Cost-effectiveness analysis of pharmacist interventions in patients with heart failure in Thailand.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with heart failure (HF) are likely to have multiple diseases with complex therapy regimens. Pharmacist intervention in HF treatment can reduce all-cause mortality and hospitalization, but the economic outcome is not known. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of pharmacist contribution in HF setting compared with usual care. METHODS: A decision analytical model was developed to estimate the cost and outcome from a health care system perspective in Thailand. Clinical inputs were obtained from literature review. Pharmacist costs, hospitalization cost for HF, risk of hospitalization death, risk of nonhospitalization death, and readmission rate were based on data from Thailand. The cost and outcome were discounted at 3% annually. OUTCOME MEASURES: The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated and presented for the year 2020. A series of sensitivity analysis was also performed. RESULTS: Pharmacist intervention incurred higher total costs than usual care, because total cost of pharmacists was 186,040 THB (5936 USD) whereas usual care cost was 151,654 THB (4839 USD). It also provided more quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) than usual care, from 2.4 to 2.8. In addition, patient life years (LY) were increasing from 3.3-3.8. This yielded an ICER of 77,398 THB/LY (2467 USD/LY) or 103,037 THB/QALYs (3288 USD/QALYs). This ICER is considered to be cost-effective at the willingness-to-pay level of 160,000 THB/QALY (5191.87 USD). CONCLUSION: At this current situation in Thailand, pharmacists may represent good value for the nation's limited health care resources. The information should be used in national policies to plan for pharmacist work force implementation and production line in the near future.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants Versus Warfarin in Thai Patients With Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been recommended as preferred options for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) versus warfarin by guidelines worldwide. AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of each NOAC in a Thai health care environment, a country with upper middle-income economies based on the World Bank's classification. METHOD: A lifetime Markov model was created from a Thai societal perspective. The model consisted of 19 health states separated into two cycles: event cycle and consequence cycle. The consequences of AF included in the model were ischaemic stroke, intracranial haemorrhage, extracranial haemorrhage, and myocardial infarction. All NOACs available in Thailand (dabigatran 150 mg and 110 mg twice daily; rivaroxaban 20 mg once daily; apixaban 5 mg twice daily; edoxaban 60 mg and 30 mg once daily) were assessed using warfarin with an international normalised ratio of 2-3 as the reference. Inputs were a combination of published literature and local data when available. A willingness-to-pay of 160,000 Thai baht (THB)/quality-adjusted life year (QALY) was used as the threshold of being cost-effective. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves were estimated. RESULTS: All NOACs were not cost-effective strategies for the Thai AF population. The ranking of incremental cost-effectiveness ratios from lowest to highest were apixaban 5 mg twice daily (THB 692,136 or US$21,862) followed by edoxaban 60 mg once daily (THB 911,772 or US$28,799), edoxaban 30 mg once daily (THB 913,749 or US$28,861), dabigatran 150 mg twice daily (THB 1,102,106 or US$34,811), dabigatran 110 mg twice daily (THB 1,195,347 or US$37,756), and rivaroxaban 20 mg once daily (THB 1,347,650 or US$42,566). Cost-effectiveness acceptability curve indicated that apixaban had the highest potential to be a cost-effective strategy versus other NOACs. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicated that all NOACs were not cost-effective in the Thai AF population. Of the NOACs, apixaban may be the most likely to be cost-effective. These data may be useful for policymakers to perform a comprehensive evaluation of these agents for formulary decision and pricing negotiation.

WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR LUNG CANCER TREATMENT: PATIENT VERSUS GENERAL PUBLIC VALUES.

OBJECTIVES: Lung cancer has been the most common cancer since 1985, accounting for 12-13 percent of cancer cases worldwide. Newer targeted therapies with potential increased survival benefits may not be affordable to patients. Many countries use arbitrary thresholds to determine whether a medical intervention is cost-effective. As such, many effective, albeit expensive, therapies are not being reimbursed. To understand the value placed on effective therapies, this study evaluates the patient and public willingness to pay (WTP) for a quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) for lung cancer treatments using Thailand as an example. METHODS: A total of 300 subjects responded to hypothetical lung cancer health states, described by three levels of severity and two levels of side effects, and provided their valuation of the level of quality of life and their WTP to improve from one state to another. RESULTS: The patients with the lowest income and general public were willing to pay more than twice the threshold for acceptability in Thailand (US Dollar 5,123/QALY [Thai Baht 160,000/QALY]). This increased significantly by wealth category. Patients' WTP was associated with quality of life, financial difficulties, health insurance, diarrhea, and wealth. CONCLUSIONS: The current study highlights the value patients and general public place on effective lung cancer therapies.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Fondaparinux vs Enoxaparin in Non-ST Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome in Thailand.

