Cost-effectiveness study of FIB-4 followed by transient elastography screening strategy for advanced hepatic fibrosis in a NAFLD at-risk population.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The cost-effectiveness to screen hepatic fibrosis in at-risk population as recommended by several professional societies has been limited. This study aimed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of this screening strategy in the expanded at-risk population recently proposed by several societies. METHODS: A combined model of the decision tree and Markov models was developed to compare expected costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) between screening and no screening groups. The model included liver disease-related health states and cardiovascular disease (CVD) states as a base-case analysis. Screening strategy consisted of fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4) followed by vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) and intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) as a treatment for diagnosed patients. RESULTS: Cost-effectiveness analysis showed that screening the at-risk population entailed $298 incremental costs and an additional 0.0199 QALY per patient compared to no screening (ICER $14 949/QALY). Screening was cost-effective based on the implicit ICER threshold of $25 000/QALY in Korea. When the effects of ILI on CVD and extrahepatic malignancy were incorporated into the cost-effectiveness model, the ICER decreased by 0.85 times from the base-case analysis (ICER $12 749/QALY). In contrast, when only the effects of liver disease were considered in the model, excluding cardiovascular disease effects, ICER increased from the baseline case analysis to $16 305. Even when replacing with medical costs in Japan and U.S., it remained cost-effective with the estimate below the countries' ICER threshold. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides compelling evidence supporting the cost-effectiveness of FIB-4-based screening the at-risk population for advanced hepatic fibrosis.

Survival differences between patients with de novo and relapsed/progressed advanced non-small cell lung cancer without epidermal growth factor receptor mutations or anaplastic lymphoma kinase rearrangements.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to examine whether patients with de novo and relapsed/progressed stage IIIB-IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) or anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) mutations have different prognoses. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed the Health Insurance Review and Assessment claims data in South Korea from 2013 to 2020. Patients with stage IIIB-IV NSCLC without EGFR or ALK mutations who received first-line palliative therapy between 2015 and 2019 were identified. Overall survival (OS), time to first subsequent therapy (TFST), and time to second subsequent therapy (TSST) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to reveal the impact of de novo versus relapsed/progressed disease on OS. Treatment patterns, including treatment sequence, top five most frequent regimens, and time to treatment discontinuation, were described in both groups. RESULTS: Of 14,505 patients, 12,811 (88.3%) were de novo, and 1,694 (11.7%) were relapsed/progressed. The median OS in the de novo group was 11.0 versus 11.5 months in the relapsed/progressed group (P = 0.002). The ongoing treatment probability was higher in relapsed/progressed patients than in de novo patients from 6.4 months since the initiation of first-line treatment (P < 0.001). Median TSST was shorter in the de novo group than in the relapsed/progressed group (9.5 vs. 9.9 months, P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, de novo disease was associated with shorter OS (hazard ratio 1.07; 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.14). The overall treatment patterns for de novo and relapsed/progressed patients were similar. CONCLUSIONS: De novo patients had poorer OS and TSST after the initiation of palliative therapy than relapsed/progressed patients. These findings suggest that the stage of the disease at the time of initial diagnosis should be considered in observational studies and clinical trials as a prognostic factor.

Cost-Effectiveness of All-Oral Regimens for the Treatment of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Korea: Comparison With Conventional Injectable-Containing Regimens.

BACKGROUND: Regimens for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) have been changed from injectable-containing regimens to all-oral regimens. The economic effectiveness of new all-oral regimens compared with conventional injectable-containing regimens was scarcely evaluated. This study was conducted to compare the cost-effectiveness between all-oral longer-course regimens (the oral regimen group) and conventional injectable-containing regimens (the control group) to treat newly diagnosed MDR-TB patients. METHODS: A health economic analysis over lifetime horizon (20 years) from the perspective of the healthcare system in Korea was conducted. We developed a combined simulation model of a decision tree model (initial two years) and two Markov models (remaining 18 years, six-month cycle length) to calculate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) between the two groups. The transition probabilities and cost in each cycle were assumed based on the published data and the analysis of health big data that combined country-level claims data and TB registry in 2013-2018. RESULTS: The oral regimen group was assumed to spend 20,778 USD more and lived 1.093 years or 1.056 quality-adjusted life year (QALY) longer than the control group. The ICER of the base case was calculated to be 19,007 USD/life year gained and 19,674 USD/QALY. The results of sensitivity analyses showed that base case results were very robust and stable, and the oral regimen was cost-effective with a 100% probability for a willingness to pay more than 21,250 USD/QALY. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that the new all-oral longer regimens for the treatment of MDR-TB were cost-effective in replacing conventional injectable-containing regimens.

