Revisiting aortic valve prosthesis choice in patients younger than 50 years: 10 years results of the AUTHEARTVISIT study.

OBJECTIVES: This population-based cohort study investigated mid-term outcome after surgical aortic valve replacement with a bioprosthetic or mechanical valve prosthesis in patients aged <50 years in a European social welfare state. METHODS: We analysed patient data from the main social insurance carriers in Austria (2010-2020). Subsequent patient-level record linkage with national health data provided patient characteristics and clinical outcome. Survival, reoperation, myocardial infarction, heart failure, embolic stroke or intracerebral haemorrhage, bleeding other than intracerebral haemorrhage and major adverse cardiac events were evaluated as outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 991 patients were analysed. Regarding demographics, no major differences between groups were observed. Multivariable Cox regression revealed no significant difference in overall survival (P = 0.352) with a median follow-up time of 6.2 years. Reoperation-free survival was decreased (hazard ratio = 1.560 [95% CI: 1.076-2.262], P = 0.019) and the risk for reoperation was increased (hazard ratio = 2.770 [95% CI: 1.402-5.472], P = 0.003) in patients who received bioprostheses. Estimated probability of death after reoperation was 0.23 (CL: 0.08-0.35) after 2 years and 0.34 (CL: 0.06-0.53) after 10 years over both groups. Regarding further outcomes, no significant differences between the two groups were observed. CONCLUSIONS: In patients below 50 years of age receiving aortic valve replacement, implantation of bioprostheses when compared to mechanical heart valve prostheses was associated with a significantly higher rate of reoperations and reduced reoperation-free survival. Nevertheless, we could not observe a difference in overall survival. However, long-term follow-up has to evaluate that a significantly lower rate of reoperations may translate in consistently improved long-term survival.

Mechanical aortic valve prostheses offer a survival benefit in 50-65 year olds: AUTHEARTVISIT study.

BACKGROUND: The present population-based cohort study investigated long-term mortality after surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) with bioprosthetic (B) or mechanical aortic valve prostheses (M) in a European social welfare state. METHODS: We analysed patient data from health insurance records covering 98% of the Austrian population between 2010 and 2018. Subsequent patient-level record linkage with national health data provided patient characteristics and clinical outcomes. Further reoperation, myocardial infarction, heart failure and stroke were evaluated as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 13,993 patients were analysed and the following age groups were examined separately: <50 years (727 patients: 57.77% M, 42.23% B), 50-65 years (2612 patients: 26.88% M, 73.12% B) and >65 years (10,654 patients: 1.26% M, 98.74% B). Multivariable Cox regression revealed that the use of B-AVR was significantly associated with higher mortality in patients aged 50-65 years compared to M-AVR (HR = 1.676 [1.289-2.181], p < 0.001). B-AVR also performed worse in a competing risk analysis regarding reoperation (HR = 3.483 [1.445-8.396], p = 0.005) and myocardial infarction (HR = 2.868 [1.255-6.555], p = 0.012). However, the risk of developing heart failure and stroke did not differ significantly after AVR in any age group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients aged 50-65 years who underwent M-AVR had better long-term survival, and a lower risk of reoperation and myocardial infarction. Even though anticoagulation is crucial in patients with M-AVR, we did not observe significantly increased stroke rates in patients with M-AVR. This evident survival benefit in recipients of mechanical aortic valve prostheses aged <65 years critically questions current guideline recommendations.

Impact of comorbidities on mortality in hospitalized influenza patients with diabetes - Analysis of the Austrian Health Insurance.

