Variables associated with antibiotic treatment tolerance in patients with Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease (MAC-PD) involves prolonged courses of multiple antibiotics that are variably tolerated and commonly cause adverse drug reactions (ADR). The purpose of this retrospective, single-center study was to identify demographic and disease-related variables associated with significant ADRs among patients treated with antibiotics against MAC-PD. METHODS: We reviewed all patients treated with antibiotic therapy for MAC-PD at a single center from 2000 to 2021. Patients were included if they met diagnostic criteria for MAC-PD, were prescribed targeted antibiotic therapy for any length of time and had their treatment course documented in their health record. We compared patients who completed antibiotics as originally prescribed (tolerant) with those whose antibiotic treatment course was modified or terminated secondary to an ADR (intolerant). RESULTS: Over the study period, 235 patients were prescribed antibiotic treatment with their clinical course documented in our center's electronic health record, and 246 treatment courses were analyzed. One hundred forty-three (57%) tolerated therapy versus 108 (43%) experienced ADRs. Among the 108 intolerant courses, 67 (63%) required treatment modification and 49 (46%) required premature treatment termination. Treatment intolerance was associated more frequently with smear positive sputum cultures (34% vs. 20%, p = 0.009), a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) (4 vs. 6, p = 0.007), and existing liver disease (7% vs. 1%, p = 0.03). There was no between-group difference in BMI (21 vs. 22), fibrocavitary disease (24 vs. 19%), or macrolide sensitivity (94 vs. 80%). The use of daily therapy was not associated with intolerance (77 vs. 79%). Intolerant patients were more likely to be culture positive after 6 months of treatment (44 vs. 25%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients prescribed antibiotic therapy for MAC-PD are more likely to experience ADRs if they have smear positive sputum cultures at diagnosis, a higher CCI, or existing liver disease. Our study's rate of early treatment cessation due to ADR's was similar to that of other studies (20%) but is the first of its kind to evaluate patient and disease factors associated with ADR's. A systematic approach to classifying and addressing ADRs for patients undergoing treatment for MAC-PD is an area for further investigation.

Coronavirus Disease-2019 Pneumonia: Clinical Manifestations.

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia has diverse clinical manifestations, which have shifted throughout the pandemic. Formal classifications include presymptomatic infection and mild, moderate, severe, and critical illness. Social risk factors are numerous, with Black, Hispanic, and Native American populations in the United States having suffered disproportionately. Biological risk factors such as age, sex, underlying comorbid burden, and certain laboratory metrics can assist the clinician in triage and management. Guidelines for classifying radiographic findings have been proposed and may assist in prognosis. In this article, we review the risk factors, clinical course, complications, and imaging findings of COVID-19 pneumonia.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is common in post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC): Results from a post-COVID-19 multidisciplinary clinic.

Background: The global prevalence of PASC is estimated to be present in 0·43 and based on the WHO estimation of 470 million worldwide COVID-19 infections, corresponds to around 200 million people experiencing long COVID symptoms. Despite this, its clinical features are not well-defined. Methods: We collected retrospective data from 140 patients with PASC in a post-COVID-19 clinic on demographics, risk factors, illness severity (graded as one-mild to five-severe), functional status, and 29 symptoms and principal component symptoms cluster analysis. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) 2015 criteria were used to determine the Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) phenotype. Findings: The median age was 47 years, 59.0% were female; 49.3% White, 17.2% Hispanic, 14.9% Asian, and 6.7% Black. Only 12.7% required hospitalization. Seventy-two (53.5%) patients had no known comorbid conditions. Forty-five (33.9%) were significantly debilitated. The median duration of symptoms was 285.5 days, and the number of symptoms was 12. The most common symptoms were fatigue (86.5%), post-exertional malaise (82.8%), brain fog (81.2%), unrefreshing sleep (76.7%), and lethargy (74.6%). Forty-three percent fit the criteria for ME/CFS, majority were female, and obesity (BMI > 30 Kg/m2) (P = 0.00377895) and worse functional status (P = 0.0110474) were significantly associated with ME/CFS. Interpretations: Most PASC patients evaluated at our clinic had no comorbid condition and were not hospitalized for acute COVID-19. One-third of patients experienced a severe decline in their functional status. About 43% had the ME/CFS subtype.

