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Ng CA, De Abreu Lourenco R, Viney R, Norman R, King MT, Kim N, Mulhern B. Valuing quality of life for economic evaluations in cancer: navigating multiple methods. Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res 2024:1-14. [PMID: 39158365 DOI: 10.1080/14737167.2024.2393332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Utility values offer a quantitative means to evaluate the impact of novel cancer treatments on patients' quality of life (QoL). However, the multiple methods available for valuing QoL present challenges in selecting the most appropriate method across different contexts. AREAS COVERED This review provides cancer clinicians and researchers with an overview of methods to value QoL for economic evaluations, including standalone and derived preference-based measures (PBMs) and direct preference elicitation methods. Recent developments are described, including the comparative performance of cancer-specific PBMs versus generic PBMs, measurement of outcomes beyond health-related QoL, and increased use of discrete choice experiments to elicit preferences. Recommendations and considerations are provided to guide the choice of method for cancer research. EXPERT OPINION We foresee continued adoption of the QLU-C10D and FACT-8D in cancer clinical trials given the extensive use of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and FACT-G in cancer research. While these cancer-specific PBMs offer the convenience of eliciting utility values without needing a standalone PBM, researchers should consider potential limitations if they intend to substitute them for generic PBMs. As the field advances, there is a greater need for consensus on the approach to selection and integration of various methods in cancer clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie-Anne Ng
- Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Richard De Abreu Lourenco
- Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rosalie Viney
- Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Richard Norman
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Madeleine T King
- School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nancy Kim
- Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Brendan Mulhern
- Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Rodríguez-Campos L, Andres Rodriguez-Lesmes P, Palomino Cancino A, Del Valle Díaz I, Fernando Gamboa L, Castillo Niuman A, Sebastián Salas J, Sarmiento G, Martínez-Bernal J, González-Vélez AE. Cost-utility analysis of a palliative care program in Colombia. BMC Palliat Care 2024; 23:165. [PMID: 38970056 PMCID: PMC11227163 DOI: 10.1186/s12904-024-01476-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The economic assessment of health care models in palliative care promotes their global development. The purpose of the study is to assess the cost-effectiveness of a palliative care program (named Contigo) with that of conventional care from the perspective of a health benefit plan administrator company, Sanitas, in Colombia. METHODS The incremental cost-utility ratio (ICUR) and the incremental net monetary benefit (INMB) were estimated using micro-costing in a retrospective, analytical cross-sectional study on the care of terminally ill patients enrolled in a palliative care program. A 6-month time horizon prior to death was used. The EQ-5D-3 L questionnaire (EQ-5D-3 L) and the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (MQOL) were used to measure the quality of life. RESULTS The study included 43 patients managed within the program and 16 patients who received conventional medical management. The program was less expensive than the conventional practice (difference of 1,924.35 US dollars (USD), P = 0.18). When compared to the last 15 days, there is a higher perception of quality of life, which yielded 0.25 in the EQ-5D-3 L (p < 0.01) and 1.55 in the MQOL (P < 0.01). The ICUR was negative and the INMB was positive. CONCLUSION Because the Contigo program reduces costs while improving quality of life, it is considered to be net cost-saving and a model with value in health care. Greater availability of palliative care programs, such as Contigo, in Colombia can help reduce existing gaps in access to universal palliative care health coverage, resulting in more cost-effective care.
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Grants
- 143580764115 Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación of Colombia
- 143580764115 Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación of Colombia
- 143580764115 Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación of Colombia
- 143580764115 Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación of Colombia
- 143580764115 Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación of Colombia
- 143580764115 Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación of Colombia
- 143580764115 Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación of Colombia
- 143580764115 Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación of Colombia
- 143580764115 Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación of Colombia
- 143580764115 Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación of Colombia
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Rodríguez-Campos
- Pain and Palliative Medicine. Home Primary Care Unit, Centros Médicos Colsanitas, Calle 163A # 22 08, Bogotá, Colombia.
| | | | - Analhi Palomino Cancino
- National Medical Coordinator Palliative Care Program, Sanitas Health Insurance, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Iris Del Valle Díaz
- Medical Director Primary Home Care Unit, Centros Médicos Colsanitas, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Luis Fernando Gamboa
- Epidemiology. Division of Planning, Evaluation, and Knowledge Management, Sanitas CREA, Sanitas Health Insurance, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Andrea Castillo Niuman
- Division of Planning, Evaluation, and Knowledge Management, Sanitas CREA, Sanitas Health Insurance, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juan Sebastián Salas
- Internal Medicine Postgraduate Training, Fundación Universitaria Sanitas, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Gabriela Sarmiento
- Pain and Palliative Medicine. Home Primary Care Unit, Centros Médicos Colsanitas, Calle 163A # 22 08, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Abel E González-Vélez
- Preventive Medicine and Public Health medical specialist, Teacher and Researcher Professional of Medicine Department, Universidad de Deusto, Bilbao, Spain
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Muishout G, El Amraoui A, Wiegers GA, van Laarhoven HWM. Muslim Jurisprudence on Withdrawing Treatment from Incurable Patients: A Directed Content Analysis of the Papers of the Islamic Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League. JOURNAL OF RELIGION AND HEALTH 2024; 63:1230-1267. [PMID: 36446918 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-022-01700-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This study investigates the views of contemporary Muslim jurists about withdrawing treatment of the terminally ill. Its aim is threefold. Firstly, it analyses jurists' views concerning core themes within the process of withdrawing treatment. Secondly, it provides insight into fatwas about withdrawing treatment. Thirdly, it compares these views with current medical standards in Europe and the Atlantic world on withdrawing treatment. The data consisted of six papers by Muslim jurists presented at the conference of the Islamic Fiqh Council in 2015. We conducted a directed content analysis (DCA) through a predetermined framework and compiled an overview of all previous fatwas referred to in the papers, which are also analysed. The results show that the general consensus is that if health cannot be restored, treatment may be withdrawn at the request of the patient and/or his family or on the initiative of the doctor. The accompanying fatwa emphasizes the importance of life-prolonging treatment if this does not harm the patient. It becomes apparent in the fatwa that the doctor has the monopoly in decision-making, which is inconsistent with current medical standards in Europe. Managing disclosure in view of the importance of maintaining the hope of Muslim patients may challenge the doctor's obligation to share a diagnosis with them.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Muishout
- Department of History, European Studies and Religious Studies, Amsterdam School for Historical Studies, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | | | - Gerard Albert Wiegers
- Department of History, European Studies and Religious Studies, Amsterdam School for Historical Studies, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hanneke Wilma Marlies van Laarhoven
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Minimally Invasive Bleb Surgery for Glaucoma: A Health Technology Assessment. ONTARIO HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT SERIES 2024; 24:1-151. [PMID: 38332948 PMCID: PMC10849035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Background Glaucoma is the term for a group of eye disorders that causes progressive damage to the optic nerve, which can lead to visual impairment and, potentially, irreversible blindness. Minimally invasive bleb surgery (MIBS) reduces eye pressure through the implantation of a device that creates a new subconjunctival outflow pathway for eye fluid drainage. MIBS is a less invasive alternative to conventional/incisional glaucoma surgery (e.g., trabeculectomy). We conducted a health technology assessment of MIBS for people with glaucoma, which included an evaluation of effectiveness, safety, the budget impact of publicly funding MIBS, and patient preferences and values. Methods We performed a systematic literature search of the clinical evidence. We assessed the risk of bias of each included study using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 1.0 tool for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and the Risk of Bias Assessment tool for Nonrandomized Studies (RoBANS) for comparative observational studies, and the quality of the body of evidence according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Working Group criteria. We conducted an economic literature search and we estimated the budget impact of publicly funding MIBS in Ontario. We did not conduct a primary economic evaluation due to the limited long-term effectiveness data. We summarized the preferences and values evidence from previous health technology assessments to understand the perspectives and experiences of patients with glaucoma. Results We included 41 studies (2 RCTs and 39 comparative observational studies) in the clinical evidence review. MIBS may reduce intraocular pressure and the number of medications used, but we are uncertain if MIBS results in outcomes similar to trabeculectomy (GRADE: Moderate to Very low). Compared with trabeculectomy, MIBS may result in fewer follow-up visits and interventions, and adverse events (GRADE: Moderate to Very Low). MIBS may also reduce intraocular pressure and the number of antiglaucoma medications used, compared with other glaucoma treatments, but the evidence is uncertain (GRADE: Very low). Our economic evidence review identified two directly applicable studies. The results of these studies indicate that the cost-effectiveness of MIBS is highly uncertain, and the cost of glaucoma interventions are likely to vary across provinces. The annual budget impact of publicly funding MIBS in Ontario ranged from $0.11 million in year 1 to $0.67 million in year 5, for a total 5-year budget impact estimate of $1.93 million. Preferences and values evidence suggests that fear of ultimate blindness and difficulty managing medication for glaucoma led patients to explore other treatment options such as MIBS. Glaucoma patients found minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) procedure beneficial, with minimal side effects and recovery time. Conclusions Minimally invasive bleb surgery reduces intraocular eye pressure and the number of antiglaucoma medications needed, but we are uncertain if the outcomes are similar to trabeculectomy (GRADE: Moderate to Very low). However, MIBS may be safer than trabeculectomy (GRADE: Moderate to Very low) and result in fewer follow-ups (GRADE: Moderate to Very low). MIBS may also improve glaucoma symptoms compared with other glaucoma treatments, but the evidence is very uncertain (GRADE: Very low).We estimate that publicly funding MIBS would result in an additional cost of $1.93 million over 5 years. Patients who underwent MIGS procedures found them to be generally successful and beneficial, with minimal side effects and recovery time. We could not draw conclusions about specific MIBS procedures or long-term outcomes.