AIMS: To assess the impact of characteristics and comorbidities on the hospitalization rate and 30- and 90-days all-cause mortality after hospitalization for influenza-related illness (IRI) in individuals with diabetes. METHODS: Data of 507,184 individuals with diabetes enrolled in the national Austrian Health Insurance database during 2013-2017 were analyzed. Hospitalization for IRI was defined as per International Classification of Disease 10 codes (J09, J10, J11). All-cause mortality was calculated for 30- and 90-days post-hospitalization. RESULTS: Of the total diabetes population, 1994 (0.4%) were hospitalized for IRI during 2013-2017. The rate of comorbidities was higher in individiuals who were hospitalized due to IRI as compared with the general diabetes population. Overall 30-days cumulative mortality following hospitalization for IRI was 7.9% and 90-days mortality was 10.3%. The risk (adjusted Hazard Ratio, 95% Confidence Interval) of IRI related 90-days mortality increased with age (50-59: 3.00, 0.65-13.94; 60-69: 4.16, 0.99-17.55; 70-79: 4.79, 1.16-19.76; 80+: 7.15, 1.74-29.46), heart failure (1.97, 1.31-2.98), renal disease (1.50, 1.05-2.14), and Charlson comorbidity index (1.14, 1.08-1.19). CONCLUSIONS: Older age, heart failure, renal disease, and Charlson comorbidity index were significant predictors of mortality following hospitalization for IRI in individuals with diabetes. These findings could help in improving the clinical management and performance of surveillance and health systems concerning IRI in Austria.

The doubled burden of diabetic bone disease: hip fracture and post-hip fracture mortality.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with diabetes have an increased risk of osteoporosis and shorter life expectancy. Hip fracture (HF) is the most serious consequence of osteoporosis and is associated with increased mortality risk. We aimed to assess the association of antidiabetic medications with HF and the post-hip fracture mortality risk among diabetic patients ≥50 years. DESIGN: In this nationwide case-control study 53 992 HF cases and 112 144 age-, sex- and region-matched non-hip fracture controls were analyzed. A cohort of hip-fractured diabetic patients were followed-up for an all-cause mortality. METHODS: We defined three groups of diabetic patients based on a prescription of antidiabetic medications: group 1 treated with insulin monotherapy (G1DM), group 2 (G2DM) treated with blood glucose-lowering drugs (BGLD) only, group 3 on a combined BGLD and insulin therapy (G3DM). We applied logistic regression and Cox regression. RESULTS: We identified 2757 G1DM patients, 15 310 G2DM patients, 3775 G3DM patients and 144 294 patients without any antidiabetic treatment. All three groups of diabetic patients had increased odds of HF compared to controls. G1DM patients aged 50-64 years (aOR: 4.80, 95% CI: 3.22-7.17) and G3DM patients (aOR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.02-1.88) showed the highest HF odds, whereas G2DM patients had 18% decrease in HF odds than their non-diabetic controls (aOR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.69-0.99). All diabetic patients had increased post-hip fracture mortality risk compared to non-diabetic controls. The highest mortality hazard was observed in G1DM patients, being greater for women than men (HR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.55-1.89 and HR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.27-1.64, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Antidiabetic medications increase the probability of HF. Diabetic patients, who sustained HF have a higher mortality risk than non-diabetic patients.

Epidemiology of major lower extremity amputations in individuals with diabetes in Austria, 2014-2017: A retrospective analysis of health insurance database.

AIMS: To describe the incidence, mortality, and trend of major lower extremity amputations (LEA) and to assess risk factors of all-cause mortality after major LEA in individuals with diabetes. METHODS: Procedure codes of major LEA were extracted from the Austrian Health Insurance database (N = 507,180) during 2014-2017 to estimate crude and age-standardized rates per 100,000 population. Short- (30-day, 90-day) and long-term (1-year, 5-year) all-cause mortality after major LEA was estimated from the date of amputation till the date of death. RESULTS: The age-standardized rate of major LEA was 6.44 with an insignificant annual change of 3% (p = 0.825) from 2014 to 2017. Cumulative 30-day mortality was 13.5%, 90-day 22.0%, 1-year 34.4%, and 5-year 66.7%. Age, male sex, above-knee amputation, Charlson index, and heart failure were significantly associated with both short- and long-term mortality. Cancer, dementia, heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, and renal disease were associated with long-term mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of major LEA in individuals with diabetes remained stable during 2014-2017 in Austria. Short- and long-term mortality rates were considerably high after major LEA. Old age, male sex, above-knee amputations, and Charlson Index were significant predictors of both short- and long-term mortality and comorbidities were significant predictors of long-term mortality only.

