Estimated expenditures for hip fractures using merged healthcare insurance data for individuals aged ≥ 75 years and long-term care insurance claims data in Japan

A cost-effectiveness analysis of three surgical options for treating displaced femoral neck fractures in active older patients in Japan: A full economic evaluation

For older patients with displaced femoral neck fractures, in which primary osteosynthesis is usually not indicated, there are three primary prosthetic options-bipolar hemiarthroplasty (BHA), single-bearing total hip arthroplasty (SB-THA), and dual-mobility THA (DM-THA). However, the optimal choice for managing displaced femoral neck fractures remains controversial. Accordingly, this study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of BHA, SB-THA, and DM-THA in active older patients with displaced femoral neck fractures. A decision tree combined with a Markov model was employed to analyze the cost and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) of BHA, SB-THA, and DM-THA for the management in the Japanese healthcare system. By simulating the five-year trajectory of a 75-year-old woman treated for a displaced femoral neck fracture, the cost-effectiveness of the three surgical options was evaluated. One-way sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) were used to assess parameter uncertainty. Additionally, two scenario analyses were conducted for other settings. The treatment was considered to be cost-effective when the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was below the 5,000,000 yen/QALY threshold. Compared with BHA, SB-THA exhibited higher costs but greater health benefits, resulting in an ICER of 1,499,440 yen/QALY. DM-THA offered additional health benefits compared with SB-THA, with an ICER of 4,145,777 yen/QALY. One-way sensitivity analysis revealed some influential parameters. PSA indicated that the probability of DM-THA, SB-THA, and BHA being cost-effective was 40.1%, 38.5%, and 21.4%, respectively. SB-THA was more cost-effective than BHA in patients aged 65-85 years, while DM-THA was more cost-effective than SB-THA in patients aged 65-75 years. The results suggest that SB-THA is a cost-effective alternative to BHA for displaced femoral neck fractures in active older patients, whereas DM-THA is more cost-effective than SB-THA in relatively younger patients. It is, therefore, recommended that orthopedic surgeons select the most appropriate surgical option based on the individual patient's physiological age.

Association of depressive symptoms with incident fractures: the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study for the Next Generation (JPHC-NEXT)

This 5-year longitudinal study investigated the relationship between depressive symptoms and fracture risk in a large Japanese cohort. Depressive symptoms were a significant risk factor for hip fractures in women.

PURPOSE

A relationship between depressive symptoms and fractures has not been clearly demonstrated. We aimed to investigate the relationship between depressive symptoms and 5-year fracture risk in the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study for the Next Generation.

METHODS

From 2011 to 2016, 114,092 participants were enrolled, and a follow-up survey was conducted 5 years later. We analyzed 30,552 men and 38,063 women aged 40-74 years who had no past fractures at baseline. Presence of depressive symptoms was defined as a modified 11-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale score of 8 or higher, a history of depression, or use of antidepressants. Subjects were asked to report vertebral, upper limb, and/or hip fractures, except for traffic or work accidents, that occurred during the follow-up period. The adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for fracture were analyzed via logistic regression analysis to evaluate the relationship between depressive symptoms and fracture.

RESULTS

Women with depressive symptoms demonstrated a high AOR for hip fractures (AOR: 2.78, 95% CI: 1.30 - 5.92); this result was consistent in post menopause women. In men, this association was not found for any age group or any type of fracture.

CONCLUSIONS

Depressive symptoms in women may increase the risk of hip fractures. Further studies are required to explore this relationship in more detail.

Secondary fracture and mortality risk with very high fracture risk osteoporosis and proximal femoral fracture

INTRODUCTION

We aimed to investigate secondary fracture and mortality rates, and risk factors in patients with proximal femoral fractures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a multicenter prospective cohort study on female patients with proximal femoral fractures who underwent surgical treatment between April 2020 and March 2021. Postoperative follow-ups were performed at 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month intervals to determine the secondary fracture and mortality rates, and the risk factors and its influence were examined.