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Intrathecal Drug Delivery Systems for Cancer Pain: A Health Technology Assessment. ONTARIO HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT SERIES 2024; 24:1-162. [PMID: 38344326 PMCID: PMC10855886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Background Pain is a common and very distressing symptom for adults and children with cancer. Compared with other routes of delivery, infusing pain medication directly into the intrathecal space around the spinal cord may reduce the incidence of systemic side effects and allow for more rapid and effective pain relief. We conducted a health technology assessment of intrathecal drug delivery systems (IDDSs) for adults and children with cancer pain, which included an evaluation of effectiveness, safety, cost-effectiveness, the budget impact of publicly funding IDDSs, patient preferences and values, and ethical considerations. Methods We performed a systematic literature search of the clinical evidence to retrieve systematic reviews, and we selected and reported results from 2 recent reviews that were relevant to our research questions. We complemented the chosen systematic reviews with a literature search to identify primary studies published after December 2020. We used the Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews (ROBIS) tool to assess the risk of bias of each included systematic review. We assessed the quality of the body of evidence according to the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Working Group criteria. We performed a systematic economic literature search and conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing IDDSs with standard care (i.e., non-IDDS methods of pain management) from a public payer perspective. We also analyzed the budget impact of publicly funding IDDSs in Ontario. To contextualize the potential value of IDDSs, we spoke with patients with cancer pain and with caregivers of patients with cancer pain. We explored ethical considerations from a review of published literature on the use of IDDSs for the management of cancer pain in adults and children as well as a review of the other components of this health technology assessment to identify ethical considerations relevant to the Ontario context. Results We included 2 systematic reviews (1 on adults and 1 on children) in the clinical evidence review. In adults with cancer pain who have a life expectancy greater than 6 months, intrathecal drug delivery was associated with a significant reduction in pain intensity compared with before implantation up to a 1-year follow-up (GRADE: Moderate to Low). Improved pain management appeared to be maintained beyond a 4-week follow-up. IDDSs likely decrease the use of systemic opioids (GRADE: Moderate to Low). They may also improve health-related quality of life (GRADE: Low), functional outcomes (GRADE: Low), and survival (GRADE: Low to Very low). In children with cancer pain, IDDSs may reduce pain intensity, improve functional outcomes, and improve survival, but the evidence is very uncertain (all GRADEs: Very low). IDDS implantation carries certain rare risks related to mechanical errors, drug-related side effects, and surgical complications. There are inherent limitations in conducting research in patients with refractory cancer pain; therefore, it is unlikely that higher-quality evidence will emerge in the next few years. Our primary economic evaluation found that IDDSs are more effective and more costly than standard care. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of IDDSs compared with standard care is $57,314 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained. The probability of IDDSs being cost-effective versus standard care is 43.46% at a willingness-to-pay of $50,000 per QALY gained and 72.54% at a willingness-to-pay of $100,000 per QALY gained. Publicly funding IDDSs in Ontario would cost an additional $0.27 million per year, for a total of $1.34 million over the next 5 years. The patients with cancer pain and caregivers with whom we spoke described the debilitating nature of cancer pain and the difficulty of finding effective pain management options. Patients with experience of an IDDS spoke of its effectiveness and its positive impact on their quality of life and mental health. Implementing IDDSs for patients with cancer pain raises several ethical and equity considerations related to the experiences and management of cancer pain, how limitations in evidence may entail uncertainties in clinical and health system decision-making, as well as clinical, geographic, and health system access barriers. Conclusions Intrathecal drug delivery likely reduces pain intensity and decreases the use of systemic opioids in adults with cancer pain who have a life expectancy greater than 6 months. It may also improve health-related quality of life, functional outcomes, and survival, although the evidence for survival is very uncertain. The clinical evidence in children with cancer pain is very uncertain. IDDS implantation is reasonably safe. Intrathecal drug delivery is more effective and more costly than standard care. We estimate that funding IDDSs in Ontario will result in additional costs of $0.27 million per year, for a total of $1.34 million over the next 5 years. Considerations related to funding and implementing IDDSs for patients with cancer pain in Ontario will require explicit and focused attention to considerations of equity and access in the diagnosis and management of cancer pain and in the use, clinical uptake, and delivery of IDDS pain management.
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Skedgel C, Mott DJ, Elayan S, Cramb A. A Longer Life or a Quality Death? A Discrete Choice Experiment to Estimate the Relative Importance of Different Aspects of End-of-Life Care in the United Kingdom. MDM Policy Pract 2024; 9:23814683241252425. [PMID: 38766465 PMCID: PMC11100281 DOI: 10.1177/23814683241252425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Background. Advocates argue that end-of-life (EOL) care is systematically disadvantaged by the quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) framework. By definition, EOL care is short duration and not primarily intended to extend survival; therefore, it may be inappropriate to value a time element. The QALY also neglects nonhealth dimensions such as dignity, control, and family relations, which may be more important at EOL. Together, these suggest the QALY may be a flawed measure of the value of EOL care. To test these arguments, we administered a stated preference survey in a UK-representative public sample. Methods. We designed a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to understand public preferences over different EOL scenarios, focusing on the relative importance of survival, conventional health dimensions (especially physical symptoms and anxiety), and nonhealth dimensions such as family relations, dignity, and sense of control. We used latent class analysis to understand preference heterogeneity. Results. A 4-class latent class multinomial logit model had the best fit and illustrated important heterogeneity. A small class of respondents strongly prioritized survival, whereas most respondents gave relatively little weight to survival and, generally speaking, prioritized nonhealth aspects. Conclusions. This DCE illustrates important heterogeneity in preferences within UK respondents. Despite some preferences for core elements of the QALY, we suggest that most respondents favored what has been called "a good death" over maximizing survival and find that respondents tended to prioritize nonhealth over conventional health aspects of quality. Together, this appears to support arguments that the QALY is a poor measure of the value of EOL care. We recommend moving away from health-related quality of life and toward a more holistic perspective on well-being in assessing EOL and other interventions. Highlights Advocates argue that some interventions, including but not limited to end-of-life (EOL) care, are valued by patients and the public but are systematically disadvantaged by the quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) framework, leading to an unfair and inefficient allocation of health care resources.Using a discrete choice experiment, we find some support for this argument. Only a small proportion of public respondents prioritized survival in EOL scenarios, and most prioritized nonhealth aspects such as dignity and family relations.Together, these results suggest that the QALY may be a poor measure of the value of EOL care, as it neglects nonhealth aspects of quality and well-being that appear to be important to people in hypothetical EOL scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris Skedgel
- Office of Health Economics, London, UK
- Health Economics Group, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | | | - Saif Elayan
- Health Economics Group, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
- Department of Economics, Econometrics and Finance, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Angela Cramb
- Health Economics Group, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
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Fischer C, Bednarz D, Simon J. Methodological challenges and potential solutions for economic evaluations of palliative and end-of-life care: A systematic review. Palliat Med 2024; 38:85-99. [PMID: 38142280 PMCID: PMC10798028 DOI: 10.1177/02692163231214124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Given the increasing demand for palliative and end-of-life care, along with the introduction of costly new treatments, there is a pressing need for robust evidence on value. However, comprehensive guidance is missing on methods for conducting economic evaluations in this field. AIM To identify and summarise existing information on methodological challenges and potential solutions/recommendations for economic evaluations of palliative and end-of-life care. DESIGN We conducted a systematic review of publications on methodological considerations for economic evaluations of adult palliative and end-of-life care as per our PROSPERO protocol CRD42020148160. Following initial searches, we conducted a two-stage screening process and quality appraisal. Information was thematically synthesised, coded, categorised into common themes and aligned with the items specified in the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards statement. DATA SOURCES The databases Medline, Embase, HTADatabase, NHSEED and grey literature were searched between 1 January 1999 and 5 June 2023. RESULTS Out of the initial 6502 studies, 81 were deemed eligible. Identified challenges could be grouped into nine themes: ambiguous and inaccurate patient identification, restricted generalisability due to poor geographic transferability of evidence, narrow costing perspective applied, difficulties defining comparators, consequences of applied time horizon, ambiguity in the selection of outcomes, challenged outcome measurement, non-standardised measurement and valuation of costs as well as challenges regarding a reliable preference-based outcome valuation. CONCLUSION Our review offers a comprehensive context-specific overview of methodological considerations for economic evaluations of palliative and end-of-life care. It also identifies the main knowledge gaps to help prioritise future methodological research specifically for this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Fischer
- Department of Health Economics, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Damian Bednarz
- Department of Health Economics, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Judit Simon
- Department of Health Economics, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Applied Diagnostics, Vienna, Austria
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Seth T, Garg K, Mandal PK, Datta A, Verma S, Hanagavadi S, Thota UR. Cost-effectiveness analysis of low-dose prophylaxis versus on-demand treatment for moderate-to-severe hemophilia A in India. Hematology 2023; 28:2277497. [PMID: 37933875 DOI: 10.1080/16078454.2023.2277497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM Hemophilia A (HA) is an inherited bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency of clotting factor VIII in the blood. In resource-limited settings like India, affordability is a significant challenge in managing patients with severe HA. This study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness of intermediate-dose prophylaxis versus on-demand factor therapy in adult and pediatric populations with moderate-to-severe congenital HA without inhibitors in India. METHOD We conducted a prospective cost-effectiveness analysis from a societal perspective, categorizing patients into a base state and a joint disease state (patients with Hemophilia suffering extensive bleeds leading to chronic joint disease). Using targeted literature search and primary market research, we developed a Markov model measuring the total cost of Hemophilia treatment and health outcomes, including life-years (LYs), quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), incremental cost-utility ratio (ICUR), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). The model extended over a lifetime horizon of 70 years with a one-year cycle length. Sensitivity analyses assessed study robustness. RESULTS Low-dose prophylactic therapy was cost-effective for adults (>18 years) and pediatric populations (<18 years), yielding better health outcomes (adults: 0.15 LYs and 2.43 QALYs gained; pediatric: 0.40 LYs and 3.12 QALYs gained). Intermediate-dose prophylaxis showed positive net monetary benefits in terms of Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) for both adult and pediatric populations, with dominant ICER and ICUR values in both cases. CONCLUSION Using intermediate-dose prophylactic factor VIII therapy is a cost-effective approach that improves clinical outcomes compared to on-demand therapy in the Indian adult and pediatric HA populations without inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tulika Seth
- Department of Hematology, AIIMS, New Delhi, India
| | - Kapil Garg
- Department of Pediatric Medicine, SMS Medical College, Jaipur, India
| | | | - Anupam Datta
- Department of Medicine, Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh, India
| | - Shailendra Verma
- Department of Clinical Hematology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, India
| | | | - Usha Rani Thota
- Department of Pediatrics, Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad, India
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Vieira JC. Palliative care: economic challenges for researchers. Int J Palliat Nurs 2023; 29:548-552. [PMID: 38039120 DOI: 10.12968/ijpn.2023.29.11.548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
The economic challenges for researchers in palliative care is an emerging and challenging topic. Knowing where, how and how much is spent is fundamental for palliative care (PC) provision to be increasingly efficient and with lower costs. To accomplish this, there are three important factors to consider: early access to PC; specialised PC using standardised procedures and informal and home-based PC. Beyond costs, ethical aspects should always be present when this care is being provided in its different forms, locations and contexts. For those who want to study the economic challenges in PC, they need to comprehend the complexity of them, since they will always come from a careful articulation between ethics, the person´s needs, the cost of the care and who these costs are charged to.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana C Vieira
- PhD student in Palliative Care, Faculdade de Medicina, University of Porto, Portugal