Regional and gender differences in population-based oral health insurance data.

OBJECTIVE: Early dental monitoring contributes substantially to good oral health in children. However, little is known on whether children from different geographical regions and gender are equally reached with current preventive and curative oral health strategies. The aim of our study therefore was to explore regional and gender differences in a population-based oral health dataset of Austrian children up to the age of 14. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We extracted the first electronically available health insurance data of children aged up to 14 years on dental services within a 4-year observation period in Austria and performed a separate analysis in up to 6-year-old children. In addition, we used a smaller randomly selected sample dataset of 3000 children as the large numbers would result in significant, but very small effects. RESULTS: In a total of 130,895 children, of whom 77,173 children (59%) were up to the age of six, we detected an east-west gradient: The eastern regions of Austria showed an older age at first contact and a higher number of dental services. A child aged up to 6 years who needed more than four dental services had a likelihood of 40% to be from Vienna, Austria's capital city located in the east. The smaller random sample did not show significant gender differences. CONCLUSIONS: Even in regions with a high density of dentists, such as Vienna, we obviously did not reach young children in the same extent as in other regions. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Stratified interventions could be developed to overcome regional inequalities.

Clopidogrel, prasugrel, or ticagrelor use and clinical outcome in patients with acute coronary syndrome: A nationwide long-term registry analysis from 2009 to 2014.

BACKGROUND: The beneficial use of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and P2Y12 õinhibitors has been established for patients after acute coronary syndrome (ACS). However, the optimal duration of DAPT is under debate. The aim of the present study was to investigate the long-term utilization and clinical outcome of clopidogrel, prasugrel, and ticagrelor in patients with ACS from 2009 to 2014 in Austria. METHODS: We analysed data from 13 Austrian health insurance funds for the years 2009 to 2014, on 72,676 patients with a hospital discharge diagnosis of ACS. The primary end point was recurrence of ACS or death >30days after the index event. RESULTS: 32,830 subjects received a prescription of a P2Y12 inhibitor within 30days after the index ACS. 18,640 (56.8%) subjects were discharged with clopidogrel, 6683 (20.4%) with prasugrel, and 7507 (22.9%) with ticagrelor, respectively. Data from 32,174 patients with 4975 events during a median follow-up period of 24.9months were available for survival analysis. The cumulative incidence for recurrence of ACS or death at two years was 18.7% in patients receiving clopidogrel, and 8.7% and 12.0% in those receiving prasugrel or ticagrelor, respectively. CONCLUSION: Utilization of P2Y12 inhibitors in patients with ACS was consistent with guideline recommendations. Prasugrel and ticagrelor are increasingly used in ACS patients and associated with a lower number of recurrence of ACS or death compared to clopidogrel. However, clopidogrel was predominantly used in older patients with more co-morbidities.

Prevalence and determinants of unintended double medication of antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, and hypoglycemic drugs in Austria: a nationwide cohort study.

PURPOSE: Double medication is defined as the unintended overlapping prescription of two identical substances with the same route of administration by two different prescribers to the same patient. Consequences of double medication are reduced patient safety and excess healthcare costs. Based on nationwide prescription data from 2011 covering 97% of Austria's population, we estimated double medication prevalences for treatment of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus. METHODS: We investigated prescriptions of 88 antihypertensive, 16 lipid-lowering and 29 hypoglycemic substances in 7,971,323 persons in 2011. Prevalence of double medication was calculated patientwise (prevalence by patients) and timewise (prevalence by patient-years). Risk factors for double medication were identified by logistic regression. RESULTS: For antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, and hypoglycemic subtances, overall 15.0% (men: 15.1%, women: 15.0%), 13.1% (13.7%, 12.5%), and 13.0% (13.0%, 13.4%) of patients were doubly medicated, respectively. Corresponding prevalences by patient-years were 1.6%, 2.0%, and 1.2%. Logistic regression confirmed lower age and copayment waiver as independent risk factors of double medication. Furthermore, double medication occurred more often with prescriptions from hospitals or internal medicine specialists compared with general practitioners, as well as in August compared with earlier or later in the calendar year. CONCLUSION: While appropriate care or comanagement of patients by internal medicine specialists and general practitioners may explain some of the double prescriptions, our data indicate that unintended double medication is frequent. In Austria, lack of financial incentives of patients to avoid filling duplicate prescriptions explains a considerable fraction of double medication occurrences.

