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1.
Ann Surg ; 2024 Feb 29.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38420778

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate overall survival (OS) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of first-line isolated hepatic perfusion (IHP) compared to best alternative care (BAC) for patients with uveal melanoma liver metastases. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Approximately half of patients with uveal melanoma develop metastatic disease, most commonly in the liver and systemic treatment options are limited. Isolated hepatic perfusion (IHP) is a locoregional therapy with high response rates but with unclear effect on overall survival (OS). METHODS: In this phase III randomized controlled multicenter trial (the SCANDIUM trial) patients with previously untreated isolated uveal melanoma liver metastases were included between 2013-2021, with at least 24 months of follow-up. The planned accrual was 90 patients randomized 1:1 to receive a one-time treatment with IHP or BAC. Crossover to IHP was not allowed. The primary endpoint was the 24-month OS rate, with the hypothesis of a treatment effect leading to a 50% OS rate in the IHP group compared to 20% in the control group. HRQOL was measured by the EuroQol 5-domains 3-levels (EQ-5D-3L) questionnaire over 12 months. RESULTS: The intention-to-treat (ITT) population included 87 patients randomized to the IHP group (43 patients; 41 [89%] received IHP) or the control group (44 patients). The control group received chemotherapy (49%), immunotherapy (39%), or localized interventions (9%). In the ITT population, the median PFS was 7.4 months in the IHP group compared with 3.3 months in the control group, with a hazard ratio of 0.21 (95% CI, 0.12-0.36). The 24-month OS rate was 46.5% in the IHP group versus 29.5% in the control group (P=0.12). The median OS was 21.7 months versus 17.6 months, with a hazard ratio of 0.64 (95% CI, 0.37-1.10). EQ-5D-3L showed a sustained high health status for the IHP group over 12 months, compared to a deteriorating trend in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with liver metastases from uveal melanoma, IHP offers high response rates translating to a benefit in PFS including a trend of better HRQOL compared to the control group. However, the primary endpoint of OS at 24 months was not met.

2.
Scand J Psychol ; 2024 Jul 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39072723

ABSTRACT

The present study aimed to establish test-retest reliability and investigate practice effects of the Mindmore cognitive assessment tool, a digital adaptation of traditional pencil and paper tests designed for self-administration. Additionally, normative change scores for the most frequently used tests were derived. A total of 149 healthy Swedish adults (aged 20-79) completed the test battery twice, 1 month apart. The battery assessed attention and processing speed, memory, language, visuospatial functions, and executive functions. Test-retest reliability, measured by ICC and Spearman coefficients, and practice effects were estimated for 22 main-scores and 33 sub-scores. Regression models were used to assess change in performance while controlling for demographics, computer equipment, testing location (online or in-laboratory) and baseline performance for 12 main-scores and nine sub-scores. Test-retest reliability was good for 11 main-scores (≥0.70), satisfactory for five (0.60-0.69), and minimal for six (<0.60) albeit three having satisfactory sub-scores. Practice effects were observed for tests with a major speed component, but not for reaction time, sustained attention, verbal memory and naming (alternate forms), nor visuospatial functions. Trackpad negatively influenced change for one test. Demographics and testing location did not significantly affect the change scores. Our study provides support for test-retest reliability and practice effects of the Mindmore cognitive assessment tool which were comparable to those of traditional tests. These findings, together with the normative change scores, can aid researchers and clinicians in interpreting test results and distinguishing between normal variations in performance and changes indicative of clinical impairment.