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Azari S, Pourasghari H, Fazeli A, Ghorashi SM, Arabloo J, Rezapour A, Behzadifar M, Khorgami MR, Salehbeigi S, Omidi N. Cost-effectiveness of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging compared to common strategies in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease: a systematic review. Heart Fail Rev 2023; 28:1357-1382. [PMID: 37532962 DOI: 10.1007/s10741-023-10334-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) has established exceptional diagnostic utility and prognostic value in coronary artery disease (CAD). An assessment of the current evidence on the cost-effectiveness of CMR in patients referred for the investigation of CAD is essential for developing an economic model to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of CMR in CAD. We conducted a comprehensive search of multiple electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science core collection, Embase, National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED), and health technology assessment, to identify relevant literature. After removing duplicates and screening the title/abstract, a total of 13 articles were deemed eligible for full-text assessment. We included studies that reported one or more of the following outcomes: incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALYs), cost per life year gained, sensitivity and specificity rate as the primary outcome, and health utility measures or health-related quality of life as the secondary outcome. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the CHEERS 2022 guidelines. The findings of this study demonstrate that in patients undergoing urgent percutaneous coronary intervention, CMR over a one-year and lifetime horizon leads to higher quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) compared to current strategies in cases of multivessel disease. The systematic review indicates that the CMR-based strategy is more cost-effective when compared to standard methods such as single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), and coronary angiography (CA) (CMR = $19,273, SPECT = $19,578, CCTA = $19,886, and immediate CA = $20,929). The results also suggest that the CMR strategy can serve as a cost-effective gatekeeping tool for patients at risk of obstructive CAD. A CMR-based strategy for managing patients with suspected CAD is more cost-effective compared to both invasive and non-invasive strategies, particularly in real-world patient populations with a low to intermediate prevalence of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samad Azari
- Hospital Management Research Center, Health Management Research Institute, University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Research Center for Emergency and Disaster Resilience, Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Pourasghari
- Hospital Management Research Center, Health Management Research Institute, University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Fazeli
- Cardiovascular Disease Research Institute, Tehran Heart Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyyed Mojtaba Ghorashi
- Cardiovascular Disease Research Institute, Tehran Heart Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jalal Arabloo
- Health Management and Economics Research Center, Health Management Research Institute, University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Aziz Rezapour
- Health Management and Economics Research Center, Health Management Research Institute, University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoud Behzadifar
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Mohammad Rafie Khorgami
- Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahrzad Salehbeigi
- Cardiovascular Disease Research Institute, Tehran Heart Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Negar Omidi
- Cardiovascular Disease Research Institute, Tehran Heart Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Dunlap LJ, Kuklinski MR, Cowell A, McCollister KE, Bowser DM, Campbell M, Fernandes CSF, Kemburu P, Livingston BJ, Prosser LA, Rao V, Smart R, Yilmazer T. Economic Evaluation Design within the HEAL Prevention Cooperative. PREVENTION SCIENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR PREVENTION RESEARCH 2023; 24:50-60. [PMID: 35947282 PMCID: PMC9364296 DOI: 10.1007/s11121-022-01400-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
The rapid rise in opioid misuse, disorder, and opioid-involved deaths among older adolescents and young adults is an urgent public health problem. Prevention is a vital part of the nation's response to the opioid crisis, yet preventive interventions for those at risk for opioid misuse and opioid use disorder are scarce. In 2019, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched the Preventing Opioid Use Disorder in Older Adolescents and Young Adults cooperative as part of its broader Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative ( https://heal.nih.gov/ ). The HEAL Prevention Cooperative (HPC) includes ten research projects funded with the goal of developing effective prevention interventions across various settings (e.g., community, health care, juvenile justice, school) for older adolescent and young adults at risk for opioid misuse and opioid use disorder (OUD). An important component of the HPC is the inclusion of an economic evaluation by nine of these research projects that will provide information on the costs, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of these interventions. The HPC economic evaluation is integrated into each research project's overall design with start-up costs and ongoing delivery costs collected prospectively using an activity-based costing approach. The primary objectives of the economic evaluation are to estimate the intervention implementation costs to providers, estimate the cost-effectiveness of each intervention for reducing opioid misuse initiation and escalation among youth, and use simulation modeling to estimate the budget impact of broader implementation of the interventions within the various settings over multiple years. The HPC offers an extraordinary opportunity to generate economic evidence for substance use prevention programming, providing policy makers and providers with critical information on the investments needed to start-up prevention interventions, as well as the cost-effectiveness of these interventions relative to alternatives. These data will help demonstrate the valuable role that prevention can play in combating the opioid crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Dunlap
- RTI International, E. Cornwallis Rd, PO Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709-2194, USA.
| | | | - Alexander Cowell
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Government of Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kathryn E McCollister
- Soffer Clinical Research Center, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Diana M Bowser
- Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Pranav Kemburu
- RTI International, E. Cornwallis Rd, PO Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709-2194, USA
| | | | - Lisa A Prosser
- Department of Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Susan B. Meister Child Health Evaluation and Research (CHEAR) Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Vinod Rao
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Tansel Yilmazer
- Department of Human Sciences, College of Education and Human Ecology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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Horan MR, Srivastava DK, Bhakta N, Ehrhardt MJ, Brinkman TM, Baker JN, Yasui Y, Krull KR, Ness KK, Robison LL, Hudson MM, Huang IC. Determinants of health-related quality-of-life in adult survivors of childhood cancer: integrating personal and societal values through a health utility approach. EClinicalMedicine 2023; 58:101921. [PMID: 37090443 PMCID: PMC10114517 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.101921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Childhood cancer survivors are at elevated risk for poor health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL). Identification of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with HRQOL is needed to inform survivorship care. Methods Participants included 4294 adult childhood cancer survivors from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study who completed a survey and clinical assessment at entry into the survivorship cohort (baseline) and follow-up (median interval: 4.3 years) between 2007 and 2019. The SF-6D compared utility-based HRQOL of survivors to an independent sample from the U.S. Medical Expenditures Panel Survey. Chronic health conditions (CHCs) were graded using modified Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. General linear models examined cross-sectional and temporal associations of HRQOL with CHC burden (total and by organ-system), adjusting for potential risk factors. Findings Survivors reported poorer HRQOL compared to the general population (effect size [d] = -0.343). In cross-sectional analyses at baseline, significant non-demographic risk factors included higher total CHC burden (driven by more severe cardiovascular [d = -0.119, p = 0.002], endocrine [d = -0.112, p = 0.001], gastrointestinal [d = -0.226, p < 0.001], immunologic [d = -0.168, p = 0.035], neurologic [d = -0.388, p < 0.001], pulmonary [d = -0.132, p = 0.003] CHCs), public (d = -0.503, p < 0.001) or no health insurance (d = -0.123, p = 0.007), current smoking (d = -0.270, p < 0.001), being physically inactive (d = -0.129, p < 0.001), ever using illicit drugs (d = -0.235, p < 0.001), and worse diet quality (d = -0.004, p = 0.016). In temporal analyses, poorer utility-based HRQOL at follow-up was associated with risk factors at baseline, including higher total CHC burden (driven by cardiovascular [d = -0.152, p = 0.002], endocrine [d = -0.092, p = 0.047], musculoskeletal [d = -0.160, p = 0.016], neurologic [d = -0.318, p < 0.001] CHCs), public (d = -0.415, p < 0.001) or no health insurance (d = -0.161, p = 0.007), current smoking (d = -0.218, p = 0.001), and ever using illicit drugs (d = -0.217, p < 0.001). Interpretation Adult survivors report worse utility-based HRQOL than the general population, and potentially modifiable risk factors were associated with HRQOL. Interventions to prevent the early onset of CHCs, promote healthy lifestyle, and ensure access to health insurance in the early survivorship stage may provide opportunities to improve HRQOL. Funding The research reported in this manuscript was supported by the U.S. National Cancer Institute under award numbers U01CA195547 (Hudson/Ness), R01CA238368 (Huang/Baker), R01CA258193 (Huang/Yasui), R01CA270157 (Bhakta/Yasui), and T32CA225590 (Krull). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funding agencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline R. Horan
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Deo Kumar Srivastava
- Department of Biostatistics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Nickhill Bhakta
- Department of Global Pediatric Medicine, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Matthew J. Ehrhardt
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Tara M. Brinkman
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
- Department of Psychology and Biobehavioral Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Justin N. Baker
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Yutaka Yasui
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Kevin R. Krull
- Department of Psychology and Biobehavioral Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Kirsten K. Ness
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Leslie L. Robison
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Melissa M. Hudson
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - I-Chan Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
- Corresponding author. Department of Epidemiology & Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, MS735, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
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Rand LZ, Melendez‐Torres GJ, Kesselheim AS. Alternatives to the quality-adjusted life year: How well do they address common criticisms? Health Serv Res 2023; 58:433-444. [PMID: 36537647 PMCID: PMC10012222 DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.14116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To analyze whether other outcome measures used in health technology assessment (HTA) address the criticisms of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SETTING HTA methods guidance from 11 US comparator countries (the G10 and Australia) and six value frameworks from US organizations were reviewed to identify health outcome measures currently used to evaluate the benefits of a drug. STUDY DESIGN The study involved a documentary analysis of guidelines to identify outcome measures used by the sampled HTA organizations. Similar outcomes were grouped together into outcome types. Each type was analyzed to determine the extent to which it replicates key advantages and responds to criticisms of QALYs extracted from the literature. EXTRACTION METHODS Outcomes were included if guidance from at least one HTA organization identified the outcome as acceptable for HTA. Outcomes measuring or evaluating the benefit, clinical effect, or impact of a drug or health technology was included; methods of calculating costs were excluded. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Seven types of outcome measures were identified falling into three groups: preference-based, single-dimension outcomes, and outcomes using non-health perspectives. Among the seven QALY alternative outcome measures currently used for HTA by the sampled countries, no one outcome measure addresses all the QALY criticisms while retaining the advantageous features of the QALY. CONCLUSIONS Proposals to adopt health technology assessment (HTA) to support value-based pricing of prescription drugs in the US have faced pushback over the use of the QALY. There is no single "right" outcome measure, and the criticisms of QALYs apply to other outcome measures used to evaluate health. The measures identified have different features and strengths, which may be appropriate for specific decision making goals, but the QALY remains the best option for decision making that requires comparisons of the overall societal value of health gains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Z. Rand
- The Program on Regulation, Therapeutics, and Law (PORTAL), Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of MedicineBrigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Center for BioethicsHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - G. J. Melendez‐Torres
- Peninsula Technology Assessment Group (PenTAG), Faculty of Health and Life SciencesUniversity of ExeterExeterUK
| | - Aaron S. Kesselheim
- The Program on Regulation, Therapeutics, and Law (PORTAL), Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of MedicineBrigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Center for BioethicsHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
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Seidl H, Schunk M, Le L, Syunyaeva Z, Streitwieser S, Berger U, Mansmann U, Szentes BL, Bausewein C, Schwarzkopf L. Cost-Effectiveness of a Specialized Breathlessness Service Versus Usual Care for Patients With Advanced Diseases. VALUE IN HEALTH : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR PHARMACOECONOMICS AND OUTCOMES RESEARCH 2023; 26:81-90. [PMID: 36182632 DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2022.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The Munich Breathlessness Service (MBS) significantly improved control of breathlessness measured by the Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ) Mastery in a randomized controlled fast track trial with waitlist group design spanning 8 weeks in Germany. This study aimed to assess the within-trial cost-effectiveness of MBS from a societal perspective. METHODS Data included generic (5-level version of EQ-5D) health-related quality of life and disease-specific CRQ Mastery. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were calculated based on 5-level version of EQ-5D utilities valued with German time trade-off. Direct medical costs and productivity loss were calculated based on standardized unit costs. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) and cost-effectiveness-acceptance curves were calculated using adjusted mean differences (AMD) in costs (gamma-distributed model) and both effect parameters (Gaussian-distributed model) and performing 1000 simultaneous bootstrap replications. Potential gender differences were investigated in stratified analyses. RESULTS Between March 2014 and April 2019, 183 eligible patients were enrolled. MBS intervention demonstrated significantly better effects regarding generic (AMD of QALY gains of 0.004, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.0003 to 0.008) and disease-specific health-related quality of life at nonsignificantly higher costs (AMD of €605 [95% CI -1109 to 2550]). At the end of the intervention, the ICER was €152 433/QALY (95% CI -453 545 to 1 625 903) and €1548/CRQ Mastery point (95% CI -3093 to 10 168). Intervention costs were on average €357 (SD = 132). Gender-specific analyses displayed dominance for MBS in males and higher effects coupled with significantly higher costs in females. CONCLUSIONS Our results show a high ICER for MBS. Considering dominance for MBS in males, implementing MBS on approval within the German health care system should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hildegard Seidl
- Health Economics and Health Care Management (IGM) Helmholtz Zentrum München (GmbH) German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany; Pettenkofer School of Public Health, Munich, Germany; Quality Management and Gender Medicine, München Klinik gGmbH, Munich, Germany.