Cost-effectiveness of improving patients' adherence to tuberculosis treatment in South Korea using discrete event simulation.

BACKGROUND: Poor adherence to tuberculosis (TB) treatment is an obstacle to controlling the disease. The Korean government's national TB control plan includes a program on adherence to TB treatment to manage patients with TB. This study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of a national TB program for improving patient adherence. METHODS: A discrete event simulation (DES) model was developed to estimate the costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) of adherent and non-adherent patients. In this model, we considered treatment completion, loss to follow-up, recurrence, death, and treatment changes from drug-susceptible to multidrug-resistant TB as clinical events. We obtained input parameters such as costs, probability of events, and time distributions for each event from the Korean National Health Insurance claims data. We estimated the costs and QALYs before implementation of the program (adherence rate = 79%) and at present (current adherence rate = 94%). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was used to evaluate whether the program was cost-effective given the willingness-to-pay threshold. RESULTS: In the simulation, the program increasing the proportion of adherent patients gained 0.018 QALY/patient while spending $162/patient. The ICER of the TB program was $8790/QALY. Given a willingness-to-pay threshold of $20,000, the national TB program was considered cost-effective. CONCLUSION: Improvements in adherence to TB treatment through the current TB program were cost-effective. The DES model accurately reflected the real world. Commitment programs to improve patient adherence may help manage TB nationwide.

Real-world evidence of brigatinib as second-line treatment after crizotinib for ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer using South Korean claims data (K-AREAL).

PURPOSE: There is a lack of real-world data in Asian populations for brigatinib, a next-generation anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study analysed real-world outcomes and dosing patterns for brigatinib in patients with crizotinib-refractory ALK+ NSCLC in South Korea. METHODS: This retrospective, non-interventional, cohort study used South Korean Health Insurance and Review Assessment claims data for adults with ALK+ NSCLC who initiated brigatinib between 19 April 2019 and 31 March 2021 after receiving prior crizotinib. Patients' characteristics, time to discontinuation (TTD), time to dose reduction, overall survival (OS) and treatment adherence were assessed. RESULTS: The study included 174 patients (56.9% male; 27.0% with a history of brain metastases). Median duration of prior crizotinib was 17 (range 0.3-48) months. Median follow-up after brigatinib initiation was 18 (range 0-34) months. Overall, 88.5% of patients received full-dose brigatinib (180 mg/day) and 93.1% of patients were adherent (proportion of days covered ≥0.8). The median TTD was 24.9 months (95% CI 15.2-not reached). The probability of continuing treatment was 63.2% at 1 year and 51.5% at 2 years. The probability of continuing at full or peak dose was 79.7% at 1 year and 75.6% at 2 years. Median OS was not reached. The 2-year OS rate was 68.7%. CONCLUSIONS: In this first nationwide retrospective study using national insurance claim data, brigatinib demonstrated real-world clinical benefit as second-line treatment after prior crizotinib in ALK+ NSCLC patients in South Korea.

A Model-Based Economic Evaluation of Hypothetical Treatments for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in the UK: Implications for Pricing of New and Emerging Health Technologies.

BACKGROUND: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating disease which leads to loss of muscle function and paralysis. Historically, clinical drug development has been unsuccessful, but promising disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) may be on the horizon. OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to estimate survival, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and costs under current care, and to explore the conditions under which new therapies might be considered cost effective. METHODS: We developed a health economic model to evaluate the cost effectiveness of future ALS treatments from a UK National Health Service and Personal Social Services perspective over a lifetime horizon using data from the ALS-CarE study. Costs were valued at 2021/22 prices. Two hypothetical interventions were evaluated: a DMT which delays progression and mortality, and a symptomatic therapy which improves utility only. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to identify key drivers of cost effectiveness. RESULTS: Starting from King's stage 2, patients receiving current care accrue an estimated 2.27 life-years, 0.75 QALYs and lifetime costs of £68,047. Assuming a 50% reduction in progression rates and a UK-converted estimate of the price of edaravone, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for a new DMT versus current care is likely to exceed £735,000 per QALY gained. Symptomatic therapies may be more likely to achieve acceptable levels of cost effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of efficacy, DMTs may struggle to demonstrate cost effectiveness, even at a low price. The cost effectiveness of DMTs is likely to be strongly influenced by drug price, the magnitude and durability of relative treatment effects, treatment starting/stopping rules and any additional utility benefits over current care.

