Where there is no genetic counselor: An online decision-aid supports the majority of parents' diagnostic genomic testing choices for their children.

PURPOSE: We evaluated DECIDE, an online pre-test decision-support tool for diagnostic genomic testing, in non-genetics specialty clinics where there are no genetic counselors (GCs). METHODS: Families of children offered genomic testing were eligible to participate. Fifty-six parents/guardians completed DECIDE at home, at their convenience. DECIDE includes an integrated knowledge quiz and decisional conflict screen. Six months later, parents were offered follow-up questionnaires and interviews about their experiences. RESULTS: Forty parents (71%) had sufficient knowledge and no decisional conflict surrounding their testing decision but six of this group had residual questions. These six, plus 16 with decisional conflict or insufficient knowledge, saw a genetic counselor. At follow-up, little-to-no decisional regret and few negative emotions were identified in any parents. Most chose testing and described their decision as easy, yet stressful, and described many motivations for sequencing. Parents appreciated the simple comprehensive information DECIDE provided and the ability to view it in a low stress environment. CONCLUSION: DECIDE provides adequate decision-support to enable most parents to make value-consistent choices about genetic testing for their child. Parents reported that DECIDE helped to clarify motivations for pursuing (or declining) testing. DECIDE is a timely, well tested, and accessible tool in clinical settings without GCs.

Can prediction models for hospital readmission be improved by incorporating patient-reported outcome measures? A systematic review and narrative synthesis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the roles, challenges, and implications of using patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in predicting the risk of hospital readmissions. METHODS: We systematically searched four bibliometric databases for peer-reviewed studies published in English between 1 January 2000 and 15 June 2023 and used validated PROMs to predict readmission risks for adult populations. Reported studies were analysed and narratively synthesised in accordance with the CHARMS and PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: Of the 2858 abstracts reviewed, 23 studies met predefined eligibility criteria, representing diverse geographic regions and medical specialties. Among those, 19 identified the positive contributions of PROMs in predicting readmission risks. Seven studies utilised generic PROMs exclusively, eleven used generic and condition-specific PROMs, while 5 focussed solely on condition-specific PROMs. Logistic regression was the most used modelling approach, with 13 studies aiming at predicting 30-day all-cause readmission risks. The c-statistic, ranging from 0.54 to 0.84, was reported in 22/23 studies as a measure of model discrimination. Nine studies reported model calibration in addition to c-statistic. Thirteen studies detailed their approaches to dealing with missing data. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the potential of PROMs to enhance predictive accuracy in readmission models, while acknowledging the diversity in data collection methods, readmission definitions, and model evaluation approaches. Recognizing that PROMs serve various purposes beyond readmission reduction, our study supports routine data collection and strategic integration of PROMs in healthcare practices to improve patient outcomes. To facilitate comparative analysis and broaden the use of PROMs in the prediction framework, it is imperative to consider the methodological aspects involved.

Quality of life of the Canadian population using the VR-12: population norms for health utility values, summary component scores and domain scores.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate Canadian population norms (health utility values, summary component scores and domain scores) for the VR-12. METHODS: English and French speaking Canadians aged 18 and older completed an online survey that included sociodemographic questions and standardized health status instruments, including the VR-12. Responses to the VR-12 were summarized as: (i) a health utility value; (ii) mental and physical component summary scores (MCS and PCS, respectively), and (iii) eight domain scores. Norms were calculated for the full sample and by gender, age group, and province/territory (univariate), and for several multivariate stratifications (e.g., age group and gender). Results were summarized using descriptive statistics, including number of respondents, mean and standard deviation (SD), median and percentiles (25th and 75th), and minimum and maximum. RESULTS: A total of 6761 people who clicked on the survey link completed the survey (83.4% completion rate), of whom 6741 (99.7%) were included in the analysis. The mean health utility score was 0.698 (SD = 0.216). Mean health utility scores tended to be higher in older age groups, ranging from 0.661 (SD = 0.214) in those aged 18-29 to 0.728 (SD = 0.310) in those aged 80+. Average MCS scores were higher in older age groups, while PCS scores were lower. Females consistently reported lower mean health utility values, summary component scores and domain scores compared with males. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to present Canadian norms for the VR-12. Health utility norms can serve as a valuable input for Canadian economic models, while summary component and domain norms can help interpret routinely-collected data.

A scoping review of triage approaches for the referral of patients with suspected inflammatory arthritis, from primary to rheumatology care.