| | - Michaela Schunk
- Pettenkofer School of Public Health, Munich, Germany; Department of Palliative Medicine, LMU Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Lien Le
- Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Zulfiya Syunyaeva
- Department of Medicine V, LMU Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany; Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, Immunology and Critical Care Medicine and Cystic Fibrosis Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sabine Streitwieser
- Department of Palliative Medicine, LMU Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ursula Berger
- Pettenkofer School of Public Health, Munich, Germany; Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ulrich Mansmann
- Pettenkofer School of Public Health, Munich, Germany; Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Boglarka Lilla Szentes
- Health Economics and Health Care Management (IGM) Helmholtz Zentrum München (GmbH) German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Claudia Bausewein
- Department of Palliative Medicine, LMU Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Larissa Schwarzkopf
- Health Economics and Health Care Management (IGM) Helmholtz Zentrum München (GmbH) German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany; Pettenkofer School of Public Health, Munich, Germany; IFT-Institut fuer Therapieforschung, Munich, Germany
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15
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Gofton C, Agar M, George J. Early Implementation of Palliative and Supportive Care in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Semin Liver Dis 2022; 42:514-530. [PMID: 36193677 DOI: 10.1055/a-1946-5592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Early palliative and supportive care referral is the standard of care for many malignancies. This paradigm results in improvements in patients' symptoms and quality of life and decreases the costs of medical care and unnecessary procedures. Leading oncology guidelines have recommended the integration of early referral to palliative and supportive services to care pathways for advanced malignancies. Currently, early referral to palliative care within the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) population is not utilized, with gastroenterology guidelines recommending referral of patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage D to these services. This review addresses this topic through analysis of the existing data within the oncology field as well as literature surrounding palliative care intervention in HCC. Early palliative and supportive care in HCC and its impact on patients, caregivers, and health services allow clinicians and researchers to identify management options that improve outcomes within existing service provisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron Gofton
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, Bankstown, New South Wales, Australia.,Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Meera Agar
- Department of Palliative Care, University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jacob George
- Storr Liver Centre, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.,Department of Medicine, University of Sydney, Camperdown and Darlington Campus, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
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The Additional Economic Burden of Frailty in Adult Cervical Deformity Patients Undergoing Surgical Intervention. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2022; 47:1418-1425. [PMID: 35797658 DOI: 10.1097/brs.0000000000004407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA The influence of frailty on economic burden following corrective surgery for the adult cervical deformity (CD) is understudied and may provide valuable insights for preoperative planning. OBJECTIVE To assess the influence of baseline frailty status on the economic burden of CD surgery. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS CD patients with frailty scores and baseline and two-year Neck Disability Index data were included. Frailty score was categorized patients by modified CD frailty index into not frail (NF) and frail (F). Analysis of covariance was used to estimate marginal means adjusting for age, sex, surgical approach, and baseline sacral slope, T1 slope minus cervical lordosis, C2-C7 angle, C2-C7 sagittal vertical axis. Costs were derived from PearlDiver registry data. Reimbursement consisted of a standardized estimate using regression analysis of Medicare payscales for services within a 30-day window including length of stay and death. This data is representative of the national average Medicare cost differentiated by complication/comorbidity outcome, surgical approach, and revision status. Cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) at two years was calculated for NF and F patients. RESULTS There were 126 patients included. There were 68 NF patients and 58 classified as F. Frailty groups did not differ by overall complications, instance of distal junctional kyphosis, or reoperations (all P >0.05). These groups had similar rates of radiographic and clinical improvement by two years. NF and F had similar overall cost ($36,731.03 vs. $37,356.75, P =0.793), resulting in equivocal costs per QALYs for both patients at two years ($90,113.79 vs. $80,866.66, P =0.097). CONCLUSION F and NF patients experienced similar complication rates and upfront costs, with equivocal utility gained, leading to comparative cost-effectiveness with NF patients based on cost per QALYs at two years. Surgical correction for CD is an economical healthcare investment for F patients when accounting for anticipated utility gained and cost-effectiveness following the procedure. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III.
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Kremeike K, Bausewein C, Freytag A, Junghanss C, Marx G, Schnakenberg R, Schneider N, Schulz H, Wedding U, Voltz R. [DNVF Memorandum: Health Services Research in the Last Year of Life]. DAS GESUNDHEITSWESEN 2022. [PMID: 36220106 DOI: 10.1055/a-1889-4705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
This memorandum outlines current issues concerning health services research on seriously ill and dying people in the last year of their lives as well as support available for their relatives. Patients in the last phase of life can belong to different disease groups, they may have special characteristics (e. g., people with cognitive and complex impairments, economic disadvantage or migration background) and be in certain phases of life (e. g., parents of minor children, (old) age). The need for a designated memorandum on health services research in the last year of life results from the special situation of those affected and from the special features of health services in this phase of life. With reference to these special features, this memorandum describes methodological and ethical specifics as well as current issues in health services research and how these can be adequately addressed using quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods. It has been developed by the palliative medicine section of the German Network for Health Services Research (DNVF) according to the guidelines for DNVF memoranda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Kremeike
- Zentrum für Palliativmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Köln, Köln, Deutschland
| | - Claudia Bausewein
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Palliativmedizin, LMU Klinikum München, München, Deutschland
| | - Antje Freytag
- Institut für Allgemeinmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Jena, Deutschland
| | - Christian Junghanss
- Hämatologie, Onkologie und Palliativmedizin, Zentrum für Innere Medizin, Universitätsmedizin Rostock, Rostock, Deutschland
| | - Gabriella Marx
- Institut und Poliklinik Allgemeinmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Deutschland
| | | | - Nils Schneider
- Institut für Allgemeinmedizin und Palliativmedizin, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Deutschland
| | - Holger Schulz
- Institut und Poliklinik für Medizinische Psychologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Deutschland
| | - Ulrich Wedding
- Abteilung Palliativmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Jena, Deutschland
| | - Raymond Voltz
- Zentrum für Palliativmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Köln, Köln, Deutschland
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Santos M, Monteiro AL, Biz AN, Guerra A, Cramer H, Canuto V, Cruz L, Pinto M, Viegas M, Fernandes R, Zimmermann I. Guidelines for Utility Measurement for Economic Analysis: The Brazilian Policy. Value Health Reg Issues 2022; 31:67-73. [PMID: 35533599 DOI: 10.1016/j.vhri.2022.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Health-related quality of life is expressed in utilities, also referred to as utility estimates or parameters. Considerations about the source and type of utility values are especially important in a modeling context, where the lack of transparency, including the lack of a hierarchy for utility data sources, is a major issue to any estimation and can potentially compromise model reliability. OBJECTIVES This document aims to present the first version of the Brazilian guidelines for utility measurement to support economic analysis. METHODS A virtual workshop and a modified Delphi panel with 10 health technology specialists followed a rapid evaluation of 110 technical documents and indexed publications. The recommendations are based on the proposition that has received the most votes, although contentious issues are addressed in the suggestion or discussion. The rationale for the final decision is included in the text. RESULTS The consensus includes 50 recommendations with the following topics: Transparency and Reliability, Model Design, Conditions Under Which Generic Questionnaires Are Not Sensible or Valid, Utility Evidence Hierarchy, Utility Data Searching, Modeling Utility Values, Extrapolating Quality Adjusted Life-Years for Models With Lifetime Horizons, Caregiver Utility, Utility Data Synthesis, Quality/Certainty of the Evidence, and Utility Estimates in End-of-Life Conditions. CONCLUSIONS The goal of this project is to create unified national standards for using utility metrics in economic analysis in Brazil. This set of recommendations is not obligatory, but it is meant to serve as a guide and lead to the development of better and more transparent economic models in the country.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Santos
- National Institute of Cardiology, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Andrea Liborio Monteiro
- Department of Pharmacy Systems, Outcomes and Policy, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Aline Navega Biz
- Health Economics and Decision Science, School of Health and Related Research, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England, UK
| | - Augusto Guerra
- Department of Social Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Helena Cramer
- National Institute of Cardiology, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vania Canuto
- Department of Management and Incorporation of Health Technologies, Ministry of Health, Brazil
| | - Luciane Cruz
- Research Project Office, Moinhos de Vento Hospital, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Marcia Pinto
- National Institute of Women's, Children's and Adolescents' Health Fernandes Figueira, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Ivan Zimmermann
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
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Augustovski F, Argento F, Rodríguez RB, Gibbons L, Mukuria C, Belizán M. The Development of a New International Generic Measure (EQ-HWB): Face Validity and Psychometric Stages in Argentina. VALUE IN HEALTH : THE JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR PHARMACOECONOMICS AND OUTCOMES RESEARCH 2022; 25:544-557. [PMID: 35148961 DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2021.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to present the face validity and psychometric stages performed in Spanish in Argentina, the only Spanish-speaking country of an international collaboration that undertook the construction of a new measure that can be used in economic evaluation across health, social care, and public health, the EQ EQ-HWB (EQ Health and Wellbeing). We also explored the relationship among 3-level version EQ-5D (EQ-5D-3L), 5-level version EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L), and EQ-HWB. METHODS Face validity was based on semistructured face to face interviews of a purposive sample to explore translatability of language and concepts of 97 candidate items, translated into Argentina Spanish. The psychometric evaluation using an online panel assessed the psychometric properties of 64 items that were carried forward (floor and ceiling effects, item correlations, known-group differences in relevant prespecified subgroups by the international and local teams, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and item response theory). EQ-5D-3L, EQ-5D-5L, and EQ-HWB correlations were explored. RESULTS In the face validity stage, 24 interviews with carers, general public, patients, and users of social services were included. Most items showed adequate face validity. In the psychometric assessment, 497 participants were recruited (64% reporting a long-term health condition). Most of the items showed adequate psychometrics in an Argentinian context. EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L had strong correlations, and EQ-HWB was moderately correlated to EQ visual analog scale. The Argentina team recommended 23 of the final 25 items. CONCLUSIONS The assessment of Spanish items contributed to the overall development of EQ-HWB and helped inform the design of an internationally relevant 25-item and a short 9-item measure intended to be used in economic evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Augustovski
- Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Fernando Argento
- Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Rocío B Rodríguez
- Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luz Gibbons
- Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Clara Mukuria
- School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England, UK
| | - María Belizán
- Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Rand LZ, Kesselheim AS. Controversy Over Using Quality-Adjusted Life-Years In Cost-Effectiveness Analyses: A Systematic Literature Review. Health Aff (Millwood) 2021; 40:1402-1410. [PMID: 34495724 DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2021.00343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Researchers and policy makers in the US are exploring the implementation of health technology assessment and value-based pricing to negotiate drug prices and limit spending. Objections made to the quality-adjusted life-year (QALY), the most frequently used health economic outcome for such assessments, are a barrier to the adoption of these tools. This literature review identifies and addresses the range of criticisms made against QALYs. Methods-based criticisms require attention from stakeholders to address well-known shortcomings of the QALY and ensure consistency. Ethical criticisms, however, do not apply only to the QALY and require political decisions about societal values. Understanding and overcoming criticisms of the QALY to enable its use as part of health technology assessment and value-based pricing will be crucial as US policy makers seek to address high drug costs and health care spending.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Z Rand
- Leah Z. Rand is a postdoctoral fellow in the Program on Regulation, Therapeutics, and Law, Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Aaron S Kesselheim
- Aaron S. Kesselheim is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, in Boston, Massachusetts, and the director of the Program on Regulation, Therapeutics, and Law, Brigham and Women's Hospital
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21
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Weng XR, Nakdali R, Almoosawi B, Al Saeed M, Maiser S, Al Banna M. Health Care Providers' Attitudes and Beliefs on Providing Palliative Care to Patients in Bahrain: Findings From a Qualitative Study. J Pain Symptom Manage 2021; 62:98-106.e1. [PMID: 33188863 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Present studies suggested that cultural and religious factors, as well as law and policy, may have impeded the advancement of palliative care in the Middle East. Little is known about health care providers' perceptions of palliative care and the barriers to its development in the Gulf Cooperation Council. OBJECTIVES To understand health care professionals' attitudes and beliefs regarding palliative care and highlight current practice barriers in Bahrain. METHODS Semistructured interviews with 16 health care providers (physicians and nurses) were conducted. Thematic analysis was then performed after interviews were transcribed verbatim. RESULTS Health care professionals perceived palliative care as a service only delivered to patients at the end of life. Palliative care was only offered to patients who have been diagnosed with cancer and had exhausted all curative treatments. Do-not-resuscitate orders and code status discussions are not currently practiced. Palliative care decisions are usually decided by patients' families. Middle Eastern culture, health care law and policy, conservative interpretations of Islam, and a lack of professional expertise were identified as barriers. CONCLUSION This study unveiled the perceptions of palliative care among health care professionals in a Gulf Cooperation Council country. Six major barriers that hindered palliative care practice were identified. Future health care policy in the region needs to address these barriers within the current health care system while taking culture, religion, and social factors into consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingran R Weng
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rama Nakdali
- School of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland-Bahrain, Busaiteen, Bahrain
| | - Barrak Almoosawi
- Department of Medicine, Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Samuel Maiser
- Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Mona Al Banna
- Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
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22
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Who's Getting Shots First? Dealing With the Ethical Responsibility for Prioritizing Population Groups in Vaccination. Am J Ther 2021; 28:e478-e487. [PMID: 34228653 DOI: 10.1097/mjt.0000000000001400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The current pandemic has raised several ethical dilemmas, related to conducting real-time trials for new treatments or vaccines or with decisions such as accessibility to vaccines. STUDY QUESTION Should there be a prioritization of access to the vaccine based on ethical and objective criteria or should the access be done at random? STUDY DESIGN To determine the ethics and reality of rationing the accessibility to anti-COVID vaccine according to the official strategies. DATA SOURCES The study is based on the consultation of (1) scientific articles from international databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, ProQuest, and Clarivate), (2) public health documents, and (3) official information of various governments. RESULTS The analyzed documents revealed that a few similarities can be observed in European countries when it comes to the first categories of people who have received the vaccine: people living in care facilities and medical staff; it can also be seen that the vaccination plan was adopted by each country for the needs and characteristics of its population, the prioritization being done in 2-14 stages; some of them divided, in their turn, into subsequent substages. Most of the states subject to the analysis assigned the medical staff in the first stage, followed by those in the sectors ensuring the maintenance of essential services, afterward by the elderly or people with comorbidities, only later to expand to other social categories. CONCLUSIONS Prioritization of vaccine administration is not only necessary, unavoidable, but also problematic both ethically and logistically, which should involve leaders in the field of public health, but also medical staff, regardless of their specialization. Prioritization of vaccination can not only have an impact on individual health (physical and emotional) but also on society from public health, economic, and sociocultural point of view.
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23
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Evans CJ, Bone AE, Yi D, Gao W, Morgan M, Taherzadeh S, Maddocks M, Wright J, Lindsay F, Bruni C, Harding R, Sleeman KE, Gomes B, Higginson IJ. Community-based short-term integrated palliative and supportive care reduces symptom distress for older people with chronic noncancer conditions compared with usual care: A randomised controlled single-blind mixed method trial. Int J Nurs Stud 2021; 120:103978. [PMID: 34146843 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2021.103978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Globally, a rising number of people live into advanced age and die with multimorbidity and frailty. Palliative care is advocated as a person-centred approach to reduce health-related suffering and promote quality of life. However, no evidence-based interventions exist to deliver community-based palliative care for this population. AIM To evaluate the impact of the short-term integrated palliative and supportive care intervention for older people living with chronic noncancer conditions and frailty on clinical and economic outcomes and perceptions of care. DESIGN Single-blind trial with random block assignment to usual care or the intervention and usual care. The intervention comprised integrated person-centred palliative care delivered by multidisciplinary palliative care teams working with general practitioners and community nurses. Main outcome was change in five key palliative care symptoms from baseline to 12-weeks. Data analysis used intention to treat and complete cases to examine the mean difference in change scores and effect size between the trial arms. Economic evaluation used cost-effectiveness planes and qualitative interviews explored perceptions of the intervention. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS Four National Health Service general practices in England with recruitment of patients aged ≥75 years, with moderate to severe frailty, chronic noncancer condition(s) and ≥2 symptoms or concerns, and family caregivers when available. RESULTS 50 patients were randomly assigned to receive usual care (n = 26, mean age 86.0 years) or the intervention and usual care (n = 24, mean age 85.3 years), and 26 caregivers (control n = 16, mean age 77.0 years; intervention n = 10, mean age 77.3 years). Participants lived at home (n = 48) or care home (n = 2). Complete case analysis (n = 48) on the main outcome showed reduced symptom distress between the intervention compared with usual care (mean difference -1.20, 95% confidence interval -2.37 to -0.027) and medium effect size (omega squared = 0.071). Symptom distress reduced with decreased costs from the intervention compared with usual care, demonstrating cost-effectiveness. Patient (n = 19) and caregiver (n = 9) interviews generated themes about the intervention of 'Little things make a big difference' with optimal management of symptoms and 'Care beyond medicines' of psychosocial support to accommodate decline and maintain independence. CONCLUSIONS This palliative and supportive care intervention is an effective and cost-effective approach to reduce symptom distress for older people severely affected by chronic noncancer conditions. It is a clinically effective way to integrate specialist palliative care with primary and community care for older people with chronic conditions. Further research is indicated to examine its implementation more widely for people at home and in care homes. TRIAL REGISTRATION Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN 45837097 Tweetable abstract: Specialist palliative care integrated with district nurses and GPs is cost-effective to reduce symptom distress for older people severely affected by chronic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine J Evans
- King's College London, Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabiliation, Bessemer Road, London, SE 9PJ, England; Martlets Hospice, Wayfield Avenue, Hove BN3 7LW, England; Sussex Community National Health Service Foundation Trust, Brighton General Hospital, Elm Grove, Brighton, BN2 3EW, England.
| | - Anna E Bone
- King's College London, Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabiliation, Bessemer Road, London, SE 9PJ, England.
| | - Deokhee Yi
- King's College London, Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabiliation, Bessemer Road, London, SE 9PJ, England.
| | - Wei Gao
- King's College London, Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabiliation, Bessemer Road, London, SE 9PJ, England.
| | - Myfanwy Morgan
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, England.
| | - Shamim Taherzadeh
- Northbourne Medical Centre, 193A Upper Shoreham Road, Shoreham-by-Sea, BN43 6BT, England.
| | - Matthew Maddocks
- King's College London, Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabiliation, Bessemer Road, London, SE 9PJ, England.
| | - Juliet Wright
- University of Sussex, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9RH, England.
| | - Fiona Lindsay
- Martlets Hospice, Wayfield Avenue, Hove BN3 7LW, England; Sussex Community National Health Service Foundation Trust, Brighton General Hospital, Elm Grove, Brighton, BN2 3EW, England.
| | - Carla Bruni
- Sussex Community National Health Service Foundation Trust, Brighton General Hospital, Elm Grove, Brighton, BN2 3EW, England.
| | - Richard Harding
- King's College London, Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabiliation, Bessemer Road, London, SE 9PJ, England.
| | - Katherine E Sleeman
- King's College London, Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabiliation, Bessemer Road, London, SE 9PJ, England.
| | - Barbara Gomes
- King's College London, Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabiliation, Bessemer Road, London, SE 9PJ, England.
| | - Irene J Higginson
- King's College London, Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy and Rehabiliation, Bessemer Road, London, SE 9PJ, England.