RESULTS

Of the 279 registered patients, 144 patients (51.6%) were diagnosed with very high fracture risk osteoporosis. The postoperative osteoporosis rate exceeded 96%; however, osteoanabolic agents were used sparingly. The risk factor of both secondary fracture and mortality was very high fracture risk osteoporosis, and secondary fractures within 12 months were markedly occurred. Secondary fracture rates increased as the number of matched very high fracture risk osteoporosis criteria increased. Notably, secondary fractures and mortality were recorded in 21.4% and 23.5% of the patients who met all criteria, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Over half of the female patients with proximal femoral fractures had very high fracture risk osteoporosis. Although, very high fracture risk osteoporosis demonstrated a notably increased risk of secondary fractures, particularly at 12 months post-surgery, the use of osteoanabolic agents was substantially low. Collectively, our findings highlight the need to consider the risk of very high fracture risk osteoporosis, expand the use of medications to include osteoanabolic agents, and reconsider the current healthcare approach for proximal femoral fractures.

Impact of major osteoporotic fractures on the use of healthcare resources in Catalonia, Spain

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the impact of first major osteoporotic fractures (MOF) on health resource use and healthcare expenditures in people aged ≥50 years in Catalonia, Spain.

DESIGN

Observational, retrospective study. The Catalan Health Surveillance System (CHSS) registry was used to obtain sociodemographic, clinical and expenditure data from all public centres in Catalonia (Spain).

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Males and females aged ≥50 years who sustained a first major osteoporotic fracture between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020.

METHODS

Data on admissions to the emergency department, hospitalization and skilled nursing facilities, primary and specialized care visits, nonemergency medical transport, outpatient rehabilitation and pharmacy prescriptions were retrieved for each patient. Monthly and yearly mean usage rates, expenditure in euros (€) and incremental costs one and two years after fracture were calculated.

RESULTS

There were 64,403 patients with first MOF: 47,555 females and 16,848 males with a mean age (standard deviation) of 76.5 (12.0) years. The average annual expenditure increased from €4564 in the year before to €12,331 in the year following a hip fracture. For forearm fractures, the expenditure increased from €2511 to €4251, for vertebral fractures from €4146 to €6659, for pelvic fractures from €4442 to €7124, for humerus fractures from €3058 to €5992, and for multiple fractures from €4598 to €12,028. The average cost for overall fractures experienced a 110.3 % increase. The leading cause of health expenditure in the year following MOF was hospital admission. Expenditure in the second year post-fracture returned to pre-fracture levels. The use of some healthcare resources, especially visits to emergency services, increased in the prefracture month. Male sex, older age and high previous comorbidities were associated with a higher expenditure.

CONCLUSIONS

In people with a first MOF, healthcare expenditure doubled during the first-year post-facture, mostly in relation to inpatient care. The healthcare resource use increased during the previous month. This increase could potentially be attributed to the worsening of pre-existing comorbidities.

Differences in Improvement of Physical Function in Older Adults with Long-Term Care Insurance with and without Falls: A Retrospective Cohort Study

(1) Background: This study examined the differences in changes in physical function with and without falls after daycare use among frail older adults with long-term care insurance (LTCI). (2) Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, 82 of 96 consecutive daycare center users met the inclusion criteria. The participants were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of falls 6-12 months after use. Participant characteristics in the fall and non-fall groups and physical function at baseline and six months in each group were compared. Using analysis of covariance, we analyzed physical function and its changes between the two groups, and cut-off values were calculated using receiver operating characteristic curves. (3) Results: Gait speed, timed up-and-go test, and 30 s chair stand test (CS30) improved significantly over six months in the no-fall group (n = 70) and all participants (n = 82) (p < 0.01). Gait speed in the fall group (n = 12) improved significantly over six months (p = 0.04). The fall group had significantly lower adjusted ΔCS30 scores than the no-fall group (p = 0.03), with a cutoff value of 2 (p = 0.024). (4) Conclusions: In older adults with LTCI, physical function with and without falls after daycare use differed by ΔCS30, with a cutoff value of 2.

Factors associated with non-initiation of osteoporosis pharmacotherapy after hip fracture: analysis of claims data in Japan

In an analysis of claims data from a city in Japan, male patients and patients with dementia were less likely to receive osteoporosis pharmacotherapy after hip fracture. Treatment initiation rate has improved between 2014 and 2017.

