Cost-effectiveness of gallbladder histopathology after cholecystectomy for benign disease.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of incidental gallbladder cancer is low when performing cholecystectomy for benign disease. The performance of routine or selective histological examination of the gallbladder is still a subject for discussion. The aim of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of these different approaches. METHODS: Four management strategies were evaluated using decision-analytical modelling: no histology, current selective histology as practised in Sweden, macroscopic selective histology, and routine histology. Healthcare costs and life-years were estimated for a lifetime perspective and combined into incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) to assess the additional cost of achieving an additional life-year for each management strategy. RESULTS: In the analysis of the four strategies, current selective histology was ruled out due to a higher ICER compared with macroscopic selective histology, which showed better health outcomes (extended dominance). Comparison of routine histology with macroscopic selective histology resulted in a gain of 12 life-years and an incremental healthcare cost of approximately €1 000 000 in a cohort of 10 000 patients, yielding an estimated ICER of €76 508. When comparing a macroscopic selective strategy with no histological assessment, 50 life-years would be saved and the ICER was estimated to be €20 708 in a cohort of 10 000 patients undergoing cholecystectomy. CONCLUSION: A macroscopic selective strategy appears to be the most cost-effective approach.

The potential for quality assurance systems to save costs and lives: the case of early infant diagnosis of HIV.

OBJECTIVES: Scaling up of point-of-care testing (POCT) for early infant diagnosis of HIV (EID) could reduce the large gap in infant testing. However, suboptimal POCT EID could have limited impact and potentially high avoidable costs. This study models the cost-effectiveness of a quality assurance system to address testing performance and screening interruptions, due to, for example, supply stockouts, in Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe, with varying HIV epidemics and different health systems. METHODS: We modelled a quality assurance system-raised EID quality from suboptimal levels: that is, from misdiagnosis rates of 5%, 10% and 20% and EID testing interruptions in months, to uninterrupted optimal performance (98.5% sensitivity, 99.9% specificity). For each country, we estimated the 1-year impact and cost-effectiveness (US$/DALY averted) of improved scenarios in averting missed HIV infections and unneeded HIV treatment costs for false-positive diagnoses. RESULTS: The modelled 1-year costs of a national POCT quality assurance system range from US$ 69 359 in South Africa to US$ 334 341 in Zimbabwe. At the country level, quality assurance systems could potentially avert between 36 and 711 missed infections (i.e. false negatives) per year and unneeded treatment costs between US$ 5808 and US$ 739 030. CONCLUSIONS: The model estimates adding effective quality assurance systems are cost-saving in four of the five countries within the first year. Starting EQA requires an initial investment but will provide a positive return on investment within five years by averting the costs of misdiagnoses and would be even more efficient if implemented across multiple applications of POCT.

OBJECTIFS: L'intensification du dépistage au point des soins (DPS) pour le diagnostic précoce du VIH chez le nourrisson (DPVN) pourrait réduire le grand écart dans le dépistage des nourrissons. Cependant, un DPVN DPS sous-optimal pourrait avoir un impact limité et des coûts évitables potentiellement élevés. Cette étude modélise la rentabilité d'un système d'assurance qualité pour traiter les performances des tests et les interruptions de dépistage, dues par exemple à des ruptures de stock, au Kenya, au Sénégal, en Afrique du Sud, en Ouganda et au Zimbabwe, avec des épidémies variables du VIH et des systèmes de santé différents. MÉTHODES: Nous avons modélisé une qualité de DPVN soulevée par le système d'assurance qualité à partir de niveaux sous-optimaux: c'est-à-dire des taux d'erreurs de diagnostic de 5%, 10% et 20% et des interruptions des tests de DPVN en mois, à des performances optimales ininterrompues (sensibilité de 98,5%, spécificité de 99,9%). Pour chaque pays, nous avons estimé l'impact sur un an et la rentabilité (en USD/DALY évitée) de scénarios améliorés pour éviter les infections à VIH manquées et les coûts inutiles de traitement du VIH pour les diagnostics faux positifs. RÉSULTATS: Les coûts modélisés sur un an d'un système national d'assurance qualité DPS vont de 69.359 USD en Afrique du Sud à 334.341 USD au Zimbabwe. Au niveau des pays, les systèmes d'assurance de la qualité pourraient potentiellement éviter entre 36 et 711 infections manquées (c'est-à-dire des faux négatifs) par an et des coûts de traitement inutiles entre 5.808 et 739.030 USD. CONCLUSIONS: Le modèle estime que l'ajout de systèmes d'assurance qualité efficaces permet de réaliser des économies dans quatre des cinq pays au cours de la première année. Le lancement de l'assurance qualité nécessite un investissement initial, mais fournira un retour sur investissement positif dans les cinq ans en évitant les coûts des diagnostics erronés et serait encore plus efficace s'il était mis en œuvre dans plusieurs applications de DPS.

Identification of Inequalities in the Selection of Liver Surgery for Colorectal Liver Metastases in Sweden.

BACKGROUND:: Liver resection for colorectal liver metastases offers a 5-year survival rate of 25%-58%. This study aimed to analyze whether patients with colorectal liver metastases undergo resection to an equal extent and whether selection factors play a role in the selection process. MATERIAL AND METHODS:: Data were retrieved from the Swedish Colorectal Cancer Registry (2007-2011) for colorectal cancer and colorectal liver metastases. The patients identified were linked to the Swedish Registry of Liver and Bile surgery and the National Patient Registry to identify whether liver surgery or ablative treatment was performed. Analyses for age, sex, type of primary tumor and treating hospital (university, county, or district), American Society of Anesthesiologists class, and radiology for detection of metastatic disease were performed. RESULTS:: Of 28,355 patients with colorectal cancer, 21.6% (6127/28,355) presented with liver metastases. Of the patients with liver metastases, 18.5% (1134/6127) underwent liver resection or ablation. The cumulative proportion of liver resection/ablation was 4% (1134/28,355) of all colorectal cancer. If "not bowel resected" were excluded, the proportion slightly increased to 4.7% (1134/24,262). Around 15% of the patients with metastases were registered as referrals for liver surgery. In a multivariable analysis patients treated at a university hospital for primary tumor were more frequently surgically treated for liver metastases (p < 0.0001). Patients with liver metastases from rectal cancer (p < 0.0001) and men more often underwent liver resection (p = 0.006). A difference was found between health-care regions for the frequency of liver surgery (p < 0.0001). Patients >70 years and those with American Society of Anesthesiologists class >2 underwent liver resection less frequently. Magnetic resonance imaging of the liver was more often used in diagnostic work-up in men. CONCLUSION:: Patients with colorectal liver metastases are unequally treated in Sweden, as indicated by the low referral rate. The proximity to a hepatobiliary unit seems important to enhance the patient's chances of being offered liver surgery.

Update on World Health Organization HIV drug resistance prevention and assessment strategy: 2004-2011.

The HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) prevention and assessment strategy, developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in partnership with HIVResNet, includes monitoring of HIVDR early warning indicators, surveys to assess acquired and transmitted HIVDR, and development of an accredited HIVDR genotyping laboratory network to support survey implementation in resource-limited settings. As of June 2011, 52 countries had implemented at least 1 element of the strategy, and 27 laboratories had been accredited. As access to antiretrovirals expands under the WHO/Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS Treatment 2.0 initiative, it is essential to strengthen HIVDR surveillance efforts in the face of increasing concern about HIVDR emergence and transmission.