Opportunistic Screening for Atrial Fibrillation on Routine Chest Computed Tomography.

PURPOSE: Quantitative biomarkers from chest computed tomography (CT) can facilitate the incidental detection of important diseases. Atrial fibrillation (AFib) substantially increases the risk for comorbid conditions including stroke. This study investigated the relationship between AFib status and left atrial enlargement (LAE) on CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 500 consecutive patients who had undergone nongated chest CTs were included, and left atrium maximal axial cross-sectional area (LA-MACSA), left atrium anterior-posterior dimension (LA-AP), and vertebral body cross-sectional area (VB-Area) were measured. Height, weight, age, sex, and diagnosis of AFib were obtained from the medical record. Parametric statistical analyses and receiver operating characteristic curves were performed. Machine learning classifiers were run with clinical risk factors and LA measurements to predict patients with AFib. RESULTS: Eighty-five patients with a diagnosis of AFib were identified. Mean LA-MACSA and LA-AP were significantly larger in patients with AFib than in patients without AFib (28.63 vs. 20.53 cm 2 , P <0.000001; 4.34 vs. 3.5 cm, P <0.000001, respectively), both with area under the curves (AUCs) of 0.73. Multivariable logistic regression analysis including age, sex, and VB-Area with LA-MACSA improved the AUC for predicting AFib (AUC=0.77). An LA-MACSA threshold of 30 cm 2 demonstrated high specificity for AFib diagnosis at 92% and sensitivity of 48%, and LA-AP threshold at 4.5 cm demonstrated 90% specificity and 42% sensitivity. A Bayesian machine learning model using age, sex, height, body surface area, and LA-MACSA predicted AFib with an AUC of 0.743. CONCLUSIONS: LA-MACSA or LA-AP can be rapidly measured from routine chest CT, and when >30 cm 2 and >4.5 cm, respectively, are specific indicators to predict patients at increased risk for AFib.

Epidemiology of Lower Respiratory Tract Infections and Community-Acquired Respiratory Viruses in Patients with Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome after Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS)-chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) affecting the lungs-is an uncommon complication of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT). The epidemiology and complications of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) and community-acquired respiratory viruses (CARVs) in these patients are poorly understood. OBJECTIVES: We aim to characterize the epidemiology of LRTIs in patients with BOS complicating HCT. We also aim to explore the association of LRTIs and CARV detection on lung function in BOS patients. STUDY DESIGN: Adult patients with BOS at Stanford Health Care between January 2010 and December 2019 were included in this retrospective cohort study. LRTI diagnosis was based on combined clinical, microbiologic, and radiographic criteria, using consensus criteria where available. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients with BOS were included. BOS was diagnosed at a median of 19.2 (IQR 12.5-24.7) months after HCT, and patients were followed for a median of 29.3 (IQR 9.9-53.2) months from BOS diagnosis. Twenty-two (40%) patients died after BOS diagnosis; 17 patients died from complications of cGVHD (including respiratory failure and infection) and 5 died from relapsed disease. Thirty-four (61.8%) patients developed at least one LRTI. Viral LRTIs were most common, occurring in 29 (52.7%) patients, primarily due to rhinovirus. Bacterial LRTIs-excluding Nocardia and non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM)-were the second most common, occurring in 21 (38.2%) patients, mostly due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Fungal LRTIs, NTM, and nocardiosis occurred in 14 (25.5%), 10 (18.2%), and 4 (7.3%) patients, respectively. Median time to development of the first LRTI after BOS diagnosis was 15.3 (4.7-44.7) months. Twenty-six (76.5%) of the 34 patients who developed LRTIs had infections due to more than one type of organism-fungi, viruses, Nocardia, NTM, and other bacteria-over the observation period. Patients with at least one LRTI had significantly lower forced expiratory volume in one second percent predicted (FEV1%) (37% vs. 53%, p = 0.0096) and diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO) (45.5% predicted vs. 69% predicted, p = 0.0001). Patients with at least one LRTI trended toward lower overall survival (OS) (p = 0.0899) and higher non-relapse mortality (NRM) (p = 0.2707). Patients with a CARV detected or LRTI diagnosed after BOS-compared to those without any CARV detected or LRTI diagnosed-were more likely to have a sustained drop in FEV1% from baseline of at least 10% (21 [61.8%] versus 7 [33.3%]) and a sustained drop in FEV1% of at least 30% (12 [36.4%] versus 2 [9.5%]). CONCLUSIONS: LRTIs are common in BOS and associated with lower FEV1%, lower DLCO, and a trend toward decreased OS and higher NRM. Patients with LRTIs or CARVs (even absent lower respiratory tract involvement) were more likely to have substantial declines in FEV1% over time than those without. The array of organisms-including P. aeruginosa, mold, Nocardia, NTM, and CARVs-seen in BOS reflects the unique pathophysiology of this form of cGVHD, involving both systemic immunodeficiency and structural lung disease. These patterns of LRTIs and their outcomes can be used to guide clinical decisions and inform future research.