3.
BMC Neurol ; 23(1): 302, 2023 Aug 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37580727

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Evidence on the relative risk of death across all stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is lacking but greatly needed for the evaluation of new interventions. We used data from the Uniform Data Set (UDS) of the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC) to assess the expected survival of a person progressing to a particular stage of AD and the relative risk of death for a person in a particular stage of AD compared with cognitively normal (CN) people. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational cohort study of mortality and its determinants in participants with incident mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to AD or AD dementia compared with CN participants. Overall survival and hazard ratios of all-cause mortality in participants ≥ 50 years of age with clinically assessed or diagnosed MCI due to AD, or mild, moderate, or severe AD dementia, confirmed by Clinical Dementia Rating scores, versus CN participants were estimated, using NACC UDS data. Participants were followed until death, censoring, or until information to determine disease stage was missing. RESULTS: Aged between 50 and 104 years, 12,414 participants met the eligibility criteria for the study. Participants progressing to MCI due to AD or AD dementia survived a median of 3-12 years, with higher mortality observed in more severe stages. Risk of death increased with the severity of AD dementia, with the increase significantly higher at younger ages. Participants with MCI due to AD and CN participants had a similar risk of death after controlling for confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: Relative all-cause mortality risk increases with AD severity, more so at younger ages. Mortality does not seem to be higher for those remaining in MCI due to AD. Findings might imply potential benefit of lower mortality if preventing or delaying the progression of AD is successful, and importantly, this potential benefit might be greater in relatively younger people. Future research should replicate our study in other samples more representative of the general US population as well as other populations around the world.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease , Cognitive Dysfunction , Dementia , Humans , Middle Aged , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Alzheimer Disease/diagnosis , Cohort Studies , Disease Progression , Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnosis , Patient Acuity
4.
Alzheimers Dement ; 19(2): 658-670, 2023 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35652476

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Global estimates on numbers of persons in early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD), including prodromal and preclinical, are lacking, yet are needed to inform policy decisions on preventive measures and planning for future therapies targeting AD pathology. METHODS: We synthesized the literature on prevalence across the AD continuum and derived a model estimating the number of persons, stratified by 5-year age groups, sex, and disease stage (AD dementia, prodromal AD, and preclinical AD). RESULTS: The global number of persons with AD dementia, prodromal AD, and preclinical AD were estimated at 32, 69, and 315 million, respectively. Together they constituted 416 million across the AD continuum, or 22% of all persons aged 50 and above. DISCUSSION: Considering predementia stages, the number of persons with AD is much larger than conveyed in available literature. Our estimates are uncertain, especially for predementia stages in low- and middle-income regions where biomarker studies are missing.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease , Humans , Alzheimer Disease/epidemiology , Alzheimer Disease/pathology , Biomarkers , Prevalence , Prodromal Symptoms
5.
Alzheimers Dement ; 19(5): 1800-1820, 2023 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36284403

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The credibility of model-based economic evaluations of Alzheimer's disease (AD) interventions is central to appropriate decision-making in a policy context. We report on the International PharmacoEconomic Collaboration on Alzheimer's Disease (IPECAD) Modeling Workshop Challenge. METHODS: Two common benchmark scenarios, for the hypothetical treatment of AD mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia, were developed jointly by 29 participants. Model outcomes were summarized, and cross-comparisons were discussed during a structured workshop. RESULTS: A broad concordance was established among participants. Mean 10-year restricted survival and time in MCI in the control group ranged across 10 MCI models from 6.7 to 9.5 years and 3.4 to 5.6 years, respectively; and across 4 mild dementia models from 5.4 to 7.9 years (survival) and 1.5 to 4.2 years (mild dementia). DISCUSSION: The model comparison increased our understanding of methods, data used, and disease progression. We established a collaboration framework to assess cost-effectiveness outcomes, an important step toward transparent and credible AD models.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease , Cognitive Dysfunction , Dementia , Humans , Alzheimer Disease/therapy , Cost-Benefit Analysis , Economics, Pharmaceutical , Disease Progression
6.
J Int Neuropsychol Soc ; 28(2): 188-202, 2022 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34027854

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Cognitive impairment is a key element in most mental disorders. Its objective assessment at initial patient contact in primary care can lead to better adjusted and timely care with personalised treatment and recovery. To enable this, we designed the Mindmore self-administrative cognitive screening battery. What is presented here is normative data for the Mindmore battery for the Swedish population. METHOD: A total of 720 healthy adults (17 to 93 years) completed the Mindmore screening battery, which consists of 14 individual tests across five cognitive domains: attention and processing speed, memory, language, visuospatial functions and executive functions. Regression-based normative data were established for 42 test result measures, investigating linear, non-linear and interaction effects between age, education and sex. RESULTS: The test results were most affected by age and to a lesser extent by education and sex. All but one test displayed either linear or accelerated age-related decline, or a U-shaped association with age. All but two tests showed beneficial effects of education, either linear or subsiding after 12 years of educational attainment. Sex affected tests in the memory and executive domains. In three tests, an interaction between age and education revealed an increased benefit of education later in life. CONCLUSION: This study provides normative models for 14 traditional cognitive tests adapted for self-administration through a digital platform. The models will enable more accurate interpretation of test results, hopefully leading to improved clinical decision making and better care for patients with cognitive impairment.