Real-world effectiveness of CDK4/6 inhibitors on patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer in South Korea, focusing on underrepresented patients.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed the real-world effectiveness of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors as first-line treatments in postmenopausal patients with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer, focusing on younger (<45 years) and older (>78 years) populations not considered in clinical trials. METHODS: We analyzed nationwide claims data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service between November 2016 and February 2021. In this retrospective cohort study, patients using CDK4/6 inhibitors and aromatase inhibitors were selected and grouped by age as follows: 45-78 years (trial-enrolled), <45 years (younger), and >78 years (older). We estimated the median real-world progression-free survival (rwPFS) and overall survival (OS) using the Kaplan-Meier method. We conducted Cox regression analysis using a sub-distribution hazard model to evaluate risk factors (age, history of prior systemic treatment, presence of metastasis, comorbidity index, and type of provider) and estimated hazard ratios (HR). RESULTS: Among the 2,830 patients who received CDK4/6 inhibitors as first-line therapy, we identified 358 (12.65%) younger and 148 (5.23%) older underrepresented patients. The younger patient group (50.84%) had the highest rate of prior systemic therapy, followed by the trial-enrolled (25.39%) and older patient groups (8.11%). The median rwPFS was shorter in the older group (19.30 months) than those in the younger and the trial-enrolled age groups (30.33 and 34.53 months, respectively; p = .002). The HR of older age for death was 1.59 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.24-2.03). For rwPFS, the HR of prior systemic therapy was 1.19 (95% CI = 1.04-1.37). CONCLUSIONS: The younger age group, which was underrepresented in the trial, did not show a significant difference in risk compared with the enrolled age group. However, the older age group, which was also underrepresented in the trial, faces a risk of mortality but not progression. Patients who fall outside the specified age groups for the clinical trial can still expect the same level of effectiveness in terms of progression.

Lipid profile changes induced by glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in patients with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1) agonists on the lipid profiles of patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We retrieved the data of phase 3 randomized controlled trials on GLP-1 agonists in patients with type 2 diabetes from the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library up to 11 February 2024. We extracted % changes in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol/total cholesterol (T-CHO) and triglycerides levels from baseline. Using Bayesian network meta-analysis, mean differences and 95% credible intervals for lipid changes were estimated as a unit of percentage points (%p) by class. RESULTS: Twenty-six studies covering 22,290 participants were included. The glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)/GLP-1 dual agonist showed significant differences in LDL-C (range of mean differences: -11.61 to -6.77%p), triglycerides (-19.94 to -13.31%p), and T-CHO (-7.94 to -5.09%p) levels compared to placebo, insulin, and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. The GLP-1 agonist significantly reduced T-CHO (-5.20%p; -6.39%p) and LDL-C (-4.32%p; -8.17%p) levels compared to placebo and SGLT2 inhibitors, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The GIP/GLP-1 dual agonist positively affects the lipid profiles of patients with type 2 diabetes. This may contribute to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO (CRD42021282668).