The safety and tolerability of pirfenidone for bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after hematopoietic cell transplant (STOP-BOS) trial.

Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) is the most morbid form of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Progressive airway fibrosis leads to a 5-year survival of 40%. Treatment options for BOS are limited. A single arm, 52-week, Phase I study of pirfenidone was conducted. The primary outcome was tolerability defined as maintaining the recommended dose of pirfenidone (2403 mg/day) without a dose reduction totaling more than 21 days, due to adverse events (AEs) or severe AEs (SAEs). Secondary outcomes included pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and patient reported outcomes (PROs). Among 22 participants treated for 1 year, 13 (59%) tolerated the recommended dose, with an average daily tolerated dose of 2325.6 mg/day. Twenty-two SAEs were observed, with 90.9% related to infections, none were attributed to pirfenidone. There was an increase in the average percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1%) of 7 percentage points annually and improvements in PROs related to symptoms of cGVHD. In this Phase I study, treatment with pirfenidone was safe. The stabilization in PFTs and improvements in PROs suggest the potential of pirfenidone for BOS treatment and support the value of a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of pirfenidone in BOS after HCT. The study is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03315741).

Head-to-head Comparison of Qualitative Radiologist Assessment With Automated Quantitative Computed Tomography Analysis for Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome After Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

PURPOSE: Computed tomography (CT) findings of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) can be nonspecific and variable. This study aims to measure the incremental value of automated quantitative lung CT analysis to clinical CT interpretation. A head-to-head comparison of quantitative CT lung density analysis by parametric response mapping (PRM) with qualitative radiologist performance in BOS diagnosis was performed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Inspiratory and end-expiratory CTs of 65 patients referred to a post-bone marrow transplant lung graft-versus-host-disease clinic were reviewed by 3 thoracic radiologists for the presence of mosaic attenuation, centrilobular opacities, airways dilation, and bronchial wall thickening. Radiologists' majority consensus diagnosis of BOS was compared with automated PRM air trapping quantification and to the gold-standard diagnosis of BOS as per National Institutes of Health (NIH) consensus criteria. RESULTS: Using a previously established threshold of 28% air trapping on PRM, the diagnostic performance for BOS was as follows: sensitivity 56% and specificity 94% (area under the receiver operator curve [AUC]=0.75). Radiologist review of inspiratory CT images alone resulted in a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 69% (AUC=0.74). When radiologists assessed both inspiratory and end-expiratory CT images in combination, the sensitivity was 92% and the specificity was 59% (AUC=0.75). The highest performance was observed when the quantitative PRM report was reviewed alongside inspiratory and end-expiratory CT images, with a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 73% (AUC=0.83). CONCLUSIONS: In the CT diagnosis of BOS, qualitative expert radiologist interpretation was noninferior to quantitative PRM. The highest level of diagnostic performance was achieved by the combination of quantitative PRM measurements with qualitative image feature assessments.