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24
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Parackal A, Ramamoorthi K, Tarride JE. Economic Evaluation of Palliative Care Interventions: A Review of the Evolution of Methods From 2011 to 2019. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2021; 39:108-122. [PMID: 34024147 DOI: 10.1177/10499091211011138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND End-of-life care is a driver of increasing healthcare costs; however, palliative care interventions may significantly reduce these costs. Economic evaluations that measure the incremental cost per quality adjusted life years (QALY) are warranted to inform cost-effectiveness of the intervention relative to a comparator and permit evaluation of investment against other therapeutic interventions. Evidence from the literature up to 2011 indicates a scarcity of cost-utility studies in palliative care research. AIM This literature review evaluates economic studies published between 2011 and 2019 to determine whether the methods of economic evaluations have evolved since 2011. DESIGN AND DATA SOURCES A literature search was completed using CENTRAL, OVID MEDLINE, EMBASE and other sources for publications between 2011 and 2019. Study characteristics, methodology and key findings of publications that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Quality of studies were assessed using indicators developed by authors of the previous literature review. RESULTS 46 papers were included for qualitative synthesis. Among them only 6 studies conducted formal cost-effectiveness evaluations-of these 5 measured QALYs and 1 employed probabilistic analyses. In addition, with the exception of 1 costing analysis, all other economic evaluations undertook a healthcare payer perspective. Quality of evidence were comparable to the previous literature review published in 2011. CONCLUSION Despite the small increase in the number of cost-utility studies, the methods of palliative care economic evaluations have not evolved significantly since 2011. More probabilistic cost-utility analyses of palliative care interventions from a societal perspective are necessary to truly evaluate the value for money.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Parackal
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Karishini Ramamoorthi
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jean-Eric Tarride
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence & Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.,McMaster Chair, Health Technology Management, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.,Center for Health Economics and Policy Analysis (CHEPA), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.,Programs for Assessment to Technology in Health (PATH), The Research Institute of St. Joe's Hamilton, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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25
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Knödler M, Buyel JF. Plant-made immunotoxin building blocks: A roadmap for producing therapeutic antibody-toxin fusions. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 47:107683. [PMID: 33373687 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2020.107683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Molecular farming in plants is an emerging platform for the production of pharmaceutical proteins, and host species such as tobacco are now becoming competitive with commercially established production hosts based on bacteria and mammalian cell lines. The range of recombinant therapeutic proteins produced in plants includes replacement enzymes, vaccines and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). But plants can also be used to manufacture toxins, such as the mistletoe lectin viscumin, providing an opportunity to express active antibody-toxin fusion proteins, so-called recombinant immunotoxins (RITs). Mammalian production systems are currently used to produce antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), which require the separate expression and purification of each component followed by a complex and hazardous coupling procedure. In contrast, RITs made in plants are expressed in a single step and could therefore reduce production and purification costs. The costs can be reduced further if subcellular compartments that accumulate large quantities of the stable protein are identified and optimal plant growth conditions are selected. In this review, we first provide an overview of the current state of RIT production in plants before discussing the three key components of RITs in detail. The specificity-defining domain (often an antibody) binds cancer cells, including solid tumors and hematological malignancies. The toxin provides the means to kill target cells. Toxins from different species with different modes of action can be used for this purpose. Finally, the linker spaces the two other components to ensure they adopt a stable, functional conformation, and may also promote toxin release inside the cell. Given the diversity of these components, we extract broad principles that can be used as recommendations for the development of effective RITs. Future research should focus on such proteins to exploit the advantages of plants as efficient production platforms for targeted anti-cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Knödler
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, Aachen 52074, Germany; Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, Aachen 52074, Germany.
| | - J F Buyel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, Aachen 52074, Germany; Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, Aachen 52074, Germany.
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26
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Wichmann AB, Adang EMM, Vissers KCP, Szczerbińska K, Kylänen M, Payne S, Gambassi G, Onwuteaka-Philipsen BD, Smets T, Van den Block L, Deliens L, Vernooij-Dassen MJFJ, Engels Y. Decreased costs and retained QoL due to the 'PACE Steps to Success' intervention in LTCFs: cost-effectiveness analysis of a randomized controlled trial. BMC Med 2020; 18:258. [PMID: 32957971 PMCID: PMC7507669 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-020-01720-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The number of residents in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) in need of palliative care is growing in the Western world. Therefore, it is foreseen that significantly higher percentages of budgets will be spent on palliative care. However, cost-effectiveness analyses of palliative care interventions in these settings are lacking. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to assess the cost-effectiveness of the 'PACE Steps to Success' intervention. PACE (Palliative Care for Older People) is a 1-year palliative care programme aiming at integrating general palliative care into day-to-day routines in LTCFs, throughout seven EU countries. METHODS A cluster RCT was conducted. LTCFs were randomly assigned to intervention or usual care. LTCFs reported deaths of residents, about whom questionnaires were filled in retrospectively about resource use and quality of the last month of life. A health care perspective was adopted. Direct medical costs, QALYs based on the EQ-5D-5L and costs per quality increase measured with the QOD-LTC were outcome measures. RESULTS Although outcomes on the EQ-5D-5L remained the same, a significant increase on the QOD-LTC (3.19 points, p value 0.00) and significant cost-savings were achieved in the intervention group (€983.28, p value 0.020). The cost reduction mainly resulted from decreased hospitalization-related costs (€919.51, p value 0.018). CONCLUSIONS Costs decreased and QoL was retained due to the PACE Steps to Success intervention. Significant cost savings and improvement in quality of end of life (care) as measured with the QOD-LTC were achieved. A clinically relevant difference of almost 3 nights shorter hospitalizations in favour of the intervention group was found. This indicates that timely palliative care in the LTCF setting can prevent lengthy hospitalizations while retaining QoL. In line with earlier findings, we conclude that integrating general palliative care into daily routine in LTCFs can be cost-effective. TRIAL REGISTRATION ISRCTN14741671 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne B Wichmann
- IQ Health Care, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Eddy M M Adang
- Department for Health Evidencef, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Kris C P Vissers
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Katarzyna Szczerbińska
- Unit for Research on Aging Society, Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine Chair, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Marika Kylänen
- National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sheila Payne
- Division of Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, England
| | - Giovanni Gambassi
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Bregje D Onwuteaka-Philipsen
- Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tinne Smets
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University, Brussel, Belgium
| | - Lieve Van den Block
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University, Brussel, Belgium
| | - Luc Deliens
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University, Brussel, Belgium
| | - Myrra J F J Vernooij-Dassen
- IQ Health Care, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Yvonne Engels
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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27
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El Alili M, Smaling HJA, Joling KJ, Achterberg WP, Francke AL, Bosmans JE, van der Steen JT. Cost-effectiveness of the Namaste care family program for nursing home residents with advanced dementia in comparison with usual care: a cluster-randomized controlled trial. BMC Health Serv Res 2020; 20:831. [PMID: 32887591 PMCID: PMC7473814 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-020-05570-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dementia is a progressive disease that decreases quality of life of persons with dementia and is associated with high societal costs. The burden of caring for persons with dementia also decreases the quality of life of family caregivers. The objective of this study was to assess the societal cost-effectiveness of Namaste Care Family program in comparison with usual care in nursing home residents with advanced dementia. METHODS Nursing homes were randomized to either Namaste Care Family program or usual care. Outcome measures of the cluster-randomized trial in 231 residents included Quality of Life in Late-Stage Dementia (QUALID) and the Gain in Alzheimer Care Instrument (GAIN) for family caregivers over 12 months of follow-up. Health states were measured using the EQ-5D-3L questionnaire which were translated into utilities. QALYs were calculated by multiplying the amount of time a participant spent in a specific health state with the utility score associated with that health state. Healthcare utilization costs were estimated using standard unit costs, while intervention costs were estimated using a bottom-up approach. Missing cost and effect data were imputed using multiple imputation. Bootstrapped multilevel models were used after multiple imputation. Cost-effectiveness acceptability curves were estimated. RESULTS The Namaste Care Family program was more effective than usual care in terms of QUALID (- 0.062, 95%CI: - 0.40 to 0.28), QALY (0.0017, 95%CI: - 0.059 to 0.063) and GAIN (0.075, 95%CI: - 0.20 to 0.35). Total societal costs were lower for the Namaste Care Family program as compared to usual care (- 552 €, 95%CI: - 2920 to 1903). However, these differences were not statistically significant. The probability of cost-effectiveness at a ceiling ratio of 0 €/unit of effect extra was 0.70 for the QUALID, QALY and GAIN. CONCLUSIONS The Namaste Care Family program is dominant over usual care and, thus, cost-effective, although statistical uncertainty was considerable. TRIAL REGISTRATION Netherlands Trial Register ( http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/index.asp , identifier: NL5570, date of registration: 2016/03/23).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed El Alili
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hanneke J A Smaling
- Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Karlijn J Joling
- Department of General Practice and Elderly Care Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wilco P Achterberg
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Anneke L Francke
- Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL), Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Expertise Center Palliative Care, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Judith E Bosmans
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jenny T van der Steen
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. .,Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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28
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Jackson SM, Perry LA, Borg C, Ramson DM, Campbell R, Liu Z, Nguyen J, Douglas N, Kok J, Penny-Dimri J. Prognostic Significance of Preoperative Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio in Vascular Surgery: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Vasc Endovascular Surg 2020; 54:697-706. [PMID: 32840176 DOI: 10.1177/1538574420951315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The global burden of surgical vascular disease is increasing and with it, the need for cost-effective, accessible prognostic biomarkers to aid optimization of peri-operative outcomes. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is emerging as a potential candidate biomarker for perioperative risk stratification. We therefore performed this systematic review and meta-analysis on the prognostic value of elevated preoperative NLR in vascular surgery. METHODS We searched Embase (Ovid), Medline (Ovid), and the Cochrane Library database from inception to June 2019. Screening was performed, and included all peer-reviewed original research studies reporting preoperative NLR in adult emergent and elective vascular surgical patients. Studies were assessed for bias and quality of evidence using a standardized tool. Meta-analysis was performed by general linear (mixed-effects) modelling where possible, and otherwise a narrative review was conducted. Between-study heterogeneity was estimated using the Chi-squared statistic and explored qualitatively. RESULTS Fourteen studies involving 5,652 patients were included. The overall methodological quality was good. Elevated preoperative NLR was associated with increased risk of long-term mortality (HR 1.40 [95%CI: 1.13-1.74], Chi-squared 60.3%, 7 studies, 3,637 people) and short-term mortality (OR: 3.08; 95%CI: 1.91-4.95), Chi-squared 66.59%, 4 studies, 945 people). Outcome measures used by fewer studies such as graft patency and amputation free survival were assessed via narrative review. CONCLUSIONS NLR is a promising, readily obtainable, prognostic biomarker for mortality outcomes following vascular surgery. Heterogeneity in patient factors, severity of vascular disease, and type of vascular surgery performed renders direct comparison of outcomes from the current literature challenging. This systematic review supports further investigation for NLR measurement in pre-vascular surgical risk stratification. In particular, the establishment of a universally accepted NLR cut-off value is of importance in real-world implementation of this biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M Jackson