Subject(s)
Cognitive Dysfunction , Language , Adult , Cognition , Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnosis , Humans , Neuropsychological Tests , Sweden
7.
Qual Life Res ; 30(3): 867-879, 2021 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33068236

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The Quality of Life Alzheimer's Disease Scale (QoL-AD) is commonly used to assess disease specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as rated by patients and their carers. For cost-effectiveness analyses, utilities based on the EQ-5D are often required. We report a new mapping algorithm to obtain EQ-5D indices when only QoL-AD data are available. METHODS: Different statistical models to estimate utility directly, or responses to individual EQ-5D questions (response mapping) from QoL-AD, were trialled for patient-rated and proxy-rated questionnaires. Model performance was assessed by root mean square error and mean absolute error. RESULTS: The response model using multinomial regression including age and sex, performed best in both the estimation dataset and an independent dataset. CONCLUSIONS: The recommended mapping algorithm allows researchers for the first time to estimate EQ-5D values from QoL-AD data, enabling cost-utility analyses using datasets where the QoL-AD but no utility measures were collected.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/psychology , Quality of Life/psychology , Algorithms , Female , Humans , Male , Surveys and Questionnaires
8.
Health Expect ; 24(3): 757-765, 2021 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33822448

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Dementia outcomes include memory loss, language impairment, reduced quality of life and personality changes. Research suggests that outcomes selected for dementia clinical trials might not be the most important to people affected. OBJECTIVE: One of the goals of the 'Real world Outcomes across the Alzheimer's Disease spectrum for better care: Multi-modal data Access Platform' (ROADMAP) project was to identify important outcomes from the perspective of people with dementia and their caregivers. We review how ROADMAP's Public Involvement shaped the programme, impacted the research process and gave voice to people affected by dementia. DESIGN: The European Working Group of People with Dementia (EWGPWD) were invited to participate. In-person consultations were held with people with dementia and caregivers, with advance information provided on ROADMAP activities. Constructive criticism of survey content, layout and accessibility was sought, as were views and perspectives on terminology and key concepts around disease progression. RESULTS: The working group provided significant improvements to survey accessibility and acceptability. They promoted better understanding of concepts around disease progression and how researchers might approach measuring and interpreting findings. They effectively expressed difficult concepts through real-world examples. CONCLUSIONS: The role of the EWGPWD in ROADMAP was crucial, and its impact was highly influential. Involvement from the design stage helped shape the ethos of the programme and ultimately its meaningfulness. PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: People with dementia and their carers were involved through structured consultations and invited to provide feedback on project materials, methods and insight into terminology and relevant concepts.


Subject(s)
Dementia , Quality of Life , Caregivers , Dementia/therapy , Humans , Surveys and Questionnaires
9.
Alzheimers Dement ; 17(11): 1832-1842, 2021 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33984179