BACKGROUND: Non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) imposes a significant health and economic burden on a society. Anticoagulants are recommended as standard therapy by various clinical practice guidelines. Fondaparinux was introduced and evaluated in a number of large randomised, controlled trials. This study therefore aimed to determine the cost-effectiveness of fondaparinux versus enoxaparin in the treatment of NSTE-ACS in Thailand. METHODS: A two-part construct model comprising a one-year decision tree and a Markov model was developed to capture short and long-term costs and outcomes from the perspective of provider and society. Effectiveness data were derived from OASIS-5 trial while bleeding rates were derived from the Thai Acute Coronary Syndrome Registry (TACSR). Costs data were based on a Thai database and presented in the year of 2013. Both costs and outcomes were discounted by 3% annually. A series of sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: The results showed that compared with enoxaparin, fondaparinux was a cost-saving strategy (lower cost with slightly higher effectiveness). Cost of revascularisation with major bleeding had a greater impact on the amount of cost saved both from societal and provider perspectives. With a threshold of 160,000 THB ((4,857.3 USD) per QALY in Thailand, fondaparinux was about 99% more cost-effective compared with enoxaparin. CONCLUSION: Fondaparinux should be considered as a cost-effective alternative when compared to enoxaparin for NSTE-ACS based on Thailand's context, especially in the era of limited healthcare resources.

Characterization of hypersensitivity reactions reported among Andrographis paniculata users in Thailand using Health Product Vigilance Center (HPVC) database.

BACKGROUND: Andrographis paniculata (andrographis) is one of the herbal products that are widely used for various indications. Hypersensitivity reactions have been reported among subjects receiving Andrographis paniculata in Thailand. Understanding of characteristics of patients, adverse events, and clinical outcomes is essential for ensuring population safety.This study aimed to describe the characteristics of hypersensitivity reactions reported in patients receiving andrographis containing products in Thailand using national pharmacovigilance database. METHODS: Thai Vigibase data from February 2001 to December 2012 involving andrographis products were used. This database includes the reports submitted through the spontaneous reporting system and intensive monitoring programmes. The database contained patient characteristic, adverse events associated with andrographis products, and details on seriousness, causality, and clinical outcomes. Case reports were included for final analysis if they met the inclusion criteria; 1) reports with andrographis being the only suspected cause, 2) reports with terms consistent with the constellation of hypersensitivity reactions, and 3) reports with terms considered critical terms according to WHO criteria. Descriptive statistics were used. RESULTS: A total of 248 case reports of andrographis-associated adverse events were identified. Only 106 case reports specified andrographis herbal product as the only suspected drug and reported at least one term consistent with constellation of hypersensitivity reactions. Most case reports (89%) came from spontaneous reporting system with no previously documented history of drug allergy (88%). Of these, 18 case reports were classified as serious with 16 cases requiring hospitalization. For final assessment, the case reports with terms consistent with constellation of hypersensitivity reactions and critical terms were included. Thirteen case reports met such criteria including anaphylactic shock (n = 5), anaphylactic reaction (n = 4) and angioedema (n = 4). Time to development of symptoms ranged from 5 minutes to 1 day. The doses of andrographis used varied from 352 mg to 1,750 mg. Causality assessment of 13 case reports were certain (n = 3), probable (n = 8) and possible (n = 2). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested that hypersensitivity reactions have been reported among patients receiving Andrographis paniculata. Healthcare professionals should be aware of this potential risk. Further investigation of the causal relationship is needed; meanwhile including hypersensitivity reactions for andrographis product labeling should be considered.

Handling time in economic evaluation studies.