- Department of Anaesthesia, 90134Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Luke A Perry
- Department of Anaesthesia, 90134Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Carla Borg
- Department of Surgery, 22457Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Dhruvesh M Ramson
- Department of Surgery, 22457Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ryan Campbell
- Department of Anaesthesia, 90134Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Zhengyang Liu
- Department of Anaesthesia, 90134Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jacqueline Nguyen
- Department of Anaesthesia, 90134Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ned Douglas
- Department of Anaesthesia, 90134Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Juliana Kok
- Department of Anaesthesia, 90134Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jahan Penny-Dimri
- Department of Surgery, 22457Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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29
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Wichmann AB, Goltstein LCMJ, Obihara NJ, Berendsen MR, Van Houdenhoven M, Morrison RS, Johnston BM, Engels Y. QALY-time: experts' view on the use of the quality-adjusted LIFE year in COST-effectiveness analysis in palliative care. BMC Health Serv Res 2020; 20:659. [PMID: 32678021 PMCID: PMC7364560 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-020-05521-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) is internationally recognized as standard metric of health outcomes in cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) in healthcare. The ongoing debate concerning the appropriateness of its use for decision-making in palliative care has been recently mapped in a review. The aim was to report on and draw conclusions from two expert meetings that reflected on earlier mapped issues in order to reach consensus, and to advise on the QALY’s future use in palliative care. Methods A nominal group approach was used. In order to facilitate group decision making, three statements regarding the use of the QALY in palliative care were discussed in a structured way. Two groups of international policymakers, healthcare professionals and researchers participated. Data were analysed qualitatively using inductive coding. Results 1) Most experts agreed that the recommended measurement tool for the QALYs ‘Q’ component, the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D), is inappropriate for palliative care. A more sensitive tool, which might be based on the capabilities approach, could be used or developed. 2) Valuation of time should be incorporated in the ‘Q’ part, leaving the linear clock time in the ‘LY’ component. 3) Most experts agreed that the QALY, in its current shape, is not suitable for palliative care. Conclusions 1) Although the EQ-5D does not suffice, a generic tool is needed for the QALY. As long as no suitable alternative is available, other tools can be used besides or serve as basis for the EQ-5D because of issues in conceptual overlap. 2) Future research should further investigate the valuation of time issue, and how best to integrate it in the ‘Q’ component. 3) A generic outcome measure of effectiveness is essential to justly allocate healthcare resources. However, experts emphasized, the QALY is and should be one of multiple criteria for choices in the healthcare insurance package.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne B Wichmann
- Radboud university medical centre, Department of Anaesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | | | - Ndidi J Obihara
- Radboud University, Honours Academy, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Bridget M Johnston
- Trinity College Dublin, Centre for Health Policy and Management, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Y Engels
- Radboud university medical centre, Department of Anaesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Macken L, Bremner S, Gage H, Touray M, Williams P, Crook D, Mason L, Lambert D, Evans CJ, Cooper M, Timeyin J, Steer S, Austin M, Parnell N, Thomson SJ, Sheridan D, Wright M, Isaacs P, Hashim A, Verma S. Randomised clinical trial: palliative long-term abdominal drains vs large-volume paracentesis in refractory ascites due to cirrhosis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2020; 52:107-122. [PMID: 32478917 DOI: 10.1111/apt.15802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Palliative care remains suboptimal in end-stage liver disease. AIM To inform a definitive study, we assessed palliative long-term abdominal drains in end-stage liver disease to determine recruitment, attrition, safety/potential effectiveness, questionnaires/interview uptake/completion and make a preliminary cost comparison. METHODS A 12-week feasibility nonblinded randomised controlled trial comparing large-volume paracentesis vs long-term abdominal drains in refractory ascites due to end-stage liver disease with fortnightly home visits for clinical/questionnaire-based assessments. Study success criteria were attrition not >50%, <10% long-term abdominal drain removal due to complications, the long-term abdominal drain group to spend <50% ascites-related study time in hospital vs large-volume paracentesis group and 80% questionnaire/interview uptake/completion. RESULTS Of 59 eligible patients, 36 (61%) were randomised, 17 to long-term abdominal drain and 19 to large-volume paracentesis. Following randomisation, median number (IQR) of hospital ascitic drains (long-term abdominal drain group vs large-volume paracentesis group) were 0 (0-1) vs 4 (3-7); week 12 serum albumin (g/L) and serum creatinine (μmol/L) were 29 (26.5-32.5) vs 30 (25-35) and 104.5 (81-115.5) vs 127 (63-158) respectively. Total attrition was 42% (long-term abdominal drain group 47%, large-volume paracentesis group 37%). Median (IQR) fortnightly community/hospital/social care ascites-related costs and percentage study time in hospital were lower in the long-term abdominal drain group, £329 (253-580) vs £843 (603-1060) and 0% (0-0.74) vs 2.75% (2.35-3.84) respectively. Self-limiting cellulitis/leakage occurred in 41% (7/17) in the long-term abdominal drain group vs 11% (2/19) in the large-volume paracentesis group; peritonitis incidence was 6% (1/17) vs 11% (2/19) respectively. Questionnaires/interview uptake/completion were ≥80%; interviews indicated that long-term abdominal drains could transform the care pathway. CONCLUSIONS The REDUCe study demonstrates feasibility with preliminary evidence of long-term abdominal drain acceptability/effectiveness/safety and reduction in health resource utilisation. TRIAL REGISTRATION ISRCTN30697116, date assigned: 07/10/2015.
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El Alili M, Schuurhuizen CSEW, Braamse AMJ, Beekman ATF, van der Linden MH, Konings IR, Dekker J, Bosmans JE. Economic evaluation of a combined screening and stepped-care treatment program targeting psychological distress in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: A cluster randomized controlled trial. Palliat Med 2020; 34:934-945. [PMID: 32348700 PMCID: PMC7787671 DOI: 10.1177/0269216320913463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychological distress is highly prevalent among patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. AIMS To perform an economic evaluation of a combined screening and treatment program targeting psychological distress in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer in comparison with usual care. DESIGN Societal costs were collected alongside a cluster randomized controlled trial for 48 weeks. A total of 349 participants were included. SETTING Participants were recruited from oncology departments at 16 participating hospitals in the Netherlands. METHODS Outcome measures were the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and quality-adjusted life-years. Missing data were imputed using multiple imputation. Uncertainty was estimated using bootstrapping. Cost-effectiveness planes and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves were estimated to show uncertainty surrounding the cost-effectiveness estimates. Sensitivity analyses were performed to check robustness of results. RESULTS Between treatment arms, no significant differences were found in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale score (mean difference: -0.058; 95% confidence interval: -0.13 to 0.011), quality-adjusted life-years (mean difference: 0.042; 95% confidence interval: -0.015 to 0.099), and societal costs (mean difference: -1152; 95% confidence interval: -5058 to 2214). Cost-effectiveness acceptability curves showed that the probability of cost-effectiveness was 0.64 and 0.74 at willingness-to-pay values of €0 and €10,000 per point improvement on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, respectively. The probability that the intervention was cost-effective compared to usual care for quality-adjusted life-years was 0.64 and 0.79 at willingness-to-pay values of €0 and €20,000 per quality-adjusted life-year, respectively. CONCLUSION The intervention is dominant over usual care, primarily due to lower costs in the intervention group. However, there were no statistically significant differences in clinical effects and the uptake of the intervention was quite low. Therefore, widespread implementation cannot be recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed El Alili
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Claudia S E W Schuurhuizen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universtiteit Amsterdam, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Annemarie M J Braamse
- Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aartjan T F Beekman
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mecheline H van der Linden
- Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Inge R Konings
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universtiteit Amsterdam, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Joost Dekker
- Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Judith E Bosmans
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Crowley R, Daniel H, Cooney TG, Engel LS. Envisioning a Better U.S. Health Care System for All: Coverage and Cost of Care. Ann Intern Med 2020; 172:S7-S32. [PMID: 31958805 DOI: 10.7326/m19-2415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper is part of the American College of Physicians' policy framework to achieve a vision for a better health care system, where everyone has coverage for and access to the care they need, at a cost they and the country can afford. Currently, the United States is the only wealthy industrialized country that has not achieved universal health coverage. The nation's existing health care system is inefficient, unaffordable, unsustainable, and inaccessible to many. Part 1 of this paper discusses why the United States needs to do better in addressing coverage and cost. Part 2 presents 2 potential approaches, a single-payer model and a public choice model, to achieve universal coverage. Part 3 describes how an emphasis on value-based care can reduce costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Crowley
- American College of Physicians, Washington, DC (R.C., H.D.)
| | - Hilary Daniel
- American College of Physicians, Washington, DC (R.C., H.D.)
| | - Thomas G Cooney
- Oregon Health & Science University and Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Portland, Oregon (T.G.C.)
| | - Lee S Engel
- Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana (L.S.E.)
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Predicting Hepatitis B Virus Infection Based on Health Examination Data of Community Population. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16234842. [PMID: 31810204 PMCID: PMC6926879 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16234842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Despite a decline in the prevalence of hepatitis B in China, the disease burden remains high. Large populations unaware of infection risk often fail to meet the ideal treatment window, resulting in poor prognosis. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate models identifying high-risk populations who should be tested for hepatitis B surface antigen. Data came from a large community-based health screening, including 97,173 individuals, with an average age of 54.94. A total of 33 indicators were collected as model predictors, including demographic characteristics, routine blood indicators, and liver function. Borderline-Synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) was conducted to preprocess the data and then four predictive models, namely, the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), random forest (RF), decision tree (DT), and logistic regression (LR) algorithms, were developed. The positive rate of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was 8.27%. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves for XGBoost, RF, DT, and LR models were 0.779, 0.752, 0.619, and 0.742, respectively. The Borderline-SMOTE XGBoost combined model outperformed the other models, which correctly predicted 13,637/19,435 cases (sensitivity 70.8%, specificity 70.1%), and the variable importance plot of XGBoost model indicated that age was of high importance. The prediction model can be used to accurately identify populations at high risk of hepatitis B infection that should adopt timely appropriate medical treatment measures.