The Use of Factor Eight Inhibitor Bypass Activity (FEIBA) for the Treatment of Perioperative Hemorrhage in Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that factor eight inhibitor bypassing activity (FEIBA) can be used to control bleeding following left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation without increasing the 14-day composite thrombotic outcome of pump thrombus, ischemic cerebrovascular accidents, pulmonary embolism, and deep venous thrombosis. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Academic hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred nineteen consecutive patients who underwent LVAD implantation (December 1, 2009 to December 30, 2018). INTERVENTION: FEIBA administered to control perioperative hemorrhage. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The 82 patients (25.7%) in the FEIBA cohort had more risk factors for perioperative hemorrhage, such as lower preoperative platelet count (169 ± 66 v 194 ± 68 × 103/mL, p = 0.004), prior cardiac surgery (36.6% v 21.9%, p = 0.008), and longer cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time (100.3 v 75.2 minutes, p = 0.001) than the 237 controls. After 16.6 units (95% CI: 14.3-18.9) of blood products were given, 992 units (95% CI: 821-1163) of FEIBA were required to control bleeding in the FEIBA cohort. Compared to the controls, there were no differences in the 14-day composite thrombotic outcome (11.0% v 7.6%, p = 0.343) or mortality rate (3.7% v 1.3%, p = 0.179). Multivariate logistical regression identified preoperative international normalized ratio (odds ratio [OR]: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.04-1.62) and CPB time (OR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02-1.20) as risk factors for 14-day thrombotic events, but FEIBA usage was not associated with an increased risk. CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective cohort study, the use of FEIBA (∼1,000 units, ∼13 units/kg) to control perioperative hemorrhage following LVAD implantation was not associated with increases in mortality or composite thrombotic outcome.

Machine Learning Algorithms to Differentiate Among Pulmonary Complications After Hematopoietic Cell Transplant.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary complications, including infections, are highly prevalent in patients after hematopoietic cell transplantation with chronic graft-vs-host disease. These comorbid diseases can make the diagnosis of early lung graft-vs-host disease (bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome) challenging. A quantitative method to differentiate among these pulmonary diseases can address diagnostic challenges and facilitate earlier and more targeted therapy. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a single-center study of 66 patients with CT chest scans analyzed with a quantitative imaging tool known as parametric response mapping. Parametric response mapping results were correlated with pulmonary function tests and clinical characteristics. Five parametric response mapping metrics were applied to K-means clustering and support vector machine models to distinguish among posttransplantation lung complications solely from quantitative output. RESULTS: Compared with parametric response mapping, spirometry showed a moderate correlation with radiographic air trapping, and total lung capacity and residual volume showed a strong correlation with radiographic lung volumes. K-means clustering analysis distinguished four unique clusters. Clusters 2 and 3 represented obstructive physiology (encompassing 81% of patients with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome) in increasing severity (percentage air trapping 15.6% and 43.0%, respectively). Cluster 1 was dominated by normal lung, and cluster 4 was characterized by patients with parenchymal opacities. A support vector machine algorithm differentiated bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome with a specificity of 88%, sensitivity of 83%, accuracy of 86%, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.85. INTERPRETATION: Our machine learning models offer a quantitative approach for the identification of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome vs other lung diseases, including late pulmonary complications after hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Predicting the Incidence of Pressure Ulcers in the Intensive Care Unit Using Machine Learning.

BACKGROUND: Reducing hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (PUs) in intensive care units (ICUs) has emerged as an important quality metric for health systems internationally. Limited work has been done to characterize the profile of PUs in the ICU using observational data from the electronic health record (EHR). Consequently, there are limited EHR-based prognostic tools for determining a patient's risk of PU development, with most institutions relying on nurse-calculated risk scores such as the Braden score to identify high-risk patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using EHR data from 50,851 admissions in a tertiary ICU (MIMIC-III), we show that the prevalence of PUs at stage 2 or above is 7.8 percent. For the 1,690 admissions where a PU was recorded on day 2 or beyond, we evaluated the prognostic value of the Braden score measured within the first 24 hours. A high-risk Braden score (<=12) had precision 0.09 and recall 0.50 for the future development of a PU. We trained a range of machine learning algorithms using demographic parameters, diagnosis codes, laboratory values and vitals available from the EHR within the first 24 hours. A weighted linear regression model showed precision 0.09 and recall 0.71 for future PU development. Classifier performance was not improved by integrating Braden score elements into the model. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that an EHR-based model can outperform the Braden score as a screening tool for PUs. This may be a useful tool for automatic risk stratification early in an admission, helping to guide quality protocols in the ICU, including the allocation and timing of prophylactic interventions.