The discount rates and time horizons used in a health technology assessment (HTA) can have a significant impact on the results, and thus the prioritization of technologies. Therefore, it is important that clear guidance be provided on the appropriate discount rates for cost and health effect and appropriate time horizons. In this paper we conduct a review of relevant case studies and guidelines and provide guidance for all researchers conducting economic evaluations of health technologies in the Thai context. A uniform discount rate of 3% is recommended for both costs and health effects in base case analyses. A sensitivity analysis should also be conducted, with a discount range of 0-6%. For technologies where the effects are likely to sustain for at least 30y ears, a rate of 4% for costs and 2% for health effects is recommended. The time horizon should be long enough to capture the full costs and effects of the programs.

Employing Real-World Evidence for the Economic Evaluation of Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation in Thailand.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) in comparison with warfarin using data from real practice based on the perspective of the health care system in Thailand. METHODS: A four-state Markov model encompassing well-controlled atrial fibrillation (AF), stroke and systemic embolism, major bleeding and death was utilised to forecast clinical and economic outcomes. Transitional probabilities, direct medical costs and utilities were derived from the real-world data of the 'COOL-AF Thailand' registry, Thailand's largest nationwide registry spanning 27 hospitals. The cohort comprised AF patients. The primary outcomes assessed were total costs, life years, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. All costs and outcomes were subject to an annual discount rate of 3.0%. A spectrum of sensitivity analyses was conducted. RESULTS: The mean age of the cohort was 68.8 ± 10.7 years. The NOACs group incurred a marginally lower total lifetime cost than the warfarin group (247,857 Thai baht [THB] vs 253,654 THB or 7137 USD vs 7304 USD) and experienced gains of 0.045 life years and 0.043 QALYs over the warfarin group. Given the lower cost and higher benefits associated with NOACs, this implies that NOAC treatment is a dominant strategy compared to warfarin for AF patients. At a ceiling ratio of 160,000 THB (4607 USD) per QALY, NOACs presented a 61.2% probability of being cost effective. CONCLUSIONS: Non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants represent a cost-saving alternative to warfarin in the real clinical practice. However, with a probability of being cost effective below 65%, it suggests some parameter uncertainty regarding their overall cost effectiveness compared to warfarin.

Clinical outcomes and economic evaluation of patient-centered care system versus routine-service system for patients with type 2 diabetes in Thailand.

Introduction: Patient-centered care in diabetes is another approach for outcome improvement, yet the supporting economic and clinical evidence remains limited in Thailand. Objectives: This study compared health outcomes and cost-utility of implementing Patient-Centered Care Systems (PCCS) in a primary care setting vs. the Routine Service System (RSS) in a hospital setting. Methods: The economic evaluation was performed using a randomized controlled study design. The participants aged ≥18 were enrolled from Phimai City in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand from June 2022 to February 2023. Totally, 309 well-controlled patients with initial care in a hospital were referred to receive the PCCS at the primary care setting or remained receiving the RSS in the hospital. Outcomes of different approaches such as fasting blood sugar, Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), direct medical costs, direct nonmedical costs and utility were prospectively collected at months 0, 3 and 6. Fisher's exact test, t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to analyze data, whichever was appropriate. An incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated, and various sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: The PCCS showed significantly reduced HbA1c (p < 0.001) and a greater number of patients with improved HbA1c (p < 0.001). The PCCS were a cost-saving strategy due to incurring lower total costs (60.15 vs. 73.42 USD) and gaining more quality-adjusted life-years (QALY)(0.340 vs. 0.330) compared with the RSS. With a ceiling ratio of 4,659 USD/QALY, the PCCS had a 94.6 % probability of being cost-effective. Conclusion: This finding indicated that the PCCS in a primary care setting was a cost-saving strategy by lowering cost, providing a higher quality of life and improving glycemic control compared with the RSS in a hospital setting. However, generalizing the findings in a country as a whole, the economic evaluation of PCCS and RSS should be conducted among different levels of hospitals from all regions in Thailand.