ABSTRACT

Quality of life and health utility are important outcomes for patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and central for demonstrating the value of new treatments. Estimates in biomarker-confirmed AD populations are missing, potentially delaying payer approval of treatment. We examined whether health utility, assessed with the EuroQoL-5 3-level version (EQ-5D-3L), differed between individuals with a positive or negative amyloid beta (Aß) biomarker in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and cognitively unimpaired (CU) participants from the Swedish BioFINDER study (n = 578). Participants with prodromal AD (Aß-positive MCI) reported better health utility (n = 79, mean = 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.77-0.85) than Aß-negative MCI (mean = 0.71, 95% CI 0.64-0.78), but worse than controls (Aß-negative CU, mean = 0.87, 95% CI 0.86-0.89). Health utility in preclinical AD (Aß-positive CU; mean = 0.86, 95% CI 0.83-0.89) was similar to controls. This relatively good health utility in prodromal AD suggests a larger value of delaying progression to dementia than previously anticipated and a great value of delaying clinical progression in preclinical AD.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/cerebrospinal fluid , Amyloid beta-Peptides/cerebrospinal fluid , Cognitive Dysfunction/metabolism , Prodromal Symptoms , Quality of Life/psychology , Aged , Biomarkers/cerebrospinal fluid , Disease Progression , Female , Humans , Male , Surveys and Questionnaires , Sweden , tau Proteins/cerebrospinal fluid
10.
Scand J Gastroenterol ; 55(4): 430-435, 2020 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32370571

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Whether data on International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-codes from the Swedish National Patient Register (NPR) correctly correspond to subtypes of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and phenotypes of the Montreal classification scheme among patients with prevalent disease is unknown.Materials and methods: We obtained information on IBD subtypes and phenotypes from the medical records of 1403 patients with known IBD who underwent biological treatment at ten Swedish hospitals and retrieved information on their IBD-associated diagnostic codes from the NPR. We used previously described algorithms to define IBD subtypes and phenotypes. Finally, we compared these register-generated subtypes and phenotypes with the corresponding information from the medical records and calculated positive predictive values (PPV) with 95% confidence intervals.Results: Among patients with clinically confirmed disease and diagnostic listings of IBD in the NPR (N = 1401), the PPV was 97 (96-99)% for Crohn's disease, 98 (97-100)% for ulcerative colitis, and 8 (4-11)% for IBD-unclassified. The overall accuracy for age at diagnosis was 95% (when defined as A1, A2, or A3). Examining the validity of codes representing disease phenotype, the PPV was 36 (32-40)% for colonic Crohn's disease (L2), 61 (56-65)% for non-stricturing/non-penetrating Crohn's disease behaviour (B1) and 83 (78-87)% for perianal disease. Correspondingly, the PPV was 80 (71-89)% for proctitis (E1)/left-sided colitis (E2) in ulcerative colitis.Conclusions: Among people with known IBD, the NPR is a reliable source of data to classify most subtypes of prevalent IBD, even though misclassification commonly occurred in Crohn's disease location and behaviour and also among IBD-unclassified patients.


Subject(s)
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/classification , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/diagnosis , Predictive Value of Tests , Registries , Humans , International Classification of Diseases , Retrospective Studies , Sweden
11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32847642

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Due to the nature of Alzheimer's disease (AD), health technology assessment (HTA) agencies might face considerable challenges in choosing appropriate outcomes and outcome measures for drugs that treat the condition. This study sought to understand which outcomes informed previous HTAs, to explore possible reasons for prioritizations, and derive potential implications for future assessments of AD drugs. METHOD: We conducted a literature review of studies that analyzed decisions made in HTAs (across disease areas) in three European countries: England, Germany, and The Netherlands. We then conducted case studies of technology assessments conducted for AD drugs in these countries. RESULTS: Overall, outcomes measured using clinical scales dominated decisions or recommendations about whether to fund AD drugs, or price negotiations. HTA processes did not always allow the inclusion of outcomes relevant to people with AD, their carers, and families. Processes did not include early discussion and agreement on what would constitute appropriate outcome measures and cut-off points for effects. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that in order to ensure that future AD drugs are valued appropriately and timely, early agreement with various stakeholders about outcomes, outcome measures, and cut-offs is important.

12.
Alzheimers Dement ; 16(3): 461-471, 2020 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32157788

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The ROADMAP project aimed to provide an integrated overview of European real-world data on Alzheimer's disease (AD) across the disease spectrum. METHODS: Metadata were identified from data sources in catalogs of European AD projects. Priority outcomes for different stakeholders were identified through systematic literature review, patient and public consultations, and stakeholder surveys. RESULTS: Information about 66 data sources and 13 outcome domains were integrated into a Data Cube. Gap analysis identified cognitive ability, functional ability/independence, behavioral/neuropsychiatric symptoms, treatment, comorbidities, and mortality as the outcomes collected most. Data were most lacking in caregiver-related outcomes. In general, electronic health records covered a broader, less detailed data spectrum than research cohorts. DISCUSSION: This integrated real-world AD data overview provides an intuitive visual model that facilitates initial assessment and identification of gaps in relevant outcomes data to inform future prospective data collection and matching of data sources and outcomes against research protocols.