We aimed to (1) identify existing triage approaches for referral of patients with suspected inflammatory arthritis (IA) from primary care physicians (PCP) to rheumatologists, (2) describe their characteristics and methodologies for clinical use, and (3) report their level of validation for use in a publicly funded healthcare system. The comprehensive search strategy of multiple databases up to October 2023 identified relevant literature and focussed on approaches applied at the PCP-Rheumatologist referral stage. Primary, quantitative studies, reported in English were included. Triage approaches were grouped into patient conditions as defined by the authors of the reports, including IA, its subtypes and combinations. 13952 records were identified, 425 full text reviewed and 55 reports of 53 unique studies were included. Heterogeneity in disease nomenclature and study sample pretest probability was found. The number of published studies rapidly increased after 2012. Studies were mostly from Europe and North America, in IA and Axial Spondyloarthritis (AxSpa). We found tools ranging the continuum of development with those best performing, indicated by the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) >0.8), requiring only patient-reported questions. There were AUCs for some tools reported from multiple studies, these were in the outstanding to excellent range for the Early IA Questionnaire (EIAQ) (0.88 to 0.92), acceptable for the Case Finding AxSpa (CaFaSpa) (0.70 to 0.75), and poor to outstanding for the Psoriasis Epidemiology Screening Tool (PEST) (0.61 to 0.91). Given the clinical urgency to improve rheumatology referrals and considering the good.

What influences decisions to donate plasma? A rapid review of the literature.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Plasma has become an essential ingredient for various medical treatments. Many blood collection agencies rely on voluntary non-remunerated donation when collecting plasma, but at present many do not collect sufficient plasma to meet domestic demands. This rapid review sought to explore the factors that have been found to influence people's decisions to donate plasma to inform future research. METHODS: Searches were conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, Social Sciences Citation Index and CINAHL for peer-reviewed journal articles that discussed plasma donation and the factors associated with donor behaviour. Pertinent information from included articles was extracted and arranged in themes. RESULTS: In total, 33 articles were included in this review. Three main themes were identified by the authors. The first focused on site-level factors related to blood collection agencies' engagement with plasma donors and their influence on plasma donation experiences. The second theme considered how individual characteristics and experiences influence willingness to donate plasma. The third theme examined social and cultural-level factors, such as how social networks and community shape perceptions and experiences with donation. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the current understanding of plasma donation is focused mainly on converting whole blood donors and also centres on individual-level factors to donation. Further research must examine what factors attract non-whole blood donors to become plasma donors, focusing on broader social-level influences. This review will inform policies and interventions for blood collection agencies to increase plasma donors.

The Complexity of Transferring Remote Monitoring and Virtual Care Technology Between Countries: Lessons From an International Workshop.

International deployment of remote monitoring and virtual care (RMVC) technologies would efficiently harness their positive impact on outcomes. Since Canada and the United Kingdom have similar populations, health care systems, and digital health landscapes, transferring digital health innovations between them should be relatively straightforward. Yet examples of successful attempts are scarce. In a workshop, we identified 6 differences that may complicate RMVC transfer between Canada and the United Kingdom and provided recommendations for addressing them. These key differences include (1) minority groups, (2) physical geography, (3) clinical pathways, (4) value propositions, (5) governmental priorities and support for digital innovation, and (6) regulatory pathways. We detail 4 broad recommendations to plan for sustainability, including the need to formally consider how highlighted country-specific recommendations may impact RMVC and contingency planning to overcome challenges; the need to map which pathways are available as an innovator to support cross-country transfer; the need to report on and apply learnings from regulatory barriers and facilitators so that everyone may benefit; and the need to explore existing guidance to successfully transfer digital health solutions while developing further guidance (eg, extending the nonadoption, abandonment, scale-up, spread, sustainability framework for cross-country transfer). Finally, we present an ecosystem readiness checklist. Considering these recommendations will contribute to successful international deployment and an increased positive impact of RMVC technologies. Future directions should consider characterizing additional complexities associated with global transfer.

Patient perspectives on the British Columbia Biosimilars Initiative: a qualitative descriptive study.

In May 2019, the Government of British Columbia (BC) announced the implementation of the Biosimilars Initiative, mandating the switch of biologic (originator) drugs to biosimilars for certain patient populations in the hopes of optimizing public resources. Through this qualitative study, we aimed to identify patients' perspectives as they undergo this change. From October 2019 to July 2020, we conducted nine pre- and six post-switch to biosimilar interviews with BC, English speaking participants, who were 18 years or older, and were currently taking a biologic medication. Participants were interviewed pre- and post-switch to a biosimilar medication and interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim for qualitative analysis. Interviews were thematically analysed and major themes and sub-categories were elucidated. The themes derived from pre and post-switch interviews captured participants' anticipated or experienced barriers and enablers to the policy change. In general, the fears and apprehension of participants approaching the switch, including concerns surrounding the efficacy and safety of biosimilars, were addressed by their rheumatologist and social support circles. For the most part, participants were able to successfully manage their disease regardless of their baseline concerns about efficacy and safety. Experiences of changes in health delivery models were also observed secondary to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic amongst participants. This study is the first of its kind to characterize the patient perspective regarding the BC Biosimilars Initiative. The incorporation of the patient perspective, including adequate provider-patient communication and shared decision-making can help to inform future non-medical switching policy changes.

Randomized Controlled Trial of a Decision Support Intervention About Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for Hospitalized Patients Who Have a High Risk of Death.