Potential savings in prescription drug costs for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus by equivalent drug substitution in Austria: a nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare systems spend considerable proportions of their budgets on pharmaceutical treatment of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus. From data on almost all residents of Austria, a country with mandatory health insurance and universal health coverage, we estimated potential cost savings by substituting prescribed medicines with the cheapest medicines that were of the same chemical substance and strength, and available during the same time. METHODS: Data from 8.3 million persons (98.5 % of the total Austrian insured population) from 2009-2012 were analyzed. Real prescription costs for antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, and hypoglycemic medicines achievable by same-substance, same-strength drug substitution were computed for each active ingredient, and per gender and 1-year age category of patients. RESULTS: In 2012, health insurance providers spent 231.3 million, 77.8 million, and 91.9 million for antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, and diabetes medications, of which 52.2 million (22.6 %), 15.9 million (20.5 %), and 4.1 million (4.5 %), respectively, could have been saved by same-substance drug substitution. Highest potential savings were calculated for amlodipine (8.0 million, 65.4 %), simvastatin (12.2 million, 59.3 %), and metformin (2.4 million, 54.6 %), respectively. Higher savings for men than for women resulted from differing prescribed cumulative dosages and proportions of patients with co-payment waiver. Potential cost savings in antihypertensive and lipid-lowering drugs increased from 2009-2012. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the cost-savings potential from arguably the most acceptable of interventions, simply switching to the cheapest available same-substance, same-strength product. In 2012, this strategy could have reduced costs for antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, and hypoglycemic treatment by up to 18.0 %.

The use of TNF-inhibitors in ankylosing spondylitis in Austria from 2007 to 2009 - a retrospective analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The introduction of anti- tumor necrosis factor-alpha agents (TNF-inhibitors) offered new dimensions in symptom relief and alteration of disease progression for patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). In 2007, Infliximab, Etanercept and Adalimumab were approved for AS in Austria. Drug reimbursement data of 2007 were retrieved to evaluate frequency of prescription, preferred substance and data on switching therapies. METHODS: Data from eight health insurance funds covering 5.4 million insured people, which corresponds to 64% of the population, was analyzed by linking two databases, combining data on therapy of individual patients and their diagnosis. For those patients on TNF-inhibitors in 2007 reimbursement data from 2008 and 2009 were obtained, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 694 patients with AS on TNF inhibitors in 2007 were identified for data analysis. Yearly costs for TNF-inhibitors were highest for Adalimumab (14,399 € per patient) followed by Infliximab (11,685 € per patient) and Etanercept (10,184 € per patient). In first-time TNF-inhibitor prescriptions, Adalimumab was prescribed most often, with a tendency towards prescription of Adalimumab and Etanercept in the younger and Infliximab in the older population. In the first year of prescription, 12% of patients already switched from the initially prescribed drug to another substance with those started on Etanercept showing the lowest switching rate. One-year drug survival in our data was highest for Etanercept with 83% still on the drug after 1 year, followed by Infliximab and then Adalimumab, while two-year drug survival was also highest for Etanercept (58%), followed by Adalimumab and then Infliximab. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis starting on TNF-inhibiting therapy in Austria in 2007 were treated most often with Adalimumab, while Etanercept showed the lowest switching rate and the longest 1- and 2-year drug survival.

[Partial reimbursement of prescription charges for generic drugs reduces costs for both health insurance and patients]. / Eine differenzierte Rezeptgebühr für Generika erzielt Einsparungen für Kostenträger und Patienten.