Comparative Safety Profiles of Oncology Biosimilars: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: It is crucial that the safety profiles of biosimilars are similar to those of the original biologics. A better understanding of biosimilars and their relative safety and immunogenicity profiles are required for healthcare providers to prescribe them to patients with life-threatening cancer diseases who receive chemotherapies with potentially serious adverse events (AEs). OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to collate and analyze currently available safety and immunogenicity outcomes of biosimilars used in oncology and compare their safety information with those of the original biologics. METHODS: The MEDLINE and Cochrane Library databases were searched as at 28 February 2022. Four anti-cancer biosimilar molecules were considered: bevacizumab, trastuzumab, rituximab, and (peg)filgrastim. Through a systematic review, we selected the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing safety outcomes between the biosimilars and original biologics of the four molecules. As safety outcomes, various treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were collated, such as any TEAE, serious AE, and TEAE higher than grade 3. A risk ratio (RR) per category of TEAE was estimated through a meta-analysis. A network meta-analysis (NMA) was also conducted to compare the safety among the biosimilar brands for TEAEs over 25% with higher variability in addition to the serious AE cases. RESULTS: Forty-nine RCTs were identified. The results from the meta-analysis showed that the safety and immunogenicity profiles of all four biosimilar molecules are comparable with that of the original biologics at the TEAE level without statistically significant differences, except for diarrhea for (peg)filgrastim. The incidence of diarrhea with (peg)filgrastim was less than that with the original biologic (RR 0.66, 95% confidence interval 0.50-0.89). The NMA results showed similar safety profiles among the biosimilar brands for all four biosimilar molecules, except for the serious adverse event of a trastuzumab biosimilar (RR 0.296, 95% credible interval 0.109-0.840). CONCLUSION: The meta-analysis and NMA for all four biosimilars showed that the safety and immunogenicity profiles of biosimilar products in oncology are generally comparable with that of the original biologics at the TEAE level. However, additional evidence needs to be collected since several TEAEs of specific biosimilars were out of the equivalent range. The results of this study provide comparative safety information and a better understanding of oncology biosimilars for healthcare providers to prescribe them to patients.

Concomitant Use of Proton Pump Inhibitors and Palbociclib Among Patients With Breast Cancer.

Importance: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly used drugs to relieve gastrointestinal tract symptoms, but their acid-inhibitory action negatively affects the bioavailability and clinical outcomes of orally administered concomitant drugs. Objective: To identify the clinical outcomes of patients with advanced breast cancer who concomitantly use PPIs and palbociclib. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study used nationwide claims data between November 1, 2016, and July 31, 2021, in South Korea. Patients with breast cancer receiving palbociclib between November 1, 2017, and July 31, 2020, were identified. Patients whose prescriptions for palbociclib and PPI overlapped by at least 33% were classified into a concomitant PPI group. Patients who never received PPI during the palbociclib treatment period were classified into a nonconcomitant PPI group. Patients were selected through 1:3 propensity score matching for analyses. Exposures: Concomitant use of PPIs with palbociclib. Main Outcomes and Measures: Time to progression and death. These outcomes were presented as progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) and were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of concomitant PPI use associated with clinical PFS and/or OS. Results: A total of 344 women were included in the concomitant PPI group and 966 in the nonconcomitant PPI group. Among 1310 patients identified after matching, 1108 (84.6%) were older than 50 years; 1111 (84.8%) were treated with letrozole and anastrozole (endocrine sensitive); and 199 (15.2%) were treated with fulvestrant (endocrine resistant). The median clinical PFS in the concomitant PPI group was shorter than that of the nonconcomitant PPI group (25.3 [95% CI, 19.6-33.0] vs 39.8 [95% CI, 34.9 to not applicable] months; P < .001), and the HR was 1.76 (95% CI, 1.46-2.13). Concomitant use of PPI was also associated with shorter OS (HR, 2.71 [95% CI, 2.07-3.53]). Both clinical PFS and OS in the concomitant PPI group were consistently poor in patients receiving endocrine-sensitive and endocrine-resistant treatment. Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that concomitant use of PPIs with palbociclib may hinder the complete therapeutic benefits of palbociclib in patients with breast cancer.

Estimating the Total Societal Cost of a Hexavalent Vaccine versus a Pentavalent Vaccine with Hepatitis B in South Korea.

In South Korea, the ready-to-use hexavalent vaccine (against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliovirus, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and hepatitis B) is not listed despite its facility of no need to reconstitute. It, therefore, has the potential to augment the efficiency of prevention against the six infectious diseases, and it may reduce vaccine-related errors of reconstitution when compared with the currently used vaccination scheme of the pentavalent vaccine with the additional shots against hepatitis B. Given the assumed clinical equivalence between the two vaccination schemes, a cost-minimization analysis has been performed from a societal perspective including all the medical and non-medical direct and indirect costs when vaccinating one birth cohort. The results indicate that the ready-to-use hexavalent vaccine induces a cost reduction of KRW 47,155 (USD36.22) per infant or 12,026 million Korean Won ($9,236,417) in total for the whole birth cohort with 260,500 children. Using the ready-to-use hexavalent vaccine causes a lower infection rate, has fewer vaccination sessions, and may save much time as compared with the current vaccination scheme in place. The ready-to-use hexavalent vaccine may, therefore, benefit the National Immunization Program by reducing the total societal costs of vaccination while improving convenience of infants, parents, and medical care professionals.