PURPOSE

Older adults with recent hip fractures are at a high risk of recurrent fractures. However, the post-fracture care gap has been reported globally. This study examines factors associated with pharmacotherapy non-initiation within 1 year after hip surgery.

METHODS

Using medical and long-term care (LTC) claims, and LTC needs certification data in Tsukuba City, Japan, we identified individuals aged 65 years or older who had hip fractures with subsequent surgical procedures between October 1, 2014, and December 31, 2017. Patient (age, sex, dementia, and comorbidities) and health service-related characteristics (fiscal year, type of hospital, number of hospital beds, and admission to recovery phase rehabilitation wards) were examined. The association of these factors with non-pharmacotherapy for osteoporosis within 1 year after hip fracture using multivariable logistic models was analyzed.

RESULTS

We identified 275 patients with hip fractures who did not receive pharmacotherapy pre-fracture. Forty percent of them received pharmacotherapy within 1 year of post-fracture. Male sex (odds ratio (OR) = 4.49 [2.14-9.44]) and dementia (OR = 1.90 [1.03-3.52]) were associated with no pharmacotherapy, whereas later fiscal year (OR = 0.64 [0.48-0.87]) and admission to rehabilitation wards (OR = 0.25 [0.14-0.46]) were associated with pharmacotherapy initiation within 1 year of post-fracture. Comorbidities were not associated with the initiation of pharmacotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Pharmacotherapy for osteoporosis was less likely to be initiated after a hip fracture in male patients and patients with dementia. These patients should be considered for pharmacotherapy because they are at high risk of recurrent fractures.

Eleven years secular trend of the initiation of anti-osteoporosis medications and subsequent fractures in Taiwan: From 2008 to 2018

BACKGROUND

Osteoporosis is a common metabolic bone disease that benefits from many newly developed anti-osteoporosis medications (AOMs). Reimbursement policies need to allocate medical budgets properly based on evidence-based data. This study aimed to investigate the 11-year secular trend, focusing on older age and males in this adjustment wave of the National Health Insurance reimbursement.

METHODS

We adopted a nationwide cohort from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD). Patients undergoing newly initiated AOMs from 2008 to 2018 were included. The AOMs in this study included denosumab, zoledronate, ibandronate, alendronate, raloxifene, and risedronate. Patients <50 years, pathological fractures, missing data, and two AOMs prescribed were excluded. The real-world trends related to subsequent fragility fracture and death within 1 and 3 years were used to evaluate the potential effects due to revision of reimbursement policies.

RESULTS

Of 393,092 patients, among them, 336,229 patients met the criteria, whose mean age ranged from 73.3 to 74.4 years, and nearly 80% were female. Further analysis showed a steady increase of AOMs from 5567 (17.1%) and 8802 (27.0%) in 2008-6697 (18.3%) and 10,793 (29.5%) in 2018 for males and 80+ years respectively. The subsequent fragility fracture within one and three years post AOMs initiation was 5.81% and 11.80% in 2018.

CONCLUSION

This study showed an immediate drop in AOMs prescription after the implementation of a new stricter reimbursement policy. It took 5 years to return the annual prescription number.

Prevalence of osteoporosis and incidence of related fractures in developed economies in the Asia Pacific region: a systematic review

Robust data on osteoporosis in the Asia Pacific region could improve healthcare decision-making. Osteoporosis affects 10-30% of women aged 40 + , and up to 10% of men in 7 developed economies in Asia Pacific. Fractures affect 500-1000 adults aged 50 + per 100,000 person-years. Policymakers and clinicians must address this problem.

PURPOSE

Osteoporosis and associated fractures result in considerable morbidity, loss of productivity, early mortality, and increased healthcare expenses. Many countries in the Asia Pacific (AP) region, especially middle- and higher-income economies, are faced with aging and increasingly sedentary populations. It is critical to consolidate and analyze the available information on the prevalence and incidence of the disease in these countries.

METHODS

We systematically reviewed articles and gray literature for Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. We searched PubMed, ScienceDirect, JSTOR, Cochrane, Google Scholar, and other databases for data published 2009-2018. We included articles with prevalence or incidence estimates for adults with osteoporosis or related fractures.

