patient team care in patients with RA. The second aim was to determine factors predicting clinical response. Methods A multi-centre, randomised controlled clinical trial including consecutive outpatients with RA and progressive functional limitations over the past 6 weeks. Clinical assessments recorded on study entry, weeks 6, 12, 26 and 52 comprised the HAQ, MACTAR functional index, RAND-36 quality of life questionnaire, health utility rating scale (RS) and DAS. Patients? satisfaction with care was measured on a visual analogue scale. Within-group differences between baseline and follow-up scores were tested with the Wilcoxon signed rank matched-pairs test. Co-variance analysis was used to analyse between-group differences and to determine factors predicting clinical response. Results 210 patients (median age 58 years, median disease duration 1.8 years and median HAQ score 1.25) were included in the study. Within all 3 groups functional status, quality of life, health utility and disease activity improved significantly over time (all P-values Conclusion Care provided by a clinical nurse specialist appears to have a similar clinical outcome in comparison with inpatient and day patient team care in patients with RA. Age was the only factor related to differences in functional outcome between the three treatment groups. The choice of management strategy may, apart from age, further be dependent on the availability of facilities, the preferences of patients and health care providers and on economic considerations.

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of dental students using bitewing radiographs for the diagnosis of dentinal caries with that of general dental practitioners and to establish a bench mark for testing for improvement in diagnostic performance.Fourth year dental students (n=259) viewed bitewing radiographs of 105 proximal tooth surfaces. According to a micro-radiography "gold standard" 45 surfaces had dentine caries. The students were asked to diagnose presence and absence of dentine caries from which, under supervision, they calculated their sensitivity (TPR) and false positive rate (FPR). The students binary diagnostic data was compared with the historical data from a random sample of Dutch dentists (n=273). The Summary Receiver Operating Characteristic (SROC) curve method was used to analyse the data. The two groups were tested for differences in (a) diagnostic odds ratio and (b) the area under the SROC curve.The students mean TPR for dentine caries diagnosis was 67.2% (s.d. 11.8%) and the FPR was 8.3% (s.d. 8.4%). The corresponding values for dentists were: TPR 54.0% (s.d. 14.1%) and FPR 3.1% (s.d. 4.5%). Significantly more dentists (85%) than students (72%, P0.001) had a diagnostic odds ratioor =21. The area under the SROC curve (Az) was 0.8194 for students and 0.8140 for dentists (P=0.70).In our study (i) the students had a higher TPR but also a higher FPR than the dental practitioners, (ii) their overall performance (Az) was similar but (iii) for a clinically relevant population the dental practitioners would out-perform the students in diagnostic performance.