Factors and economic burden of non-severe hypoglycemia among insulin-treated type 2 diabetes patients: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional survey was performed to assess the prevalence, factors, and economic burden of non-severe hypoglycemia among insulin-treated type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients in northern Thailand. METHODS: Between April 2021 and August 2022, 600 participants were evaluated via structured questionnaires containing sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, medications, and economic burden. Patients were divided into two groups (having and not having non-severe hypoglycemia). Variables with a p value <.05 in the univariate model were included in the multivariate model. RESULTS: The percentage of non-severe hypoglycemia was 50.3% (302/600). Of all participants, the average age was 61.4 ± 26.0 years, 55.7% were female, 53.5% used premix insulin, and the average duration of diabetes was 16.1 ± 10.0 years. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that age (OR = .96; p <.001), duration of diabetes (OR = 1.04; p <.001), BMI (OR = .95; p = .002), thiazolidinedione (OR = 1.56; p = .012) and insulin regimens were associated with having non-severe hypoglycemia. Compared to basal insulin, basal bolus (OR = 6.93; p = .001), basal plus (OR = 3.58; p <.001), and premix insulin (OR = 1.83; p =.003) were associated with hypoglycemia. Greater numbers of sick leave were found in the hypoglycemia group (14 vs 4 patients, p = .029). CONCLUSIONS: These findings help to individuate those patients who are at higher risk of non-severe hypoglycemia in insulin-treated T2D patients. Compared to the non-hypoglycemia group, patients with hypoglycemia were younger, had longer diabetes duration, lower BMI, received thiazolidinedione and insulin regimens such as premix, basal plus, or basal bolus insulins, and more productivity loss.

Simplified Chronic Hepatitis B Antiviral Initiation Criteria in Thailand: An Economic Evaluation.

OBJECTIVES: Criteria for antiviral treatment initiation in Thailand were complex and difficult to implement. This study determined the cost-effectiveness of 2 simplified antiviral treatment initiation criteria among patients with chronic hepatitis B in Thailand. METHODS: A hybrid model of the decision tree and Markov model was developed. Two simplified antiviral treatment initiation criteria were the expanded criteria, treating patients with hepatitis B surface antigen positive and viral load (hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid) >2000 IU/mL or cirrhosis by tenofovir alafenamide (TAF), and the test-and-treat criteria, treating patients with hepatitis B surface antigen positive and viral load >10 IU/mL or cirrhosis by TAF. PubMed was searched from its inception to July 2023 to identify input parameters. Best supportive care was chosen for patients who were ineligible for TAF. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) was calculated. RESULTS: The expanded criteria and the test-and-treat could reduce the occurrence of patients progressing to hepatocellular carcinoma. In particular, both criteria could reduce 4846 new cases of hepatocellular carcinoma per 100 000 patients. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for the expanded criteria and the test-and-treat criteria were 24 838 Thai baht (THB)/QALY and 163 060 THB/QALY, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: At the current willingness to pay of 160 000 THB/QALY, the expanded criteria were cost-effective, but the test-and-treat criteria were not cost-effective to be the simplified antiviral treatment initiation criteria for patients with chronic hepatitis B in Thailand.

Economic Evaluation of the Thai Diagnostic Autism Scale for Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis in Children Aged 1-5 Years Old.

The Thai Diagnostic Autism Scale (TDAS) was developed for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis in Thai children aged 1-5 years. Previous studies have indicated its good performance; however, additional health resources and healthcare providers are necessary for evaluation. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of TDAS compared to clinical diagnosis (ClinDx) for ASD diagnosis in Thai children aged 1-5 years from a societal perspective. The analysis employed a hybrid model consisting of a decision tree model for a diagnostic phase with a state transition model for a follow-up phase. A literature review was conducted to determine TDAS performance and the relative risk of death in patients with ASD. Direct medical costs were assessed through a retrospective medical records review, and a cross-sectional survey was conducted to determine direct nonmedical costs, ASD severities, and utility values. The cost of TDAS was derived from a healthcare provider interview (n = 10). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) compared the total lifetime cost and quality-adjusted life years (QALY) between TDAS and ClinDx. We found that TDAS could improve QALY by 1.96 but increased total lifetime cost by 5577 USD, resulting in an ICER of 2852 USD/QALY. Sensitivity analysis indicated an 81.16% chance that TDAS is cost-effective. The probabilities of different ASD severities were key influencing factors of the findings. In conclusion, TDAS is the cost-effective option for ASD diagnosis in Thai children aged 1-5 years compared to ClinDx, despite some uncertainties around inputs. Further monitoring and evaluation are warranted if TDAS is to be implemented nationwide.

Cost-utility analysis of sutureless and rapid deployment versus conventional aortic valve replacement in patients with moderate to severe aortic stenosis in Thailand.