Quantitative Benefit-Risk Assessment of COVID-19 Vaccines Using the Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis.

In the early SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic, four major vaccines were approved despite limited efficacy and safety data through short regulatory review periods. Thus, it is necessary to assess the benefit-risk (BR) profiles of the COVID-19 vaccines. We conducted a quantitative BR assessment for four COVID-19 vaccines (mRNA-based: mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2; viral vector-based: Ad26.COV.2 and ChAdOx1-S) using multi-criteria decision analysis. Three benefit criteria and two risk criteria were considered: preventing COVID-19 infection for (1) adults aged ≥18 years; (2) seniors aged 60 years or older; and (3) severe COVID-19, adverse events (AEs), and serious AEs. Data were retrieved from clinical trials, observational studies, and county-specific AE monitoring reports. Based on the collected data, vaccines were scored for each criterion. 22 professionals weighted each criterion. The overall BR score was calculated using scores and weights. mRNA-1273 was the most preferred vaccine in pre-authorization and BNT162b2 in post-authorization. We found that the mRNA vaccine had a good balance between the benefits and risks. Using this BR assessment, the benefit-risk profile of COVID-19 vaccines can be updated with cumulated data. It will contribute to building evidence for decision making by policy makers and health professionals.

Real-world association of adherence with outcomes and economic burden in patients with tuberculosis from South Korea claims data.

Objectives: We analyzed tuberculosis (TB)-related costs according to treatment adherence, as well as the association between treatment adherence, treatment outcomes, and costs related to drug-susceptible TB in South Korea. Methods: Patients who had newly treated TB in South Korea between 2006 and 2015 were selected from nationwide sample claims data and categorized into adherent and non-adherent groups using the proportion of days TB drugs covered. Patients were followed-up from the initiation of TB treatment. The mean five-year cumulative costs per patient were estimated according to adherence. Moreover, we evaluated the relative ratios to identify cost drivers such as adherence, treatment outcomes, and baseline characteristics using generalized linear models. Four treatment outcomes were included: treatment completion, loss to follow-up, death, and the initiation of multidrug-resistant TB treatment. Results: Out of the 3,799 new patients with TB, 2,662 were adherent, and 1,137 were non-adherent. Five years after initiating TB treatment, the mean TB-related costs were USD 2,270 and USD 2,694 in the adherent and non-adherent groups, respectively. The TB-related monthly cost per patient was also lower in the adherent than in the non-adherent (relative ratio = 0.89, 95% CI 0.92-0.98), while patients who were lost to follow-up spent more on TB-related costs (2.52, 2.24-2.83) compared to those who completed the treatment. Conclusion: Non-adherent patients with TB spend more on treatment costs while they have poorer outcomes compared to adherent patients with TB. Improving patient adherence may lead to effective treatment outcomes and reduce the economic burden of TB. Policymakers and providers should consider commitment programs to improve patient's adherence.

Clinical manifestation, economic burden, and mortality in patients with transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis.

BACKGROUND: Transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis, also known as transthyretin cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is a poorly-recognized disease with delayed diagnosis and poor prognosis. This nationwide population-based study aimed to identify disease manifestations, economic burden, and mortality of patients with ATTR-CM. METHODS: Data of newly diagnosed patients with ATTR-CM between 2013 and 2018 from the Korean National Health Insurance Service were used, covering the entire population. Patient characteristics included comorbidities, medical procedures, and medication. Healthcare resource utilization and medical costs were observed as measures of the economic burden. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve and years of potential life lost (YPLL) from the general population were estimated for disease burden with ATTR CM. RESULTS: A total of 175 newly diagnosed patients with ATTR-CM were identified. The most common cardiac manifestation was hypertension (51.3%), while the most common non-cardiac manifestation was musculoskeletal disease (68.0%). Mean medical costs at the post-cohort entry date were significantly higher than those at the pre-cohort entry date ($1,864 vs. $400 per patient per month (PPPM), p < 0.001). Of the total medical costs during the study period, the proportion of inpatients cost was 12.9 times higher than the outpatients cost ($1,730 and $134 PPPM, respectively). The median survival time was 3.53 years from the first diagnosis of ATTR-CM, and the mean (SD) YPLL was 13.0 (7.7). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with ATTR-CM had short survival and high medical costs. To reduce the clinical and economic burdens, carefully examining manifestations of disease in patients can help with early diagnosis and treatment.