RESULTS

All locations had data available, but of widely varying quantity and quality. Most estimates for osteoporosis prevalence ranged from 10 to 30% for women ages 40 and older, and up to 10% for men. Osteoporotic fracture incidence typically ranged between 500 and 1000 per 100,000 person-years among adults aged 50 and older. Both outcomes typically increased with age and were more common among women.

CONCLUSION

Osteoporosis and associated fractures affect significant portions of the adult population in developed economies in the AP region. Governments and healthcare systems must consider how best to prevent and diagnose osteoporosis, and manage affected individuals, to reduce healthcare costs and mortality associated with fractures.

Prevalence of Cervical Canal Stenosis in Patients with Femoral Fracture: A Retrospective Single-Center Study

Introduction

Cervical spine surgery reduces falls and subsequent femoral fractures. Nonetheless, current evidence on the prevalence of cervical cord compression (CCC) and increased signal intensity (ISI) in patients with femoral fractures is limited. We aimed to determine the prevalence of CCC and ISI and characterize the physical status and imaging findings using cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and brain computed tomography (CT) in patients with femoral fractures.

Methods

This study included 173 patients (140 women, 33 men) with femoral fractures caused by falling, who underwent both cervical spine MRI and brain CT. CCC cases classified as grade 2 (compression of less than one-third of the spinal cord) or higher were investigated. The ISI of the severely affected intervertebral disc level was evaluated using T2-weighted MRI. Hand grip strength and myelopathic signs were also evaluated. Data analysis was performed using the χ² test, Fisher's exact test, and Student's t-test.

Results

Among the 173 patients, 83 (48.0%) had CCC, 29 (16.8%) had ISI, and 68 (39.3%) had abnormal brain CT findings. There was no ISI in patients in the non-CCC group. The patients' average age in the CCC group was significantly higher than that in the non-CCC group. There was no significant difference in the proportion of myelopathic sign and abnormal brain CT findings between the CCC and non-CCC groups or between the ISI and non-ISI groups. Bilateral hand grip strength was significantly negatively correlated with the stenosis rate (right, p=0.047; left, p=0.0018).

Conclusions

In conclusion, our study showed that patients with femoral fractures had a high frequency of cervical canal stenosis and intracranial lesions using cervical spine MRI and brain CT.

Medical expenditures for fragility hip fracture in Japan: a study using the nationwide health insurance claims database

Using the nationwide health insurance claims database in Japan, we estimated total annual medical expenditures for fragility hip fracture across the population at 329.2 billion yen (2.99 billion US dollars). Long-term care expenditures were not included. Fragility hip fracture imposes a considerable health economic burden on society in Japan.

PURPOSE

Fragility hip fracture imposes a substantial health economic burden on society globally. We aimed to estimate medical expenditures for fragility hip fracture using the nationwide health insurance claims database in Japan.

METHODS

We included adults aged 60 and over without prior hip fracture who were admitted for fragility hip fracture (i.e., femoral neck or extracapsular) between October 2014 and October 2015 (13 months). Fragility hip fracture was identified through newly assigned disease codes for fracture and procedure codes associated with the fracture. As a proxy for medical expenditures per patient, incremental payments were calculated (i.e., the difference between the total payments 6 months before and after fragility hip fracture). The total payments included health insurance reimbursements and copayments for inpatient and outpatient services. Long-term care expenditures were not included in this study.

RESULTS

We identified 142,361 individuals (28,868 male and 113,493 female) with fragility hip fracture. Mean medical expenditures for fragility hip fracture per patient were 2,550,000 yen (¥) (23,180 US dollars [$]; ¥110 = $1) in male and ¥2,494,000 ($22,670) in female patients, respectively. Total annual medical expenditures for fragility hip fracture across the population were 329.2 billion yen (2.99 billion US dollars): 67.96 billion yen (620 million US dollars) in male and 261.24 billion yen (2.37 billion US dollars) in female patients, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This is the first study to estimate medical expenditures for hip fracture using the nationwide health insurance claims database, which represents almost all health insurance claims in Japan. Fragility hip fracture inflicts a considerable health economic burden on society in Japan.