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Kinghorn P, Coast J. Appropriate frameworks for economic evaluation of end of life care: A qualitative investigation with stakeholders. Palliat Med 2019; 33:823-831. [PMID: 30916615 DOI: 10.1177/0269216319839635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of quality-adjusted life years rests on the assertion that the objective of the health care system is to improve health. AIM To elicit the views of expert stakeholders on the purpose and evaluation of supportive end of life care, and explore how different purposes of end of life care imply the need for different evaluative frameworks. DESIGN Semi-structured qualitative interviews, analysed through an economic lens using a constant comparative approach. PARTICIPANTS Twenty professionals working in or visiting the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland, with clinical experience and/or working as academics in health-related disciplines. RESULTS Four purposes of end of life care were identified from and are critiqued with the aid of the qualitative data: to improve health, to enable patients to die in their preferred place, to enable the patient to experience a good death, and to enable the patient to experience a good death, and those who are close to the patient to have an experience which is as free as possible from fear, stress and distress. CONCLUSION Managing symptoms and reducing anxiety were considered to be core objectives of end of life care and fit with the wider health service objective of improving/maximising health. A single objective across the entire health system ensures consistency in the way that resource allocation is informed across that entire system. However, the purpose of care at the end of life is more complex, encompassing diverse and patient-centred objectives which we have interpreted as enabling the patient to experience a good death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Kinghorn
- 1 Health Economics Unit, Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, Edgbaston, UK
| | - Joanna Coast
- 2 Health Economics at Bristol, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, Bristol, UK
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Butenschoen VM, Kelm A, Meyer B, Krieg SM. Quality-adjusted life years in glioma patients: a systematic review on currently available data and the lack of evidence-based utilities. J Neurooncol 2019; 144:1-9. [PMID: 31187319 DOI: 10.1007/s11060-019-03210-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cost-effectiveness studies gain importance in the context of rising health care expenses and treatment options. Especially in the neuro-oncological context, surgical therapy may increase overall survival, but restrain the patient by postoperative disability. Quality-adjusted life years, express treatment effects and are based on health utilities. In our study, we analyze the current evidence on health economic evaluations in glioma patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS We performed a systematic database search including Medline and Cochrane Library. Studies were critically appraised for statistical analyzes including glioma patients, health economic modeling and detailed health outcome. Study evidence was classified according to levels of evidence for therapeutic studies from the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (Oxford). RESULTS 37 studies (1995-2018) were identified, 29 matched our inclusion criteria. Studies addressed surgical cost-efficiency and/or the standard treatment, postoperative chemotherapy (n = 6) and 5-ALA (n = 3). Only 16 studies used QALY as the outcome measure, most used overall survival or life years gained (LYG). Utilities were either based on one single study (Garside et al. in Health Technol Assess 11:iii-iv, ix-221) or derived from visual analogue scale (VAS). None assessed quality of life values for specific health statuses or utilities. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios varied from 8325€ per QALY (5-ALA) to 518,342€ per LYG (tumor treating fields). CONCLUSIONS Only one study generated utility values to conduct cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA); most studies used indirect outcomes such as LYG or based their model on previously published data. Health economic evaluations lack specific utilities, further investigations are necessary to conduct reliable CEA in the neurosurgical context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicki Marie Butenschoen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum Rechts Der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaningerstr. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Anna Kelm
- Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum Rechts Der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaningerstr. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Bernhard Meyer
- Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum Rechts Der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaningerstr. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
| | - Sandro M Krieg
- Department of Neurosurgery, Klinikum Rechts Der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaningerstr. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany.
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Rovers JJE, Knol EJ, Pieksma J, Nienhuis W, Wichmann AB, Engels Y. Living at the end-of-life: experience of time of patients with cancer. BMC Palliat Care 2019; 18:40. [PMID: 31088442 PMCID: PMC6518794 DOI: 10.1186/s12904-019-0424-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The aim of this study was to gain insight into the experience of time of terminal patients with cancer. Experience of time is relevant in palliative care in both policy and practice. On a policy level, the Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY), the most used outcome measure for cost-effectiveness analysis in healthcare, assumes time to be a linear and additive variable, which is one of the reasons that its applicability in palliative care is questioned. On a practice level, a better understanding of the experience of time of patients with limited time left, could help to recognize if and how these patients can have a more meaningful use of time. The main focus of this study was to discover whether time perception of these patients in their last months of life had changed as compared to earlier periods of time in their lives in good physical health. The pace of time and time dominance (comparison of past, present and future) were investigated. Methods In several hospices and palliative care units in the Netherlands, twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with terminal patients with cancer. Results Time perception at the end of life had changed for most participants. They all lived on a day-to-day basis in the terminal phase, independent of their way of life in the healthy phase. Furthermore, the experienced duration of a day turned out to be very different between patients, but also between days, depending on daily activities. Besides, for most patients for whom the future was the dominant period of time in the healthy phase, the dominant period of time in the terminal phase had become the past. Conclusions Time perception of terminal patients with cancer differed from the time perception in their relatively healthy phase of life. This suggests that the LY part of the QALY is not comparable for all phases of life. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12904-019-0424-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elze Jantien Knol
- Radboud University Honours Academy, Nijmegen, Gelderland, The Netherlands
| | - Jelte Pieksma
- Radboud University Honours Academy, Nijmegen, Gelderland, The Netherlands
| | - Wytse Nienhuis
- Radboud University Honours Academy, Nijmegen, Gelderland, The Netherlands
| | | | - Yvonne Engels
- Radboud University Honours Academy, Nijmegen, Gelderland, The Netherlands
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES Uncontrolled pain in advanced cancer is a common problem and has significant impact on individuals' quality of life and use of healthcare resources. Interventions to help manage pain at the end of life are available, but there is limited economic evidence to support their wider implementation. We conducted a case study economic evaluation of two pain self-management interventions (PainCheck and Tackling Cancer Pain Toolkit [TCPT]) compared with usual care. METHODS We generated a decision-analytic model to facilitate the evaluation. This modelled the survival of individuals at the end of life as they moved through pain severity categories. Intervention effectiveness was based on published meta-analyses results. The evaluation was conducted from the perspective of the U.K. health service provider and reported cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). RESULTS PainCheck and TCPT were cheaper (respective incremental costs -GBP148 [-EUR168.53] and -GBP474 [-EUR539.74]) and more effective (respective incremental QALYs of 0.010 and 0.013) than usual care. There was a 65 percent and 99.5 percent chance of cost-effectiveness for PainCheck and TCPT, respectively. Results were relatively robust to sensitivity analyses. The most important driver of cost-effectiveness was level of pain reduction (intervention effectiveness). Although cost savings were modest per patient, these were considerable when accounting for the number of potential intervention beneficiaries. CONCLUSIONS Educational and monitoring/feedback interventions have the potential to be cost-effective. Economic evaluations based on estimates of effectiveness from published meta-analyses and using a decision modeling approach can support commissioning decisions and implementation of pain management strategies.
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Wichmann AB, Adang EMM, Vissers KCP, Szczerbińska K, Kylänen M, Payne S, Gambassi G, Onwuteaka-Philipsen BD, Smets T, Van den Block L, Deliens L, Vernooij-Dassen MJFJ, Engels Y. Technical-efficiency analysis of end-of-life care in long-term care facilities within Europe: A cross-sectional study of deceased residents in 6 EU countries (PACE). PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204120. [PMID: 30252888 PMCID: PMC6155520 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background An ageing population in the EU leads to a higher need of long-term institutional care at the end of life. At the same time, healthcare costs rise while resources remain limited. Consequently, an urgency to extend our knowledge on factors affecting efficiency of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) arises. This study aims to investigate and explain variation in technical efficiency of end-of-life care within and between LTCFs of six EU countries: Belgium (Flanders), England, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland. In this study, technical efficiency reflects the LTCFs’ ability to obtain maximal quality of life (QoL) and quality of dying (QoD) for residents from a given set of resource inputs (personnel and capacity). Methods Cross-sectional data were collected by means of questionnaires on deceased residents identified by LTCFs over a three-month period. An output-oriented data-envelopment analysis (DEA) was performed, producing efficiency scores, incorporating personnel and capacity as input and QoL and QoD as output. Scenario analysis was conducted. Regression analysis was performed on explanatory (country, LTCF type, ownership, availability of palliative care and opioids) and case mix (disease severity) variables. Results 133 LTCFs of only one type (onsite nurses and offsite GPs) were considered in order to reduce heterogeneity. Variation in LTCF efficiency was found across as well as within countries. This variation was not explained by country, ownership, availability of palliative care or opioids. However, in the ‘hands-on care at the bedside’ scenario, i.e. only taking into account nursing and care assistants as input, Poland (p = 0.00) and Finland (p = 0.04) seemed to be most efficient. Conclusions Efficiency of LTCFs differed extensively across as well as within countries, indicating room for considerable efficiency improvement. Our findings should be interpreted cautiously, as comprehensive comparative EU-wide research is challenging as it is influenced by many factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne B Wichmann
- Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, IQ healthcare, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Eddy M M Adang
- Radboud University Medical Center, Department for Health Evidence, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Kris C P Vissers
- Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Katarzyna Szczerbińska
- Unit for Research on Aging Society, Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine Chair, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
| | - Marika Kylänen
- National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sheila Payne
- Division of Health Research, Lancaster University, Lancaster, England
| | - Giovanni Gambassi
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Bregje D Onwuteaka-Philipsen
- VUmc, Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tinne Smets
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Lieve Van den Block
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Luc Deliens
- End-of-Life Care Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel & Ghent University, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Myrra J F J Vernooij-Dassen
- Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, IQ healthcare, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Yvonne Engels
- Radboud University Medical Center, Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Dzingina MD, McCrone P, Higginson IJ. Does the EQ-5D capture the concerns measured by the Palliative care Outcome Scale? Mapping the Palliative care Outcome Scale onto the EQ-5D using statistical methods. Palliat Med 2017; 31:716-725. [PMID: 28434392 DOI: 10.1177/0269216317705608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The main measure to generate utility data for economic evaluations is the EQ-5D, but no study has tested whether or how to map from palliative care measures to the EQ-5D. AIMS To assess the level of conceptual overlap between palliative outcomes and the EQ-5D, and the feasibility of mapping between them to obtain utilities for the Palliative care Outcome Scale. DESIGN A cross-sectional secondary analysis of data from three studies. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS Patients receiving palliative care and bereaved relatives, recruited from three tertiary National Health Service hospitals in South London. METHODS The overlap between both measures was assessed using principal component analysis. The Palliative care Outcome Scale was mapped onto the EQ-5D using three regression models. RESULTS Spearman's correlations between both instruments were low (mean rho = 0.11). The principal component analysis showed the Palliative care Outcome Scale is associated with only two EQ-5D dimensions (pain; and anxiety/depression). No Palliative care Outcome Scale items loaded onto the mobility, self-care and usual activities dimensions of the EQ-5D. The mapping models performed poorly at predicting utilities from Palliative care Outcome Scale data (mean absolute error >0.3 and R2 <0.10). Hence, none of the models can be recommended as acceptable for calculating utilities from Palliative care Outcome Scale responses. CONCLUSION Differences between the Palliative care Outcome Scale and the EQ-5D do not undermine the qualities of either instrument when used for their own purposes. However, due to conceptual differences, the EQ-5D does not capture some of the concerns measured by the Palliative care Outcome Scale, and therefore, mapping onto the EQ-5D is unlikely to provide an appropriate basis for estimating utilities for conducting economic evaluations in palliative care studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mendwas D Dzingina
- 1 Department of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation, Cicely Saunders Institute, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Paul McCrone
- 2 King's Health Economics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Irene J Higginson
- 1 Department of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation, Cicely Saunders Institute, King's College London, London, UK
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