Subject(s)
Activities of Daily Living , Alzheimer Disease , Disease Progression , Alzheimer Disease/psychology , Alzheimer Disease/therapy , Comorbidity , Data Interpretation, Statistical , Europe , Humans , Stakeholder Participation
13.
Alzheimers Dement ; 15(10): 1309-1321, 2019 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31402324

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: We develop a framework to model disease progression across Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to assess the cost-effectiveness of future disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to AD. METHODS: Using data from the US National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center, we apply survival analysis to estimate transition from predementia to AD dementia and ordered probit regression to estimate transitions across AD dementia stages. We investigate the cost-effectiveness of a hypothetical treatment scenario for people in MCI due to AD. RESULTS: We present an open-access model-based decision-analytic framework. Assuming a modest DMT treatment effect in MCI, we predict extended life expectancy and a reduction in time with AD dementia. DISCUSSION: Any future DMT for AD is expected to pose significant economic challenges across all health-care systems, and decision-analytic modeling will be required to assess costs and outcomes. Further developments are needed to inform these health policy considerations.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/therapy , Cognitive Dysfunction/therapy , Cost-Benefit Analysis , Disease Progression , Early Diagnosis , Aged , Alzheimer Disease/economics , Cognitive Dysfunction/economics , Female , Humans , Male , Models, Statistical
15.
Alzheimers Dement ; 13(3): 312-321, 2017 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28063281

ABSTRACT

Available data and models for the health-economic evaluation of treatment in Alzheimer's disease (AD) have limitations causing uncertainty to decision makers. Forthcoming treatment strategies in preclinical or early AD warrant an update on the challenges associated with their economic evaluation. The perspectives of the co-authors were complemented with a targeted review of literature discussing methodological issues and data gaps in AD health-economic modelling. The methods and data available to translate treatment efficacy in early disease into long-term outcomes of relevance to policy makers and payers are limited. Current long-term large-scale data accurately representing the continuous, multifaceted, and heterogeneous disease process are missing. The potential effect of disease-modifying treatment on key long-term outcomes such as institutionalization and death is uncertain but may have great effect on cost-effectiveness. Future research should give priority to collaborative efforts to access better data on the natural progression of AD and its association with key long-term outcomes.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/economics , Alzheimer Disease/therapy , Biomedical Research , Cost-Benefit Analysis/methods , Models, Economic , Animals , Biomedical Research/methods , Biomedical Research/trends , Disease Progression , Humans
16.
Eur J Pain ; 28(6): 960-977, 2024 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38214661

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain is a condition with severe impact on many aspects of life, including work, functional ability and quality of life, thereby reducing physical, mental and social well-being. Despite the high prevalence and burden of chronic pain, it has received disproportionally little attention in research and public policy and the societal costs of chronic pain remain largely unknown. This study aimed to describe the long-term healthcare and work absence costs of individuals with and without self-identified chronic pain. METHODS: The study population were participants in two Norwegian population health studies (HUNT3 and Tromsø6). Participants were defined as having chronic pain based on a self-reported answer to a question on chronic pain in the health studies in 2008. Individuals in the study population were linked to four national register databases on healthcare resource use and work absence. RESULTS: In our study, 36% (n = 63,782) self-reported to have chronic pain and the average years of age was 56.6. The accumulated difference in costs between those with and without chronic pain from 2010 to 2016 was €55,003 (CI: 54,414-55,592) per individual. Extrapolating this to the entire population suggests that chronic pain imposes a yearly burden of 4% of GDP. Eighty per cent of the costs were estimated to be productivity loss. CONCLUSION: Insights from this study can provide a greater understanding of the extent of healthcare use and productivity loss by those with chronic pain and serve as an important basis for improvements in rehabilitation and quality of care, and the education of the public on the burden of chronic pain. SIGNIFICANCE: This was the first study to estimate the economic burden associated with chronic pain in the general population using linked individual-level administrative data and self-reported survey answers. We provide calculations showing that annual costs of chronic pain may be as high as €12 billion or 4% of GDP. Findings from this study highlight the need for a greater understanding of the substantial healthcare use and productivity losses among individuals with chronic pain.