Transitional and Long-Term Care System in Japan and Current Challenges for Stroke Patient Rehabilitation

In Japan, the national medical insurance system and long-term care insurance (LTCI) system cover rehabilitation therapy for patients with acute, convalescent, and chronic stroke. Medical insurance covers early and multidisciplinary rehabilitation therapy during acute phase hospitalizations. Patients requiring assistance in their activities of daily living (ADL) after hospitalization are transferred to kaifukuki (convalescent) rehabilitation wards (KRW), which the medical insurance system has also covered. In these wards, patients can receive intensive and multidisciplinary rehabilitation therapy to improve their ADL and transition to a smooth home discharge. After discharge from these hospitals, elderly patients with stroke can receive outpatient (day-care) rehabilitation and home-based rehabilitation using the LTCI system. The Japanese government has proposed building a community-based integrated care system by 2025 to provide comprehensive medical services, long-term care, preventive care, housing, and livelihood support for patients. This policy aims to promote smooth coordination between medical insurance services and LTCI providers. Accordingly, the medical insurance system allows hospitals to receive additional fees by providing patient information to rehabilitation service providers in the LTCI system. A comprehensive database on acute, convalescent, and chronic phase stroke patients and seamless cooperation between the medical care system and LTCI system is expected to be established in the future. There are only 2,613 board-certified physiatrists in Japan, and many medical schools lack a department for rehabilitation medicine; establishing such a department at each school is encouraged to teach students efficient medical care procedures, to conduct research, and to facilitate the training of personnel in comprehensive stroke rehabilitation.

Cost effectiveness of romosozumab versus teriparatide for severe postmenopausal osteoporosis in Japan

This study assessed the cost effectiveness of romosozumab versus teriparatide, both sequenced to alendronate, for the treatment of severe postmenopausal osteoporosis in Japan, using bone mineral density (BMD) efficacy data. Results show that romosozumab/alendronate produces greater health benefits at a lower cost than teriparatide/alendronate.

INTRODUCTION

This study aims to assess the cost effectiveness of romosozumab versus teriparatide, both sequenced to alendronate, for the treatment of severe postmenopausal osteoporosis in Japanese women previously treated with bisphosphonates.

METHODS

A Markov model was used to assess the relative cost effectiveness of 1 year of romosozumab versus 2 years of teriparatide, both sequenced to alendronate for a total treatment duration of 5 years. Outcomes for a cohort of women with a mean age of 78 years, a T-score ≤-2.5 and a previous fragility fracture were simulated over a lifetime horizon. The analysis was conducted from the perspective of the Japanese healthcare system and used a discount rate of 2% per annum. To inform relative fracture incidence, the bone mineral density (BMD) advantage of romosozumab over teriparatide was translated into relative risks of fracture, using relationships provided by a meta-regression of osteoporosis therapy trials. Outcomes were assessed in terms of lifetime costs (2020 US dollars) and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).

RESULTS

Base case results showed that, compared with teriparatide/alendronate, romosozumab/alendronate reduced costs by $5134 per patient and yielded 0.045 additional QALYs. Scenario analyses and probabilistic sensitivity analysis confirmed that results are robust to uncertainty in model assumptions and inputs.

CONCLUSION

Results show that romosozumab/alendronate produces greater health benefits at a lower total cost than teriparatide/alendronate.

The use of Japanese long-term care insurance claims in health services research: current status and perspectives

This study aims to evaluate the current status and perspectives on the use of Japanese long-term care (LTC) claims databases for research. We conducted a comprehensive literature search of PubMed and the Japan Medical Abstracts Society (Ichushi-Web), focusing on LTC claims data analyses published between 2000 and 2020. We summarized the study characteristics, database characteristics, and the research areas related to health services that were studied. In total, 86 journal articles (12 in Japanese and 74 in English) were included in our review. A particularly remarkable increase in the number of publications from 2016 to 2020 was observed. We extracted more publications with combined databases (n = 64) than those that only used a single source of the LTC claims databases (n = 22). More than half of the studies analyzed healthcare expenditure, healthcare utilization, and quality of care which were relevant to health services research. The most frequently mentioned limitation was the lack of validation in variables stored in the LTC claims databases. In conclusion, the LTC claims databases could serve as important sources of information for the evaluation of healthcare delivery, quality of care, and LTC policy.