BACKGROUND: Sutureless and rapid deployment aortic valve replacement (SUAVR) has become an alternative to conventional aortic valve replacement (CAVR) for aortic stenosis (AS) treatment due to its advantages in reducing surgery time and improving outcomes. This study aimed to assess the cost-utility of SUAVR vs. CAVR treatment for patients with moderate to severe AS in Thailand. METHODS: A two-part constructed model was used to estimate the lifetime costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) from both societal and healthcare perspectives. Data on short-term mortality, complications, cost, and utility data were obtained from the Thai population. Long-term clinical data were derived from clinical studies. Costs and QALYs were discounted annually at 3% and presented as 2022 values. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated to determine additional cost per QALY gained. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: SUAVR treatment incurred higher costs compared with CAVR treatment from both societal (THB 1,733,355 [USD 147,897] vs THB 1,220,643 [USD 104,150]) and healthcare provider perspectives (THB 1,594,174 [USD 136,022] vs THB 1,065,460 [USD 90,910]). In addition, SUAVR treatment resulted in lower health outcomes, with 6.20 life-years (LYs) and 4.95 QALYs, while CAVR treatment achieved 6.29 LYs and 5.08 QALYs. SUAVR treatment was considered as a dominated treatment strategy using both perspectives. Sensitivity analyses indicated the significant impact of changes in utilities and long-term mortality on the model. CONCLUSION: SUAVR treatment is not a cost-effective treatment strategy compared with CAVR treatment for patients with moderate-severe AS in Thailand, as it leads to higher costs and inferior health outcomes. Other important issues related to specific patients such as those with minimally invasive surgery, those undergoing AVR with concomitant procedures, and those with calcified and small aortic root should be taken into account.

Economic Burdens of Type 2 Diabetes Hospital Visits with Hypoglycemic Episodes in the Tertiary Care Setting in Thailand.

This study aimed to estimate the economic burden of hypoglycemia among people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) treated in a tertiary care setting. An electronic database of the largest university-affiliated hospital in northern Thailand was retrieved from 2015 to 2020 using the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) code E10.xx-E14.xx, or for patients receiving diabetes treatment at least twice for a 6-month period. All records were screened for hypoglycemia using an ICD-10 code E16.0-E16.2 or for having blood glucose <70 mg/dL. All costs related to outpatient visits or inpatient admissions were recorded. During the study period, T2D visits totaled 861,969. The annual incidence rate of hypoglycemia was 2.3 per 1000 visits, while the admission rate was 3.9 per 10,000 visits. The mean length of stay was 4.5 ± 10.1 days. The costs of hypoglycemia were USD 831.1 per admission and USD 182.2 per outpatient visit. The important cost driver for outpatients was drugs (USD 137.1), while for inpatients, this constituted services (USD 299.9). Hypoglycemia poses a substantial financial burden and increases the use of healthcare resources. Selecting the most cost-effective treatments with clinical evidence of the lower risk of hypoglycemia, especially newer insulin preparations, will provide the greatest likelihood of improving clinical outcomes and reducing the economic burden.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients with severe symptomatic aortic valve stenosis: systematic review of cost-effectiveness analysis.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a less invasive and costly treatment for patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). This study aimed to systematically review the published literature focusing on economic evaluation of TAVI compared with other alternative treatments in AS populations. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted from inception until May 2021 using PubMed, Scopus, Web of science and Embase databases. The qualities of included studies were evaluated using Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standard (CHEERS) criteria. Data of costs, outcomes, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and willingness to pay were extracted. To compare results, ICERs were converted to the 2020 United States dollar (USD) rate. RESULTS: Of the 29 included cost-effectiveness studies, TAVI was cost-effective in all studies in the low-risk group (3/3), 77% of studies (7/9) in the intermediate-risk group, half of the studies (6/12) in the high-risk group, and 83% of studies (10/12) in the inoperable group. When adjusted to USD 2020, ICERs ranged from USD 2741 to 1027,674 USD per quality-adjusted life-year gained. The overall quality of the studies ranged from moderate to high. CONCLUSIONS: TAVI is potentially a cost-effective alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for patients with operable AS with low, intermediate or high risk compared with medical management (MM) for patients with inoperable AS. TAVI was associated with a significant gain in quality-adjusted life-years in almost all studies compared to either SAVR or MM. TAVI is a costly procedure; therefore, justifying its cost-effectiveness depends on the acceptable threshold in each country.

