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.

Relationships between developmental strategies for additional indications and price revisions for anticancer drugs in Japan.

BACKGROUND: The relationships between developmental strategies for additional indications and drug price revisions have not been thoroughly studied. Here, we investigated the price revisions for anticancer drugs approved in Japan. METHODS: The study was based on published information on anticancer drugs approved between January 2009 and March 2020 in Japan. We investigated the relationships between the pharmacological and regulatory characteristics of anticancer drugs and occurrence/non-occurrence of the Japanese National Health Insurance (NHI) price revisions. RESULTS: Eighty-one new anticancer drugs were given NHI price listings during the survey. On April 1, 2020, the prices of 23 anticancer drugs had been revised from the initial pricing, the prices were reduced for 21 drugs (91.3%). Several parameters showed the relationships between drug characteristics and NHI price revisions. The achievement of additional indications and compound type were identified as explanatory factors for these relationships. Additional indication profiles were defined to assess the relationships between the methods for additional indication achievement and price revisions. When the type of additional indication was "Expansion", the percentage of drugs received NHI price revisions was the highest (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: NHI price revision was significantly related to the achievement of additional indications and compound type. The strategy for additional indications was found to affect the occurrence/non-occurrence of NHI price revisions.

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.

Anatomic assessment of sympathetic peri-arterial renal nerves in man.

BACKGROUND: Although renal sympathetic denervation therapy has shown promising results in patients with resistant hypertension, the human anatomy of peri-arterial renal nerves is poorly understood. OBJECTIVES: The aim of our study was to investigate the anatomic distribution of peri-arterial sympathetic nerves around human renal arteries. METHODS: Bilateral renal arteries were collected from human autopsy subjects, and peri-arterial renal nerve anatomy was examined by using morphometric software. The ratio of afferent to efferent nerve fibers was investigated by dual immunofluorescence staining using antibodies targeted for anti-tyrosine hydroxylase and anti-calcitonin gene-related peptide. RESULTS: A total of 10,329 nerves were identified from 20 (12 hypertensive and 8 nonhypertensive) patients. The mean individual number of nerves in the proximal and middle segments was similar (39.6 ± 16.7 per section and 39.9 ± 1 3.9 per section), whereas the distal segment showed fewer nerves (33.6 ± 13.1 per section) (p = 0.01). Mean subject-specific nerve distance to arterial lumen was greatest in proximal segments (3.40 ± 0.78 mm), followed by middle segments (3.10 ± 0.69 mm), and least in distal segments (2.60 ± 0.77 mm) (p < 0.001). The mean number of nerves in the ventral region (11.0 ± 3.5 per section) was greater compared with the dorsal region (6.2 ± 3.0 per section) (p < 0.001). Efferent nerve fibers were predominant (tyrosine hydroxylase/calcitonin gene-related peptide ratio 25.1 ± 33.4; p < 0.0001). Nerve anatomy in hypertensive patients was not considerably different compared with nonhypertensive patients. CONCLUSIONS: The density of peri-arterial renal sympathetic nerve fibers is lower in distal segments and dorsal locations. There is a clear predominance of efferent nerve fibers, with decreasing prevalence of afferent nerves from proximal to distal peri-arterial and renal parenchyma. Understanding these anatomic patterns is important for refinement of renal denervation procedures.

ACC/AHA classification of coronary lesions reflects medical resource use in current percutaneous coronary interventions.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between ACC/AHA type classification of coronary lesions and medical resource utilization. BACKGROUND: It is not known whether the classification of coronary lesions by the ACC/AHA system reflects the consumption of medical resources in current percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). METHODS: We identified coronary artery lesions treated with PCI from our PCI database between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009. Lesions were classified into type A, type B1, type B2, and type C according to the ACC/AHA definition. Total PCI cost, total contrast volume, and total fluoroscopy time were compared among the groups. RESULTS: A total of 447 lesions were analyzed. The number of type A, type B1, type B2, and type C lesion were 75 (16.8%), 98 (21.9%), 145 (32.4%), and 129 (28.9%), respectively. Total PCI cost for type A, type B1, type B2, and type C lesions were $7,262 ± 1,397, $8,126 ± 1,891, $9,126 ± 3,128, and $13,243 ± 4,678, respectively (P < 0.0001). Total contrast volume and fluoroscopy time were also stratified according to the order of type A, type B1, type B2, and type C lesions (P < 0.0001 for total contrast volume; P < 0.0001 for total fluoroscopy time). CONCLUSIONS: Total PCI cost, total contrast volume, and total fluoroscopy time were clearly stratified according to the order of type A, type B1, type B2, and type C lesions. Lesion classification by the ACC/AHA system reflects medical resource use in current PCI.

Comparison of the resource utilization between simultaneous strategy and staged strategy to treat two-vessel coronary artery disease by percutaneous coronary intervention.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare medical resource use, such as total device cost, total contrast volume, and total fluoroscopy time between the staged and simultaneous strategies for treating two-vessel disease (2VD) by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND: 2VD can be treated by the staged strategy or the simultaneous strategy. Compared to the staged strategy, the simultaneous strategy may reduce medical resource use. METHODS: We identified a staged group (138 patients) and simultaneous group (62 patients) from our PCI database between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2010. Total PCI device cost, total contrast volume, and total fluoroscopy time were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Total costs for the staged group and the simultaneous group given in United States dollars were $21,289 ± 5633 and $16,571 ± 5530, respectively (P<.0001). Total contrast volumes for the staged group and the simultaneous group were 299 ± 79 mL and 194 ± 62 mL, respectively (P<.0001). Total fluoroscopy times for the staged group and the simultaneous group were 60 ± 27 minutes and 40 ± 15 minutes, respectively (P<.0001). In multivariate analysis, the simultaneous strategy was significantly associated with low cost, small contrast volume, and short fluoroscopy time even after controlling for age, sex, acute coronary syndrome, and lesion complexity. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the staged strategy to treat 2VD by PCI, the simultaneous strategy reduced medical resource use, i.e., total device cost, total contrast volume, and total fluoroscopy time.