Individual and regional determinants of long-term care expenditure in Japan: evidence from national long-term care claims

BACKGROUND

Japan, with the oldest population in the world, faces a financial challenge caused by rising long-term care (LTC) expenditure. For policymakers to address this, it is important that we have a better understanding of how individual and regional characteristics affect LTC expenditure.

METHODS

We linked national LTC insurance (LTCI) claim data, covering the entire population who used LTCI services in Japan, with municipality data on an individual level. Individuals 65 years and older (n=3 876 068) who had used LTCI benefits at least once in the fiscal year (FY) 2016 were included. We examined the associations of individual and municipality characteristics regarding supply and demand of healthcare with the LTC expenditures on facility care, home and community care, and total care (the sum of both types of care), after adjusting for regional differences in LTC extra charges.

RESULTS

The following variables were associated with higher total expenditure; at the individual level: female, a higher care-need level, a lower income (0% co-payments) or a facility service user; at the municipality level: municipalities locating in metropolitan areas, with a higher proportion of single elderly households, more doctors per 1000 citizens, more nursing homes per 100 000 LTC benefit users or more outpatient medical spending per citizen ≥75 years old.

CONCLUSIONS

As we are able to identify several individual and municipality characteristics associated with higher LTC expenditure in Japan, the study offers insights into dealing with the rapidly growing LTC expenditure.

Effect of Care Rehabilitation on Medical Expenses, Care Costs, and Total Costs of Elderly Individuals with Parkinson's Disease

The fast-growing prevalence of Parkinson's disease (PD) creates a heavy burden for society and the health care system. Although different ways to mitigate the economic burden of PD have been discussed in the literature, including several effective treatments, few studies have paid attention to the effect of care rehabilitation (CR) on PD costs over a long-term care period. This study tracked medical expenses, care costs, and total costs of elderly individuals with PD for 3 years based on medical claims data merged with long-term care insurance (LTCI) claims data, and determined whether CR reduced PD costs. Using a retrospective, longitudinal cohort design, 3950 elderly individuals with PD who received LTCI services from April 2014 to March 2017 in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan were followed. PD costs were compared between the CR group and the non-CR group, and a hierarchical linear model was used to examine whether CR was associated with medical expenses, care costs, and total costs. The mean value of total costs in fiscal years 2014, 2015, and 2016 were ¥3,124,944 (US$29,504), ¥3,328,398 (US$31,425), and ¥3,615,892 (US$34,140), respectively. In a hierarchical linear model, CR alone was not associated with medical expenses and care costs; additionally, CR had a positive association with higher total costs. However, the interaction term between CR and baseline care needs level significantly reduced care costs and total costs. That indicates that if older PD patients with higher care needs level receive CR, their care costs and total costs will be reduced. Further research is needed to clarify how CR reduces these patients' costs.

Long-term prognosis of enteral feeding and parenteral nutrition in a population aged 75 years and older: a population-based cohort study

Background

Enteral feeding and parenteral nutrition (PN) using gastrostomy (GS) and a nasogastric tube feeding (NGT) and PN should be initiated for older patients based on their prognoses. This study aimed to investigate the long-term prognosis of patients aged ≥75 years who underwent enteral feeding via GS and NGT as well as PN.

Methods

A population-based cohort study was conducted using Japan’s universal health insurance claims in the Nara Prefecture. This study enrolled 3,548 patients aged ≥75 years who received GS (N=770), NGT (N=2,370), and PN (N=408) during hospital admissions between April 2014 and March 2016. The GS group was further categorized into secondary GS (N=400) with preceding NGT or PN within 365 days and primary GS (N=370) without preceding NGT or PN groups. In the secondary GS group, 356 (96%) patients received NGT (versus PN). The outcome was mortality within 730 days after receiving GS, NGT, and PN. Cox regression analyses in cases with or without malignant diseases, adjusted for sex, age, comorbidity, and hospital type, were performed to compare mortality in the groups.