Subject(s)
Chronic Pain , Cost of Illness , Health Care Costs , Humans , Chronic Pain/economics , Chronic Pain/therapy , Chronic Pain/epidemiology , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Norway/epidemiology , Health Care Costs/statistics & numerical data , Adult , Aged , Quality of Life , Self Report , Absenteeism
17.
Alzheimers Res Ther ; 16(1): 48, 2024 02 29.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38424559

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The clinical meaningfulness of the effects of recently approved disease-modifying treatments (DMT) in Alzheimer's disease is under debate. Available evidence is limited to short-term effects on clinical rating scales which may be difficult to interpret and have limited intrinsic meaning to patients. The main value of DMTs accrues over the long term as they are expected to cause a delay or slowing of disease progression. While awaiting such evidence, the translation of short-term effects to time delays or slowing of progression could offer a powerful and readily interpretable representation of clinical outcomes. METHODS: We simulated disease progression trajectories representing two arms, active and placebo, of a hypothetical clinical trial of a DMT. The placebo arm was simulated based on estimated mean trajectories of clinical dementia rating scale-sum of boxes (CDR-SB) recordings from amyloid-positive subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). The active arm was simulated to show an average slowing of disease progression versus placebo of 20% at each visit. The treatment effects in the simulated trials were estimated with a progression model for repeated measures (PMRM) and a mixed model for repeated measures (MMRM) for comparison. For PMRM, the treatment effect is expressed in units of time (e.g., days) and for MMRM in units of the outcome (e.g., CDR-SB points). PMRM results were implemented in a health economics Markov model extrapolating disease progression and death over 15 years. RESULTS: The PMRM model estimated a 19% delay in disease progression at 18 months and 20% (~ 7 months delay) at 36 months, while the MMRM model estimated a 25% reduction in CDR-SB (~ 0.5 points) at 36 months. The PMRM model had slightly greater power compared to MMRM. The health economic model based on the estimated time delay suggested an increase in life expectancy (10 months) without extending time in severe stages of disease. CONCLUSION: PMRM methods can be used to estimate treatment effects in terms of slowing of progression which translates to time metrics that can be readily interpreted and appreciated as meaningful outcomes for patients, care partners, and health care practitioners.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease , Cognitive Dysfunction , Humans , Alzheimer Disease/diagnostic imaging , Alzheimer Disease/drug therapy , Cognitive Dysfunction/diagnostic imaging , Cognitive Dysfunction/drug therapy , Disease Progression , Mental Status and Dementia Tests , Research Design , Clinical Trials as Topic , Models, Theoretical
18.
Pain Med ; 14(7): 1072-80, 2013 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23565727

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the treatment patterns of patients with a diagnosis related to chronic pain (DRCP) initiating pharmacological treatment indicated for neuropathic pain (NeuP: tricyclic antidepressants, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, and anticonvulsants). DESIGN: Retrospective study on administrative registers. SETTING: General population in Western Sweden (one sixth of the country). SUBJECTS: All patients with a DRCP (N = 840,000) in years 2004-2009. OUTCOME MEASURES: Treatment sequence, continuation, switching, and comedication. RESULTS: In total, 22,997 patients with a first NeuP in 2007 or 2008 were identified, out of which 2% also had epilepsy and 39% had a mood disorder. The remaining 13,749 patients were assumed to be treated for neuropathic pain, out of which 16% had a neuropathy diagnosis, 18% had a mixed pain diagnosis, and the remaining 66% had another DRCP. The most common first prescription was amitriptyline (40%) followed by pregabalin (22%) and gabapentin (19%). More than half had discontinued treatment after 3 months, and 60-70% at 6 months. Seven percent received another NeuP drug within 6 months of the discontinuation of their first NeuP treatment, 11% had another analgesic and 22% had a prescription indicating psychiatric comorbidity (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or benzodiazepine). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment initiation of currently available drugs indicated for neuropathic pain less frequently lead to long-term treatment in clinical practice compared with clinical trial, and few try more than one drug. We suggest our findings to be indications of a need for better routines in diagnosing patients to ascertain optimal treatment and follow-up.


