Comparison of medical resource use and total admission cost in patients with acute myocardial infarction between on-hours visit versus off-hours visit.

The medical expenses for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has become enormous burden for global healthcare system. In AMI patients, total admission cost for patients with off-hours visit may be higher than those with on-hours visit, because of additional cost for emergent care during off-hours. This study aimed to compare total medical cost in AMI patients between on-hours visit versus off-hours visit. We retrospectively included 368 AMI patients who underwent PCI to the culprit lesion, and divided them into the on-hours group (n = 173) and the off-hours group (n = 195). We compared clinical characteristics, total admission cost, and clinical outcomes between the two groups. The prevalence of Killip class 3/4 was significantly greater in the off-hours group than in the on-hours group. Length of ICU and hospital stay were significantly longer in the off-hours group than in the on-hours group. Total admission cost was significantly higher in the off-hours group [¥1,570,400 (¥1,271,550-¥2,117,090)] than in the on-hours group [¥1,356,270 (¥1,100,990-¥1,957,225)] (P < 0.001). However, multivariate analysis revealed off-hours visit itself was not associated with high total admission cost after adjusting confounding factors. In conclusion, total admission cost was higher in AMI patients with off-hours visit than in those with on-hours visit. However, multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the off-hours visit itself was not associated with the highest total admission cost. Off-hours visit itself did not result in higher cost, but severer conditions in AMI patients with off-hours visit resulted in higher cost.

Comparison of the cost in percutaneous coronary intervention between ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction vs. non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a standard strategy for non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) as well as for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The device cost for PCI may be more expensive in NSTEMI, because the culprit lesion morphology may be more complex in NSTEMI. This study aimed to compare the total device cost of PCI between STEMI and NSTEMI. We included 504 patients with acute myocardial infraction (AMI) who underwent PCI, and divided those into a STEMI group (n = 286) and a NSTEMI group (n = 218). We compared the total device cost, the number of used devices, and procedure cost between the 2 groups. The total device cost was significantly higher in the NSTEMI group [¥371,300 (¥320,700-503,350)] than in the STEMI group [¥341,200 (¥314,200-410,475)] (p = 0.001), whereas the procedure cost was significantly higher in the STEMI group [¥343,800 (¥243,800-343,800)] than in the NSTEMI group [¥220,000 (¥216,800-243,800)] (p < 0.001). Drug eluting stent (85.3% vs. 76.1%, p = 0.029) and aspiration catheter (16.8% vs. 2.3%, p < 0.001) were more frequently used in the STEMI group, whereas rotablator (0.7% vs. 8.3%, p < 0.001) were more frequently used in the NSTEMI group. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that NSTEMI was significantly associated with the high device cost (odds ratio 1.899, 95% confidence interval 1.166-3.093, p = 0.01). In conclusion, the total device cost for PCI was significantly higher in the culprit lesions of NSTEMI than in those of STEMI, whereas the procedure cost was significantly higher in the culprit lesions of STEMI than in those of NSTEMI.

Determinants of high device cost in current percutaneous coronary interventions.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), especially medical devices, consume large amounts of medical resources. It is important to know which type of lesions requires high device costs among current PCI. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between lesion characteristics and medical device costs in current PCI. METHODS: We identified 593 coronary artery lesions in our PCI database between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015. The total PCI cost was calculated for each lesion. The highest quartile (Q1) of total PCI costs was defined as the highest cost group, whereas the other quartiles (Q2, Q3, Q4) were defined as the low-intermediate cost group. RESULTS: The mean PCI cost in the highest cost and low-intermediate cost groups was ¥1,032,943 ±â€¯211,912 and ¥532,547 ±â€¯112,127, respectively. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, lesion length (10 mm increase: OR 2.93, 95% CI 2.25-3.82, P < 0.001), left main lesion (OR 2.96, 95% CI 1.02-8.60, P = 0.046), moderate to severe calcification (OR 16.43, 95% CI 7.97-33.88, P < 0.001), chronic total occlusion (CTO) (OR 5.83, 95% CI 2.07-16.39, P = 0.001), and bifurcation (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.08-3.75, P = 0.027) were significantly associated with the highest cost group. CONCLUSIONS: Lesion characteristics including CTO, diffuse long lesion, calcification, and bifurcation were significantly associated with the highest device cost. Non-CTO complex lesions including bifurcation and calcification as well as CTO lesions require higher PCI device costs than non-complex lesions.

Willingness of patients with diabetes to use an ICT-based self-management tool: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the prevalence of the willingness of patients with diabetes to use a self-management tool based on information and communication technology (ICT) such as personal computers, smartphones, and mobile phones; and to examine the patient characteristics associated with that willingness. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional interview survey of 312 adults with diabetes at a university hospital in an urban area in Japan. Participants were classified into 2 groups: those who were willing to use an ICT-based self-management tool and those who were unwilling. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with the willingness, including clinical and social factors, current use of ICT, self-management practices, self-efficacy, and diabetes-related emotional distress. RESULTS: The mean age of the 312 participants was 66.3 years (SD=11.5) and 198 (63%) were male. Most of the participants (93%) had type 2 diabetes. Although only 51 (16%) currently used ICT-based self-management tools, a total of 157 (50%) expressed the willingness to use such a tool. Factors associated with the willingness included: not having nephropathy (OR=2.02, 95% CI 1.14 to 3.58); outpatient visits once a month or more (vs less than once a month, OR=2.13, 95% CI 1.13 to 3.99); current use of personal computers and/or smartphones (OR=4.91, 95% CI 2.69 to 8.98); and having greater diabetes-related emotional distress (OR=1.10, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.20). CONCLUSIONS: Approximately half of the patients showed interest in using an ICT-based self-management tool. Willing patients may expect ICT-based self-management tools to complement outpatient visits and to make self-management easier. Starting with patients who display the willingness factors might optimize programs based on such tools.

Mid-term results and costs of coronary artery bypass vs drug-eluting stents for unprotected left main coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: The optimal revascularization strategy for unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) disease in the era of drug-eluting stents (DES) has become more controversial between coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS AND RESULTS: Since April 2004, 89 patients underwent CABG, including 82 (92.1%) off-pump procedures and 63 patients underwent PCI with DES for ULMCA disease. Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE: death, acute myocardial infarction, stroke and repeat revascularization) and hospitalization costs were compared. Patients in the CABG group were likely to have multivessel disease and higher euroSCORE. The mean follow-up was 2.2+/-1.1 years in the CABG group and 1.6+/-0.8 years in the DES group (P<0.001). The overall survival rate did not differ (P=0.288) between the groups (CABG: 93.4% and DES: 91.9% at 2 years). The MACCE-free survival rate was better (P=0.033) in the CABG group (CABG: 82.2% and DES: 62.6% at 2 years). Total hospitalization costs were lower (P=0.013) in the CABG group (median: 3,225 thousand yen) than in the DES group (median: 4,192 thousand yen). CONCLUSIONS: CABG might be associated with cost-effectiveness and could be still the first revascularization strategy for ULMCA disease.