A Role for Data Science in Precision Nutrition and Early Brain Development.

Multimodal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide biomarkers of early influences on neurodevelopment such as nutrition, environmental and genetic factors. As the exposure to early influences can be separated from neurodevelopmental outcomes by many months or years, MRI markers can serve as an important intermediate outcome in multivariate analyses of neurodevelopmental determinants. Key to the success of such work are recent advances in data science as well as the growth of relevant data resources. Multimodal MRI assessment of neurodevelopment can be supplemented with other biomarkers of neurodevelopment such as electroencephalograms, magnetoencephalogram, and non-imaging biomarkers. This review focuses on how maternal nutrition impacts infant brain development, with three purposes: (1) to summarize the current knowledge about how nutrition in stages of pregnancy and breastfeeding impact infant brain development; (2) to discuss multimodal MRI and other measures of early neurodevelopment; and (3) to discuss potential opportunities for data science and artificial intelligence to advance precision nutrition. We hope this review can facilitate the collaborative march toward precision nutrition during pregnancy and the first year of life.

Disutility Study for Adult Patients with Moderate to Severe Crohn's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Crohn's disease (CD) treatments and associated adverse events (AEs) can be burdensome for patients. However, specific values which quantify the impact on health-related quality of life (HRQL) for economic evaluation are lacking. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to elicit health utility values for AEs related to biologic treatment and surgical complications for CD in the UK. METHODS: Health states were developed by literature review and interviews with CD patients (n=6) and gastroenterologists (n=3). Draft health states were validated in cognitive debrief interviews with patients (n=4) and gastroenterologists (n=2). Treatment AEs were described with moderate-severe CD (reference state) and included hypersensitivity, injection site reactions, serious infection, lymphoma, and tuberculosis. Surgical complications were described following bowel surgery (reference state) and included anastomotic leak, wound infection, prolonged ileus/bowel obstruction, and intra-abdominal abscess. Health states were valued by 100 members of the general public who completed background questions, EQ-5D-3L, visual analogue scale rating task and time trade-off (TTO) interviews. RESULTS: The mean TTO value for reference states 'moderate to severe CD' and 'bowel surgery' were 0.70 (SD=0.28) and 0.69 (SD=0.28). Participants rated lymphoma as the worst AE/surgical complication state (0.44, SD=0.37), followed by tuberculosis (0.47, SD=0.85) and anastomotic leak (0.48, SD=0.38). Values of other AE/surgical complication states ranged from 0.76 (hypersensitivity) to 0.56 (intra-abdominal abscess). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides utility estimates for AE and surgical complication health states not previously assessed in the context of CD. As new treatments are emerging, it is important to include these influences on quality of life in any economic evaluation of treatments.

A cost utility analysis of simeprevir used with peginterferon + ribavirin in the management of genotype 1 hepatitis C virus infection, from the perspective of the UK National Health Service.

INTRODUCTION: Triple therapy using a protease inhibitor (PI) with peginterferon and ribavirin (PR) is increasingly used in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The most recently introduced PI, simeprevir (SMV), offers high levels of viral eradication combined with a reduced overall duration of therapy. The objective of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of SMV + PR vs PR alone or in combination with telaprevir (TVR) or boceprevir (BOC) in patients infected with genotype 1 HCV Method: A cost-utility model was constructed, incorporating two phases, capturing the efficacy of therapy in an initial treatment phase, followed by a long-term post-treatment Markov phase, capturing lifetime outcomes according to whether a sustained viral response (SVR) had been achieved on treatment. Dosage regimens were based on the EMA approved label for each treatment. SVR estimates and adverse event rates were derived from a mixed treatment comparison. Baseline characteristics were drawn from an analysis of a UK HCV data-set and clinician opinion. Health state transition probabilities, utilities, and health state costs were drawn from previously published economic analyses. The model considered direct health costs only, and the perspective was that of the UK National Health Service. RESULTS: The model yielded an ICER for SMV + PR vs PR alone of £9725/QALY for treatment-naïve and £7819/QALY for treatment-experienced. Benefit was driven by increased likelihood of achieving SVR, with consequent long-term utility gains. SMV + PR dominated TVR + PR and BOC + PR in both patient groups. This principally reflected the QALY benefit of an increased likelihood of SVR with SMV, combined with lower overall drug costs, due to reduced mean treatment duration. CONCLUSION: Compared to other currently licensed treatment options, SMV + PR represents a cost effective treatment option for patients with chronic genotype 1 HCV infection.