Adherence is an optimal factor for maximizing the effective and safe use of oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Few studies assessed the association between major adverse cardiovascular events and adherence to warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effects of adherence to oral anticoagulants (OACs) in patients with AF using claims data (July 2014-April 2019). Using the initial 3-month medication possession rate (MPR), patients were categorized into adherent (MPR ≥ 0.8) or non-adherent (MPR < 0.8) groups. Propensity score matching of non-adherent group to adherent group was conducted for warfarin (1:1) and DOAC (1:3), respectively. Incidence of ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), intracranial hemorrhage, and all-cause death was assessed in the matched cohort (67,147 patients). The hazard ratio (HR) for adherence to OAC was estimated using the Cox proportional hazard model with adjusting covariate including age and sex. The risk for ischemic stroke, MI, and all-cause death was lower in the DOAC adherent group than in the DOAC non-adherent group (HR: 0.78; 95% confidence intervals: 0.73-0.84; 0.75, 0.60-0.94; 0.54, 0.51-0.57, respectively). Adherence to OAC was not associated with the risk of intracranial hemorrhage (1.01, 0.85-1.20). Commitment programs to improve adherence in patients with AF could maximize drug effectiveness and safety.

Health-related quality of life in adult patients with asthma according to asthma control and severity: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The utility values are increasingly being used in economic evaluations and health policy decision making. This study aims to conduct a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of the utility values for asthma, particularly with respect to severity and asthma control. Materials and methods: A literature search was conducted using the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases for studies published until July, 2020, reporting the utilities of adult asthma. We extracted utility values derived by nine indirect and four direct utility instruments. Meta-analyses were performed for each utility instrument according to health states based on the level of asthma control and severity. Results: Fifty-two eligible studies were included in our systematic review, of which forty studies were used in the meta-analyses. Among the 13 utility instruments, the most used was EQ-5D-3L, whereas EQ-5D-5L showed the narrowest 95% confidence interval (95% CI, 0.83-0.86) of pooled utility. The pooled utility of asthma declined with worsening control levels and severity. The pooled utility value of EQ-5D-3L was 0.72 (95% CI, 0.63-0.80) for uncontrolled, 0.82 (95% CI, 0.75-0.88) for partly controlled, and 0.87 (95% CI, 0.84-0.90) for well-controlled asthma. Conclusion: Our study shows that EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L are appropriate for economic evaluations in terms of availability and variability of information, respectively. Asthma patients had poorer utility values with worsened severity and level of asthma control. This study will be useful for health economists conducting economic evaluations of asthma treatments.

Clinical impact and economic burden of post-transplant infections following heart transplantation: A retrospective nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Post-transplant infections are associated with high mortality rates. This retrospective nationwide cohort study examined the incidence and risk factors of infections requiring hospitalization after heart transplantation and the associated economic burden. METHODS: The entire heart transplant recipients' data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service between 2013 and 2020 was used. We estimated the annual incidence of post-transplant infections and adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRR) of risk factors for reported infections using the poisson generalized linear model. RESULTS: Among 1,030 heart transplant recipients (324 with and 706 without post-transplant infections), 0.45 post-transplant infections were reported annually, with respiratory tract infections constituting the highest proportion (0.16). The risk of post-transplant infections was high in recipients with renal failure (aIRR = 1.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-1.75) or nosocomial infection (aIRR = 1.47; 95% CI, 1.15-1.87). Combination regimens, including mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor (mTORi), did not differ significantly from the standard 3 drug regimen (aIRR = 1.16; 95% CI, 0.80-1.67). The risk of death was higher among recipients with post-transplant infections than in uninfected recipients (adjusted hazard ratio = 4.59; 95% CI, 2.19-9.65). The mean follow-up cost per patient per month was 2-fold higher in recipients with post-transplant infections than in uninfected recipients ($5,096 and $2,532, respectively; p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: mTORi combination, which reportedly maintains renal function, can be considered, as it does not increase the infection risk. Post-transplant infections present clinical and economic burdens, warranting careful observation of at-risk patients.