BACKGROUND: Rising costs of pharmaceuticals are a challenge to the public health care system. In collaboration with a company health insurance with 3143 members we analysed the economic benefit of reduced prescription fees for generic drugs in a 12-month period. METHODS: Within the observation period 1 euro per prescription of a generic drug was reimbursed to the insurants. On the basis of 5 drug classes the prescribed proportion of generic drugs and the change in prescription pattern was computed. The acceptance of the intervention by the insurants was assessed using anonymous questionnaires. RESULTS: 42,219 drug prescriptons for insurants of the health insurance company were registered, with an overall cost of euro 843,954.95. In the observation period there was a 45% increase of the proportion of overall costs spent for generic drugs, from euro 78,325.65 to euro 110,419.90, together with a 38% increase of prescriptions of generic drugs. The expenditures for reimbursements of prescription payments amounted to euro 9,984 (euro 1-74 to insurants). In the 5 selected drug classes the proportion of generic drugs increased from 23% before the observation period to 40%, whereby a cost reduction of euro 2.47 per prescription was achieved. Taking into account an overall increase of prescriptions of the selected drugs, a cost reduction from euro 188,811.45 to euro 173,677.15 was accomplished. This intervention was considered useful by 84% of all insurants. CONCLUSION: Financial incentives for insurants by partial reimbursement of prescription charges are effective for increasing the proportion of generic substitutes and for controlling drug costs.

[Sex-specific antihypertensive drug therapy]. / Geschlechtsspezifische medikamentöse Therapie der Hypertonie.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a leading cause of cardiovascular diseases. To evaluate sex-specific differences in the prescription pattern of antihypertensive therapy, registry data from the regional health insurance fund "Burgenländische Gebietskrankenkasse" (BGKK) were analyzed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a retrospective cross sectional cohort study data from 41499 individuals covered by the BGKK in 2003, and who had been treated with cardiovascular drugs were analyzed. Data were evaluated according to drug classifications. RESULTS: Among subjects treated with cardiovascular medication 38.3 % were males and 61.7 % females. The drug classes acting on the renin-angiotensin-system were prescribed more frequently than beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, diuretics and antihypertensives. Women were treated more often with diuretics and beta-blockers, whereas men received more antihypertensives and drugs acting on the renin angiotensin system (p < 0.01 between groups of sexes). CONCLUSION: Sex-specific differences exist regarding the prevalence of antihypertensive drug prescriptions between men and women. Further, the prescription pattern of equivalently effective medications differs between sexes.

[Cost reduction with project based prescription of generic ACE inhibitors]. / Kostenreduktion durch projektgestützte Verschreibung von ACE-Hemmer Generika.

BACKGROUND: Increasing drug costs are an economic burden for the health insurance system. AIM: The regional drug prescription pattern for ACE inhibitors in the Austrian county Burgenland was compared for patients discharged from hospital and those in primary care. Furthermore, the potential cost reduction by voluntary prescription of cheaper generic drugs was estimated in the project "Bessere Therapie zum besseren Preis". METHODS: Following consensual analysis of the regional cross-sectional study, a cheaper generic of the most cost-intensive class of ACE-inhibitor drugs should be prescribed at internal medicine wards and in primary care. The number of prescriptions for patients from the largest health insurance company BGKK was studied and the costs were calculated. RESULTS: Of the 1347 patients discharged during October 1999 from internal medicine departments of four different hospitals 879 patients received a total of 1440 cardiovascular drugs. The regional prescription pattern at hospitals matched that of physicians in primary care. Between the second quarter of 2000 and 2001, the prescription of ACE inhibitor drugs increased by project advertising from 23,627 packages by 13.1%, and drug costs in this group were reduced by [symbol: see text] 29,778 in this quarter (7.3% of costs). The number of Enalapril prescriptions increased by 33.4% with a percentual portion of generic Enalapril of 57.3%, and in the rest of Austria by 16.9% with 45.0% generics. CONCLUSION: Consensus based projects are appropriate pharmacoeconomic interventions to change prescription patterns, increase the use of drugs and reduce the increasing cost requirements.