Cost-Utility Analysis of Biologic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs for Patients With Psoriatic Arthritis in Thailand.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) for treating patients with psoriatic arthritis who failed conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs). METHODS: A decision tree and Markov model were constructed to capture long-term costs and outcomes from a societal perspective. Patients with psoriatic arthritis who failed 2 previous csDMARDs were modeled over a 3-month cycle with a lifetime horizon. Clinical probabilities were derived from a published meta-analysis. Prices of bDMARDs were proposed by pharmaceutical companies. Other costs and utilities were based on data in Thailand. All costs and outcomes were discounted at a 3% annual rate. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio and a series of sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: All 11 bDMARDs (3 infliximab originator and biosimilars, 2 etanercept originator and biosimilar, golimumab, 2 secukinumab 150 mg and 300 mg, 3 adalimumab biosimilars) gained better quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) with more costly than csDMARDs. Infliximab had the highest QALYs compared with other bDMARDs. Only secukinumab 150 mg showed the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio below the Thai threshold of 5152 US dollars per QALY. Cost of bDMARDs was the most influential factor. CONCLUSIONS: At the current price, secukinumab 150 mg shows the value for money in the Thai context. Price negotiation is of great importance for other bDMARDs.

Discounting money and health effects from communicable and noncommunicable diseases in Thailand.

The purpose of this study was to determine the discount rates for money and health outcomes in the Thai context, including the discount rates for communicable and non-communicable diseases. Moreover, this study aimed to explore the socio-demographic characteristics that influence discounting. The computer-based experimental design was used to obtain time preferences for money and health in a total of 1202 Chiang Mai province population, aged 25-50, individually interviewed by trained interviewers. Money-related questions were carried out in all subjects. For health-related questions, all subjects were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio for response to questions about Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (N = 602) and air pollution (N = 600). A choice-based elicitation procedure was performed in the experiment to obtain the indifference values from subjects' time preferences. The cumulative weighting functions were generated using the indifference values to indicate the degree of discounting. The discount factors were computed from the cumulative weighting functions. The discount rates were estimated using a continuous approximation based on the relationship between the discount factors and the parameters governing the discounting model. The Tobit model was applied to investigate the relationships between discounting and socio-demographic characteristics. Discounting for money was greater than discounting for health. Money and health had annual discount rates of 6.2% and 1.3%, respectively. Furthermore, in the COVID -19 situation, the annual discount rate for health was higher than that in the air pollution situation (2.4% vs. 0.7%). Generation X subjects (aged 42 years and above), children under the age of 15 in the household, and underlying diseases were positively related to discounting, while household income was negatively related to discounting. Health should be discounted at a lower rate than money. Moreover, different discount rates should be considered for different types of diseases.

Trends in Economic Burden and Mortality of Hospitalized Patients With Aortic Stenosis in Thailand.

This study aimed to assess the temporal trends in aortic stenosis (AS)-related hospitalizations, in-hospital mortality, and economic burden in Thailand. The study cohort was derived from the electronic claim system of the National Health Security Office, which serves as a reimbursement database for all Thai beneficiaries under the Universal Health Coverage Scheme, covering ∼70% of the entire population. Hospitalization, mortality, and costs were estimated by year, with the primary diagnosis for AS-related hospitalizations identified using code I350. The Cochrane Armitage test was used to examine trends in AS-related hospitalization and in-hospital mortality, whereas a nonparametric trend test was used to analyze the trend of hospitalization costs. Of the 8-year period, 10,406 adults were admitted with a primary diagnosis of AS. AS-related hospitalizations increased from 1,274 in 2015 to 1,945 in 2022 (p = 0.251), with the most significant observed in the age group 60 to 79 years (p <0.001). In-hospital mortality increased from 4.8% to 6.1%. Hospitalization cost significantly increased from $2,879 to $3,443 (p <0.001), with an average length of stay of 6.6 ± 9.2 days. The trend of patients admitted with primary diagnosis of AS in Thailand has significantly increased in the age group 60 to 79 years. In-hospital admission is found at older age and is likely to have high mortality rate. The increased hospitalization cost may impose a substantial economic burden on the Thai health care system.

Factors Associated with Depression, Anxiety, and Somatic Symptoms among International Salespeople in the Medical Device Industry: A Cross-Sectional Study in China.