Results

Of the 3,548 participants, 2,384 (67%) died within 730 days after the initiation of GS and NGT and PN. The 2-year mortality rates in the secondary GS, primary GS, NGT, and PN groups were 58%, 66%, 68%, and 83% in patients without malignancies and 67%, 71%, 74%, and 87% in those with malignancies, respectively. In the non-malignant group, Cox regression analysis revealed that secondary GS (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.34–0.54), primary GS (HR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.40–0.64), and NGT (HR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.58-0.87) were statistically significantly associated with lower mortality compared with PN.

Conclusions

Approximately 58% to 87% patients aged ≥75 years died within 730 days after initiation of nutrition through GS, NGT, or PN. Patients with non-malignant diseases who received secondary GS exhibited better 2-year prognosis than those who received NGT or PN. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the effectiveness and limitations of enteral feeding and PN when considering their initiation.

Cost-effectiveness of sequential daily teriparatide/weekly alendronate compared with alendronate monotherapy for older osteoporotic women with prior vertebral fracture in Japan

Using a Markov microsimulation model among hypothetical cohorts of community-dwelling older osteoporotic Japanese women with prior vertebral fracture over a lifetime horizon, we found that daily subcutaneous teriparatide for 2 years followed by weekly oral alendronate for 8 years was not cost-effective compared with alendronate monotherapy for 10 years.

PURPOSE

Teriparatide has proven efficacy in reducing osteoporotic fractures, but with substantial cost. We examined the cost-effectiveness of sequential teriparatide/alendronate (i.e., daily subcutaneous teriparatide for 2 years followed by weekly oral alendronate for 8 years) compared with alendronate monotherapy for 10 years among community-dwelling older osteoporotic women with prior clinical or morphometric vertebral fracture in Japan.

METHODS

Using a previously validated and updated Markov microsimulation model, we obtained incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (Japanese yen [¥] (or US dollars [$]) per quality-adjusted life year [QALY]) from the perspective of a single payer responsible for both public healthcare and long-term care. We assumed a lifetime horizon with a willingness-to-pay of ¥5million (or $47,500) per QALY in the base case. We modeled the cost of biosimilar teriparatide, which has been available since November 2019 in Japan, assuming the efficacy was the same as that of the brand version.

RESULTS

In the base case, sequential teriparatide/alendronate was not cost-effective compared with alendronate monotherapy. In deterministic sensitivity analyses, sequential teriparatide/alendronate would become cost-effective with 85%, 50%, and 15% price discounts to teriparatide at ages 70, 75, and 80, respectively, compared to the current biosimilar cost. Otherwise, results were especially sensitive to changes that affected efficacy of teriparatide or alendronate. In probabilistic sensitivity analyses, the probabilities of sequential teriparatide/alendronate being cost-effective were 0%, 1%, and 37% at ages 70, 75, and 80, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Among high-risk osteoporotic women in Japan, sequential teriparatide/alendronate was not cost-effective compared with alendronate monotherapy, even with the availability of biosimilar teriparatide.

Cost-effectiveness of zoledronic acid compared with sequential denosumab/alendronate for older osteoporotic women in Japan

Among hypothetical cohorts of older osteoporotic women without prior fragility fracture in Japan, we evaluated the cost-effectiveness of two treatment strategies using a simulation model. Annual intravenous zoledronic acid for 3 years was cost-saving compared with biannual subcutaneous denosumab for 3 years followed by weekly oral alendronate for 3 years.

PURPOSE

Osteoporosis constitutes a major medical and health economic burden to society worldwide. Injectable treatments for osteoporosis require less frequent administration than oral treatments and therefore have higher persistence and adherence with treatment, which could explain better efficacy for fracture prevention. Although annual intravenous zoledronic acid and biannual subcutaneous denosumab are available, it remains unclear which treatment strategy represents a better value from a health economic perspective. Accordingly, we examined the cost-effectiveness of zoledronic acid for 3 years compared with sequential denosumab/alendronate (i.e., denosumab for 3 years followed by oral weekly alendronate for 3 years, making the total treatment duration 6 years) among hypothetical cohorts of community-dwelling osteoporotic women without prior fragility fracture in Japan at ages 65, 70, 75, or 80 years.

