Comparison of antigen- and RT-PCR-based testing strategies for detection of SARS-CoV-2 in two high-exposure settings.

Surveillance testing for infectious disease is an important tool to combat disease transmission at the population level. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, RT-PCR tests have been considered the gold standard due to their high sensitivity and specificity. However, RT-PCR tests for SARS-CoV-2 have been shown to return positive results when performed to individuals who are past the infectious stage of the disease. Meanwhile, antigen-based tests are often treated as a less accurate substitute for RT-PCR, however, new evidence suggests they may better reflect infectiousness. Consequently, the two test types may each be most optimally deployed in different settings. Here, we present an epidemiological model with surveillance testing and coordinated isolation in two congregate living settings (a nursing home and a university dormitory system) that considers test metrics with respect to viral culture, a proxy for infectiousness. Simulations show that antigen-based surveillance testing coupled with isolation greatly reduces disease burden and carries a lower economic cost than RT-PCR-based strategies. Antigen and RT-PCR tests perform different functions toward the goal of reducing infectious disease burden and should be used accordingly.

Impact of Fluid Choice in Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome Patients on Hospital Cost Savings.

BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence of the benefits of intravenous fluid therapy with balanced crystalloids over 0.9% 'normal' saline. This analysis evaluated the economic impact of increasing usage of a calcium-free balanced crystalloid solution (BAL) in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) on an annual hospital budget. METHODS: An Excel®-based economic model was developed to estimate costs associated with increased BAL usage (i.e., use in a greater proportion of patients), from the US hospital perspective, over a 5-year time horizon. Clinical inputs were based on the results of a retrospective Electronic Health Record (EHR) database analysis identifying significantly fewer complications among SIRS patients receiving predominantly BAL versus saline. Complication-associated costs, adjusted to 2015, were obtained from published reports. Scenario analyses examined cost impacts for hospitals of various sizes, with different BAL adoption levels and rates. RESULTS: Base-case scenario analysis (300-bed hospital, 80% occupancy, current and year 5 BAL usage in 5 and 75% of SIRS patients, respectively, exponential year-over-year adoption) showed year 1 hospital savings of US$29,232 and cumulative 5-year savings of US$1.16M. Cumulative 5-year pharmacy savings were US$172,641. Scenario analyses demonstrated increasing cumulative 5-year savings with increasing hospital size, year 5 BAL usage in greater proportions of patients, and rapid/early BAL adoption. CONCLUSIONS: Increased BAL usage represents an opportunity for hospitals and pharmacy departments to reduce complication-related costs associated with managing SIRS patients. The model suggests that savings could be expected across a range of scenarios, likely benefiting hospitals of various sizes and with different adoption capabilities.

Remote Monitoring of Automated Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: Assessing Clinical and Economic Value.

BACKGROUND: For chronic kidney disease patients who progress to end-stage renal disease, survival is dependent on renal replacement therapy in the form of kidney transplantation or chronic dialysis. Peritoneal dialysis (PD), which can be performed at home, is both more convenient and less costly than hemodialysis that requires three 4-h visits per week to the dialysis facility and complicated equipment. Remote therapy management (RTM), technologies that collect medical information and transmit it to healthcare providers for patient management, has the potential to improve the outcomes of patients receiving automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) at home. OBJECTIVE: Estimate through a simulation study the potential impact of RTM on APD patients use of healthcare resources and costs in the United States, Germany, and Italy. METHODS: Twelve APD patient profiles were developed to reflect potential clinical scenarios of APD therapy. Two versions of each profile were created to simulate healthcare resource use, one assuming use of RTM and one with no RTM. Eleven APD teams (one nephrologist, one nurse) estimated resources that would be used. RESULTS: Results from U.S., German, and Italian clinicians found that RTM could avoid use of 59, 49, and 16 resources over the 12 profiles, respectively. Estimated reduced utilization across the three countries ranged from one to two hospitalizations, one to four home visits, two to five emergency room visits, and four to eight unplanned clinic visits. Total savings across all scenarios were $23,364 in the United States, $11,477 in Germany, and $7,088 in Italy. CONCLUSION: In a simulated environment, early intervention enabled by RTM reduced healthcare resource utilization and associated costs.