BACKGROUND: The physical and mental health of corporate employees is equally important, especially for international salespeople in the in vitro diagnostic (IVD) medical device industry. The rapid growth of the IVD market is driven by the increasing prevalence of chronic and infectious diseases. This study aims to determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms among international salespeople in China's IVD industry and identify the association of socio-demographic, occupational, organizational, and psychosocial factors with mental health outcomes for depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms in Chinese IVD international salespeople. METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional survey of international salespeople (ISs) in IVD companies officially registered in China. An online survey was designed to collect data through email contact with IVD companies and social media between August 2022 and March 2023. Measured factors included effort-reward imbalance (ERI), health-promoting leadership (HPL), health climate (HC), inner strength (IS), and perceived social support (PSS). Mental health outcomes assessed using the Core Symptom Index (CSI) were depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms. RESULTS: A total of 244 salespeople responded to the survey. CSI scores indicated that 18.4% (n = 45) and 10.2% (n = 25) of the respondents had symptoms of major depression and anxiety, respectively. ERI was positively correlated, while the IS and PSS were negatively correlated with major depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms (p < 0.01). The health climate was negatively correlated with major depression (p < 0.05). Education background was associated with somatic symptoms (p < 0.05). ERI, IS, and gender were significant predictors of major depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of depression and anxiety in China's IVD international salespeople was considered low compared with the prevalence in Chinese populations during COVID-19 but higher than those before the pandemic. Effort-reward imbalance, inner strength, and gender were significant factors in major depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms among IVD international salespeople.

Risk prediction algorithms in guiding antiviral therapy initiation among patients with chronic hepatitis B in Thailand: an economic evaluation and budget impact analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Several risk prediction algorithms have been developed to guide antiviral therapy initiation among patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). This study assessed the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of three risk prediction algorithms among patients with CHB in Thailand. METHODS: A decision tree with a Markov model was constructed. Three risk prediction algorithms were compared with current practices including HePAA, TREAT-B and REACH-B. PubMed was searched from its inception to December 2022 to identify inputs. Tenofovir alafenamide and best supportive care were selected for antiviral-eligible patients, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) were calculated. RESULTS: Our base case analysis showed that HePAA and REACH-B could provide better QALY (0.098 for HePAA and 0.921 for REACH-B) with decreased total healthcare costs (-10909 THB for HePAA and -8,637 THB for REACH-B). TREAT-B provided worse QALY (-0.144) with increased total healthcare costs (10,435 THB). The budget impacts for HePAA and REACH-B were 387 million THB and 3,653 million THB, respectively. CONCLUSION: HePAA and REACH-B algorithms are cost-effective in guiding antiviral therapy initiation. REACH-B is the most cost-effective option, but has a high budget impact. Policymakers should consider both cost-effectiveness and budget impact findings when deciding which algorithm should be implemented.

Cost-Utility of Liraglutide Plus Standard of Care Versus Standard of Care in People with Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Risk in Thailand.

INTRODUCTION: Liraglutide has demonstrated a significant reduction in the primary major composite cardiovascular (CV) outcome (CV death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, non-fatal stroke). This study aimed to determine the cost-utility of adding liraglutide to the standard of care (SoC) for treating type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Thailand for three cohorts: people with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), with no ASCVD, and all people with T2D. METHODS: A Markov model was developed to capture the long-term costs and outcomes under the perspective of the healthcare system. Costs were based on local data, the transitional probabilities were derived from the LEADER trial, and utilities were derived from published studies. Future costs and outcomes were discounted at 3% annually. A series of sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: Compared to SoC, adding liraglutide incurred higher costs and gained more quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), yielding incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) of above 1 million Thai baht (THB) for the three cohorts. The most influential parameter was the discount rate. When the annual cost of liraglutide reduced from 87,874 to 30,340 THB, 30,116 THB, and 31,617 THB for all people with T2D, people with ASCVD, and people without ASCVD, respectively, the ICER fell below the local threshold of 160,000 THB/QALY. Compared to the SoC treatment, the liraglutide group acquired more clinical benefit in terms of fewer CVD. Sensitivity analyses revealed that with an increase in the level of willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold, adding liraglutide had an increased chance of being a cost-effective strategy. CONCLUSION: Compared to the SoC treatment, adding liraglutide at the current cost is not cost-effective at the local WTP. People with T2D with ASCVD would have the most potential gain from adding liraglutide treatment compared to other populations.