METHODS

Using a previously validated and updated Markov microsimulation model, we obtained incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (Japanese yen [¥] (or US dollars [$]) per quality-adjusted life-year [QALY]) from the public healthcare and long-term care payer's perspective over a lifetime horizon with a willingness-to-pay of ¥5 million (or $47,500) per QALY.

RESULTS

In the base case, zoledronic acid was cost-saving (i.e., more effective and less expensive) compared with sequential denosumab/alendronate. In deterministic sensitivity analyses, results were sensitive to changes in the efficacy of zoledronic acid or the cumulative persistence rate with zoledronic acid or denosumab. In probabilistic sensitivity analyses, the probabilities of zoledronic acid being cost-effective were 98-100%.

CONCLUSIONS

Among older osteoporotic women without prior fragility fracture in Japan, zoledronic acid was cost-saving compared with sequential denosumab/alendronate.

Age-dependent influence of premorbid underweight status on mortality in severe burn patients: An administrative database study

PURPOSE

To examine the associations between premorbid nutritional status and in-hospital mortality in severe burn patients according to age in Japan.

METHODS

We retrospectively extracted the data of 14,345 patients aged 18-84 years admitted for burns from April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2018, using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database. The exclusion criteria were out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, death in the emergency room, readmission, and planned admission. We collected data on age, sex, height, weight, comorbidities, burn index, and mechanical ventilation use and performed age-stratified multilevel logistic regression analyses to estimate associations between premorbid body mass index (BMI) and in-hospital mortality.

RESULTS

We analyzed 2968 patients with a burn index ≥10, including 831 elderly aged 75-84 years. In patients aged 18-74 years, being underweight (BMI < 18.5) significantly decreased mortality (0.34 [0.15-0.77]; P = 0.010). In contrast, in patients aged 75-84 years, being underweight significantly increased mortality (2.11 [1.05-4.25]; P = 0.036). Being overweight (BMI >25) increased mortality in both age groups, but not significantly.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that pre-morbidly underweight elderly patients aged 75-84 years with severe burns have high mortality risks. Further research is needed to identify optimal care strategies for this population.

The associations of multimorbidity with the sum of annual medical and long-term care expenditures in Japan

BACKGROUND

The occurrence of multimorbidity (i.e., the coexistence of multiple chronic diseases) increases with age in older adults and is a growing concern worldwide. Multimorbidity has been reported to be a driving factor in the increase of medical expenditures in OECD countries. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no published research that has examined the associations between multimorbidity and either long-term care (LTC) expenditure or the sum of medical and LTC expenditures worldwide. We, therefore, aimed to examine the associations of multimorbidity with the sum of medical and LTC expenditures for older adults in Japan.

METHODS

Medical insurance claims data for adults ≥75 years were merged with LTC insurance claims data from Kashiwa city, a suburb in the Tokyo metropolitan area, for the period between April 2012 and September 2013 to obtain an estimate of medical and LTC expenditures. We also calculated the 2011 updated and reweighted version of the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) scores. Then, we performed multiple generalized linear regressions to examine the associations of CCI scores (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or ≥ 5) with the sum of annual medical and LTC expenditures, adjusting for age, sex, and household income level.

RESULTS

The mean sum of annual medical and LTC expenditures was ¥1,086,000 (US$12,340; n = 30,042). Medical and LTC expenditures accounted for 66 and 34% of the sum, respectively. Every increase in one unit of the CCI scores was associated with a ¥257,000 (US$2920); 95% Confidence Interval: ¥242,000, 271,000 (US$2750, 3080) increase in the sum of the expenditures (p < 0.001; n = 29,915).

CONCLUSIONS

Using a merged medical and LTC claims dataset, we found that greater CCI scores were associated with a higher sum of annual medical and LTC expenditures for older adults. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the associations of multimorbidity with LTC expenditures or the sum of medical and LTC expenditures worldwide. Our study indicated that the economic burden on society caused by multimorbidity could be better evaluated by the sum of medical and LTC expenditures, rather than medical expenditures alone.