Economic Impact of a Peritoneal Dialysis Continuous Quality Improvement Program in Colombia.

♦ BACKGROUND: There is little information regarding the financial burden of peritonitis and the economic impact of continuous quality improvement (CQI) programs in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. The objectives of this study were to measure the costs of peritonitis, and determine the net savings of a PD CQI program in Colombia. ♦ METHODS: The Renal Therapy Services (RTS) network in Colombia, along with Coomeva EPS, provided healthcare resource utilization data for PD patients with and without peritonitis between January 2012 and December 2013. Propensity score matching and regression analysis were performed to estimate the incremental cost of peritonitis. Patient months at risk, episodes of peritonitis pre- and post-CQI, and costs of CQI were obtained. Annual net savings of the CQI program were estimated based on the number of peritonitis events prevented. ♦ RESULTS: The incremental cost of a peritonitis episode was $250. In an 8-year period, peritonitis decreased from 1,837 episodes per 38,596 patient-months in 2006 to 841 episodes per 50,910 patient-months in 2014. Overall, the CQI program prevented an estimated 10,409 episodes of peritonitis. The cost of implementing the CQI program was $147,000 in the first year and $119,000 annually thereafter. Using a five percent discount rate, the net present value of the program was $1,346,431, with an average annual net savings of $207,027. The return on investment (i.e. total savings-program cost/program cost) of CQI was 169%. ♦ CONCLUSION: Continuous quality improvement initiatives designed to reduce rates of peritonitis have a strong potential to generate cost savings.

Cost-effectiveness of Chloride-liberal versus Chloriderestrictive Intravenous Fluids among Patients Hospitalized in the United States.

Background: Patients developing acute kidney injury (AKI) during critical illness or major surgery are at risk for renal sequelae such as costly and invasive acute renal replacement therapy (RRT) and chronic dialysis (CD). Rates of renal injury may be reduced with use of chloride-restrictive intravenous (IV) resuscitation fluids instead of chloride-liberal fluids. Objectives: To compare the cost-effectiveness of chloride-restrictive versus chloride-liberal crystalloid fluids used during fluid resuscitation or for the maintenance of hydration among patients hospitalized in the US for critical illnesses or major surgery. Methods: Clinical outcomes and costs for a simulated patient cohort (starting age 60 years) receiving either chloride-restrictive or chloride-liberal crystalloids were estimated using a decision tree for the first 90-day period after IV fluid initiation followed by a Markov model over the remainder of the cohort lifespan. Outcomes modeled in the decision tree were AKI development, recovery from AKI, progression to acute RRT, progression to CD, and death. Health states included in the Markov model were dialysis free without prior AKI, dialysis-free following AKI, CD, and death. Estimates of clinical parameters were taken from a recent meta-analysis, other published studies, and the US Renal Data System. Direct healthcare costs (in 2015 USD) were included for IV fluids, RRT, and CD. US-normalized health-state utilities were used to calculate quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Results: In the cohort of 100 patients, AKI was predicted to develop in the first 90 days in 36 patients receiving chloride-liberal crystalloids versus 22 receiving chloride-restrictive crystalloids. Higher costs of chloride-restrictive crystalloids were offset by savings from avoided renal adverse events. Chloride-liberal crystalloids were dominant over chloride-restrictive crystalloids, gaining 93.5 life-years and 81.4 QALYs while saving $298 576 over the cohort lifespan. One-way sensitivity analyses indicated results were most sensitive to the relative risk for AKI development and relatively insensitive to fluid cost. In probabilistic sensitivity analyses with 1000 iterations, chloride-restrictive crystalloids were dominant in 94.7% of iterations, with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios below $50 000/QALY in 99.6%. Conclusions: This analysis predicts improved patient survival and fewer renal complications with chloriderestrictive IV fluids, yielding net savings versus chloride-liberal fluids. Results require confirmation in adequately powered head-to-head randomized trials.