Association between Inhaled Corticosteroid Use and Pulmonary Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infection.

RATIONALE: Nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) pulmonary disease prevalence is increasing. OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between the use of inhaled corticosteroids and the likelihood of NTM pulmonary infection among individuals with treated airway disease. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study of subjects with airway disease with and without NTM pulmonary infection (based on mycobacterial respiratory cultures) between 2000 and 2010 in northern California. We quantified the use of inhaled corticosteroids, other airway disease medications, and healthcare use within 6 months of NTM pulmonary infection identification. We used 1:10 case-control matching and conditional logistic regression to evaluate the association between the duration and cumulative dosage of inhaled corticosteroid use and NTM pulmonary infection. RESULTS: We identified 248 cases with NTM pulmonary infection with an estimated rate of 16.4 cases per 10,000 subjects treated for airway disease. The median interval between treated airway disease cohort entry (defined as date of patient filling the third airway disease treatment prescription) and NTM case identification was 1,217 days. Compared with control subjects, subjects with NTM pulmonary infection were more likely to use airway disease medications including systemic steroids; they were also more likely to use health care. Any inhaled corticosteroids use between 120 days and 2 years before cohort entry was associated with substantially increased odds of NTM infection. For example, the adjusted odds ratio for NTM infection among inhaled corticosteroid users in a 2-year interval was 2.51 (95% confidence interval, 1.40-4.49; P < 0.01). Increasing cumulative inhaled corticosteroid dose was also associated with greater odds of NTM infection. CONCLUSIONS: Inhaled corticosteroid use, and particularly high-dose inhaled corticosteroid use, was associated with an increased risk of NTM pulmonary infection.

Analysis of Hypoxic and Hypercapnic Ventilatory Response in Healthy Volunteers.

INTRODUCTION: A previous study has suggested that the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) allele DQB1*06:02 affects hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) but not hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVR) in an Asian population. The current study evaluated the relationship in Caucasians and Asians. In addition we assessed whether gender or polymorphisms in genes participating in the control of breathing affect HVR and HCVR. METHODS: A re-breathing system was used to measure HVR and HCVR in 551 young adults (56.8% Caucasians, 30% Asians). HLA-DQB1*06:02 and tagged polymorphisms and coding variants in genes participating in breathing (PHOX2B, GPR4 and TASK2/KCNK5) were analyzed. The associations between HVR/HCVR and HLA-DQB1*06:02, genetic polymorphisms, and gender were evaluated using ANOVA or frequentist association testing with SNPTEST. RESULTS: HVR and gender are strongly correlated. HCVR and gender are not. Mean HVR in women was 0.276±0.168 (liter/minute/%SpO2) compared to 0.429±0.266 (liter/minute/%SpO2) in men, p<0.001 (55.4% higher HVR in men). Women had lower baseline minute ventilation (8.08±2.36 l/m vs. 10.00±3.43l/m, p<0.001), higher SpO2 (98.0±1.3% vs. 96.6±1.7%, p<0.001), and lower EtCO2 (4.65±0.68% vs. 4.82±1.02%, p = 0.025). One hundred and two (18.5%) of the participants had HLA-DQB1*06:02. No association was seen between HLA-DQB1*06:02 and HVR or HCVR. Genetic analysis revealed point wise, uncorrected significant associations between two TASK2/KCNK5 variants (rs2815118 and rs150380866) and HCVR. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest study to date reporting the relationship between gender and HVR/ HCVR and the first study assessing the association between genetic polymorphisms in humans and HVR/HCVR. The data suggest that gender has a large effect on hypoxic breathing response.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of periacetabular osteotomy.