Subject(s)
Neuralgia/drug therapy , Adolescent , Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Analgesics/therapeutic use , Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use , Antidepressive Agents/therapeutic use , Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic/therapeutic use , Child , Chronic Pain/drug therapy , Comorbidity , Drug Prescriptions/statistics & numerical data , Drug Therapy, Combination , Female , Humans , Hypnotics and Sedatives/therapeutic use , Male , Mental Disorders/complications , Mental Disorders/psychology , Middle Aged , Neuralgia/complications , Neuralgia/psychology , Registries , Retrospective Studies , Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Sweden , Young Adult
19.
Alzheimers Dement ; 9(4): 429-435.e17, 2013 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23142433

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The Resource Utilization in Dementia (RUD) questionnaire is the most widely used instrument for resource use data collection in dementia, enabling comparison of costs of care across countries with differing health care provisions. Recent feedback from payers questioned its face validity given that health care provisions have changed since the initial development of the RUD in 1998. The aim of this study was to update the RUD to improve its face validity in Alzheimer's disease (AD) clinical research and its utility for health care resource allocation. METHODS: An extensive PubMed review was conducted of current relevant resource items in AD in 15 countries. The findings were complemented by interviews with local care providers and experts in dementia care and health economics. Their proposed revisions were discussed with five leading dementia experts in North and South America, northern and southern Europe, and Asia. A new version of the RUD was developed based on their recommendations. RESULTS: RUD users identified a need for more information relevant to coverage decisions. Proposed revisions included changes to existing questions (e.g., to capture more accurately the number and type of health care visits) and the addition of new questions (e.g., on informal caregiver hours and the primary caregiver's hours of sleep). CONCLUSION: Several minor changes were made to the RUD instrument to improve the accuracy and precision of the data while maintaining comparability with the original version and reflecting current medical practice. The RUD Complete Version 4.0 is now available for use in future AD clinical trials.


Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/economics , Health Resources/statistics & numerical data , Surveys and Questionnaires , Americas , Appointments and Schedules , Asia , Caregivers/psychology , Caregivers/statistics & numerical data , Cultural Characteristics , Data Collection/methods , Europe , Expert Testimony , Humans , Office Visits/statistics & numerical data , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Patients/psychology , Reproducibility of Results , Sleep , Terminology as Topic , Time Management , Workload/statistics & numerical data
20.
Alzheimers Dement (Amst) ; 15(1): e12422, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37009338

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: We examined (1) the magnitude of mortality attributed to Alzheimer's disease (AD), and (2) the effect of mortality in cost-effectiveness modeling of hypothetical disease-modifying treatment (DMT) in AD. METHOD: Data were derived from Swedish Dementia Registry (N = 39,308). Mortality was analyzed with survival analysis and multinomial logistic regression. A Markov microsimulation model was used to model the cost effectiveness of DMT using routine care as a comparator. Three scenarios were simulated: (1) indirect effect, (2) no effect on overall mortality, (3) indirect effect on AD-related mortality. RESULTS: Overall mortality increased with cognitive decline, age, male sex, number of medications used, and lower body mass index. Nearly all cause-specific mortality was associated with cognitive decline. DMT increased survival by 0.35 years in scenario 1 and 0.14 years in scenario 3. DMT with no mortality effect is the least cost effective. DISCUSSION: The results provide key mortality estimates and demonstrate influences on the cost effectiveness of DMT. Highlights: We describe cause-specific mortality in relation to disease severity in Alzheimer's disease (AD).We model different assumptions of disease-modifying treatment (DMT) on AD survival.DMT was the least cost effective when assuming no effect on AD survival.Cost effectiveness is mainly influenced by the relative cost of staying in each disease state.

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