Optimal Indicator of Death for Using Real-World Cancer Patients' Data From the Healthcare System.

Background: Information on patient's death is a major outcome of health-related research, but it is not always available in claim-based databases. Herein, we suggested the operational definition of death as an optimal indicator of real death and aim to examine its validity and application in patients with cancer. Materials and methods: Data of newly diagnosed patients with cancer between 2006 and 2015 from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort data were used. Death indicators were operationally defined as follows: 1) in-hospital death (the result of treatment or disease diagnosis code from claims data), or 2) case wherein there are no claims within 365 days of the last claim. We estimated true-positive rates (TPR) and false-positive rates (FPR) for real death and operational definition of death in patients with high-, middle-, and low-mortality cancers. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and log-rank tests were conducted to determine whether real death and operational definition of death rates were consistent. Results: A total of 40,970 patients with cancer were recruited for this study. Among them, 12,604 patients were officially reported as dead. These patients were stratified into high- (lung, liver, and pancreatic), middle- (stomach, skin, and kidney), and low- (thyroid) mortality groups consisting of 6,626 (death: 4,287), 7,282 (1,858), and 6,316 (93) patients, respectively. The TPR was 97.08% and the FPR was 0.98% in the high mortality group. In the case of the middle and low mortality groups, the TPR (FPR) was 95.86% (1.77%) and 97.85% (0.58%), respectively. The overall TPR and FPR were 96.68 and 1.27%. There was no significant difference between the real and operational definition of death in the log-rank test for all types of cancers except for thyroid cancer. Conclusion: Defining deaths operationally using in-hospital death data and periods after the last claim is a robust alternative to identifying mortality in patients with cancer. This optimal indicator of death will promote research using claim-based data lacking death information.

Visual Outcomes and Optical Quality of Accommodative, Multifocal, Extended Depth-of-Focus, and Monofocal Intraocular Lenses in Presbyopia-Correcting Cataract Surgery: A Systematic Review and Bayesian Network Meta-analysis.

Importance: A bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) can help compare the various types of multifocal and monofocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) used in clinical practice. Objective: To compare outcomes of presbyopia-correcting IOLs frequently recommended in clinical practice through a bayesian NMA based on a systematic review. Data Sources: Medline (PubMed) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched on May 15, 2021, from inception. Study Selection: Based on the research question, randomized clinical trials assessing multifocal IOLs in patients who underwent bilateral cataract extraction were searched. Nonrandomized studies, studies in patients with unilateral or contralateral cataract extractions, duplicated studies, conference abstracts, and nonpeer-reviewed articles were excluded. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Descriptive statistics and outcomes were extracted. The NMA was conducted to compare different types of IOLs. The mean differences for continuous variables, odds ratios for binary variables, 95% credible intervals (CrIs), and ranks of interventions were estimated. Main Outcomes and Measures: The outcomes examined included binocular visual acuities by distance and optical quality, including glare, halos, and spectacle independence. Results: This NMA included 27 studies comprising 2605 patients. For uncorrected near visual acuity, trifocal IOLs (mean difference, -0.32 [95% CrI, -0.46 to -0.19]) and old bifocal diffractive IOLs (mean difference, -0.33 [95% CrI, -0.50 to -0.14]) afforded better visual acuity than monofocal IOLs. Regarding uncorrected intermediate visual acuity, extended depth-of-focus IOLs provided better visual acuity than monofocal IOLs. However, there were no differences between extended depth-of-focus and trifocal diffractive IOLs in pairwise comparisons. For uncorrected distant visual acuity, all multifocal IOLs were comparable with monofocal IOLs. There were no statistical differences between multifocal and monofocal IOLs regarding contrast sensitivity, glare, or halos. Conclusions and Relevance: For patients considering a multifocal IOL due to presbyopia, bilateral implantation of a trifocal IOL might be an optimal option for patients without compromising distant visual acuity.