BACKGROUND: A lack of long-term outcomes data following periacetabular osteotomy makes it difficult for surgeons to recommend the most appropriate procedure to young patients who might be candidates for a joint-preserving procedure. In this study, we compared the cost-effectiveness of periacetabular osteotomy with total hip arthroplasty in terms of cost per quality-adjusted life year for the young adult. METHODS: A decision model was constructed for a cost-utility analysis of periacetabular osteotomy compared with total hip arthroplasty. Outcome probabilities and effectiveness were derived from the literature. Effectiveness was expressed in quality-adjusted life years gained. Cost data were compiled and verified from our institution. Costs and utilities were discounted in accord with the United States Panel on Cost-Effectiveness in Health and Medicine. Principal outcome measures were average incremental costs, incremental effectiveness, incremental quality-adjusted life years, and net health benefits. Multivariate sensitivity analysis was used to assess the contribution of included variables in the model's outcomes. RESULTS: For Tönnis grade-1 coxarthrosis, periacetabular osteotomy dominates with an average incremental cost-effectiveness of $7856 per quality-adjusted life year and an average incremental effectiveness of 0.15. For Tönnis grade-2 coxarthrosis, periacetabular osteotomy is, on the average, more cost-effective than total hip arthroplasty with an incremental cost-effectiveness of $824 per quality-adjusted life year, but it is less effective than total hip arthroplasty, on the average, with an incremental effectiveness of -1.4 quality-adjusted life years. Periacetabular osteotomy becomes more cost-effective at a longevity of 5.5 years for Tönnis grade-1 coxarthrosis and 18.25 years for Tönnis grade-2 coxarthrosis. In Tönnis grade-3 coxarthrosis, total hip replacement becomes the dominant treatment strategy. CONCLUSIONS: Periacetabular osteotomy is, on the average, more cost-effective in Tönnis grade-1 and grade-2 coxarthrosis, while it is both more costly and less effective in Tönnis grade-3 coxarthrosis. These findings can inform clinical decision-making in the absence of long-term data. On the basis of this model, periacetabular osteotomy is preferable to total hip arthroplasty in Tönnis grade-1 and grade-2 coxarthrosis when the patient is sufficiently young and when functionality in sports is important.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty as an alternative to total knee arthroplasty for unicompartmental osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty as an alternative to total knee arthroplasty in patients with degenerative arthritis limited to either the medial or lateral compartment. METHODS: A decision model was created for the treatment of end-stage unicompartmental knee arthritis. A literature review was used to identify possible outcomes and their probabilities following treatment with either unicompartmental or total knee arthroplasty. Each outcome was weighted for quality of life with use of a utility factor, and effectiveness was expressed in units of quality-adjusted life years. Gross costs were estimated from Medicare reimbursement data for the relevant Current Procedural Terminology and Diagnosis-Related Group codes. RESULTS: Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the cost-effectiveness of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty is dependent on the assumption that its durability and functional outcomes approach those of total knee arthroplasty. Specifically, it is necessary for the survival of unicompartmental implants to be within three to four years of the assumed survival of total knee implants for unicompartmental arthroplasty to remain a cost-effective alternative. Under these assumptions, the use of unicompartmental arthroplasty is a cost-effective choice as it results in incremental gains in effectiveness at a cost of less than US dollars 50,000 (in 1998 United States dollars) per quality-adjusted life year gained. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports unicompartmental knee arthroplasty as a cost-effective alternative for the treatment of unicompartmental arthritis when the durability and function of a unicompartmental replacement are assumed to be similar to those of a primary total knee replacement. This suggests that, with appropriate patient selection, the currently available literature supports unicompartmental arthroplasty as a cost-effective alternative to total knee arthroplasty. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Economic and decision analysis, Level II.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of core decompression.

Core decompression is widely used to treat the early stages of osteonecrosis of the hip. The purpose of this analysis is to assist orthopedic surgeons in judging whether currently available data support the use of core decompression as cost-effective. A decision model was created for the treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head. Literature review was used to identify possible outcomes and their probability after initial treatment with either observation or core decompression. This model demonstrates core decompression must delay the need for total hip arthroplasty for a minimum of 5 years to maintain an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio lower than 50,000 dollars per quality-adjusted life year gained. Treatment options with ratios higher than 50,000 dollars per quality-adjusted life year are generally considered to have limited cost-effectiveness. This study demonstrates that core decompression has the potential to be a highly cost-effective alternative if it is leads to a delay in the need for total hip arthroplasty of 5 years or longer.