BACKGROUND: Many seriously ill hospitalized patients have cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as part of their care plan, but CPR is unlikely to achieve the goals of many seriously ill hospitalized patients. OBJECTIVE: To determine if a multicomponent decision support intervention changes documented orders for CPR in the medical record, compared to usual care. DESIGN: Open-label randomized controlled trial. PATIENTS: Patients on internal medicine and neurology wards at two tertiary care teaching hospitals who had a 1-year mortality greater than 10% as predicted with a validated model and whose care plan included CPR, if needed. INTERVENTION: Both the control and intervention groups received usual communication about CPR at the discretion of their care team. The intervention group participated in a values clarification exercise and watched a CPR video decision aid. MAIN MEASURE: The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who had a no-CPR order at 14 days after enrollment. KEY RESULTS: We recruited 200 patients between October 2017 and October 2018. Mean age was 77 years. There was no difference between the groups in no-CPR orders 14 days after enrollment (17/100 (17%) intervention vs 17/99 (17%) control, risk difference, - 0.2%) (95% confidence interval - 11 to 10%; p = 0.98). In addition, there were no differences between groups in decisional conflict summary score or satisfaction with decision-making. Patients in the intervention group had less conflict about understanding treatment options (decisional conflict knowledge subscale score mean (SD), 17.5 (26.5) intervention arm vs 40.4 (38.1) control; scale range 0-100 with lower scores reflecting less conflict). CONCLUSIONS: Among seriously ill hospitalized patients who had CPR as part of their care plan, this decision support intervention did not increase the likelihood of no-CPR orders compared to usual care. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: Canadian Frailty Network, The Ottawa Hospital Academic Medical Organization.

When does the use of individual patient data in network meta-analysis make a difference? A simulation study.

BACKGROUND: The use of individual patient data (IPD) in network meta-analyses (NMA) is rapidly growing. This study aimed to determine, through simulations, the impact of select factors on the validity and precision of NMA estimates when combining IPD and aggregate data (AgD) relative to using AgD only. METHODS: Three analysis strategies were compared via simulations: 1) AgD NMA without adjustments (AgD-NMA); 2) AgD NMA with meta-regression (AgD-NMA-MR); and 3) IPD-AgD NMA with meta-regression (IPD-NMA). We compared 108 parameter permutations: number of network nodes (3, 5 or 10); proportion of treatment comparisons informed by IPD (low, medium or high); equal size trials (2-armed with 200 patients per arm) or larger IPD trials (500 patients per arm); sparse or well-populated networks; and type of effect-modification (none, constant across treatment comparisons, or exchangeable). Data were generated over 200 simulations for each combination of parameters, each using linear regression with Normal distributions. To assess model performance and estimate validity, the mean squared error (MSE) and bias of treatment-effect and covariate estimates were collected. Standard errors (SE) and percentiles were used to compare estimate precision. RESULTS: Overall, IPD-NMA performed best in terms of validity and precision. The median MSE was lower in the IPD-NMA in 88 of 108 scenarios (similar results otherwise). On average, the IPD-NMA median MSE was 0.54 times the median using AgD-NMA-MR. Similarly, the SEs of the IPD-NMA treatment-effect estimates were 1/5 the size of AgD-NMA-MR SEs. The magnitude of superior validity and precision of using IPD-NMA varied across scenarios and was associated with the amount of IPD. Using IPD in small or sparse networks consistently led to improved validity and precision; however, in large/dense networks IPD tended to have negligible impact if too few IPD were included. Similar results also apply to the meta-regression coefficient estimates. CONCLUSIONS: Our simulation study suggests that the use of IPD in NMA will considerably improve the validity and precision of estimates of treatment effect and regression coefficients in the most NMA IPD data-scenarios. However, IPD may not add meaningful validity and precision to NMAs of large and dense treatment networks when negligible IPD are used.

Comparing the use of aggregate data and various methods of integrating individual patient data to network meta-analysis and its application to first-line ART.

BACKGROUND: The 2018 World Health Organization HIV guidelines were based on the results of a network meta-analysis (NMA) of published trials. This study employed individual patient-level data (IPD) and aggregate data (AgD) and meta-regression methods to assess the evidence supporting the WHO recommendations and whether they needed any refinements. METHODS: Access to IPD from three trials was granted through ClinicalStudyDataRequest.com (CSDR). Seven modelling approaches were applied and compared: 1) Unadjusted AgD network meta-analysis (NMA) - the original analysis; 2) AgD-NMA with meta-regression; 3) Two-stage IPD-AgD NMA; 4) Unadjusted one-stage IPD-AgD NMA; 5) One-stage IPD-AgD NMA with meta-regression (one-stage approach); 6) Two-stage IPD-AgD NMA with empirical-priors (empirical-priors approach); 7) Hierarchical meta-regression IPD-AgD NMA (HMR approach). The first two were the models used previously. Models were compared with respect to effect estimates, changes in the effect estimates, coefficient estimates, DIC and model fit, rankings and between-study heterogeneity. RESULTS: IPD were available for 2160 patients, representing 6.5% of the evidence base and 3 of 24 edges. The aspect of the model affected by the choice of modeling appeared to differ across outcomes. HMR consistently generated larger intervals, often with credible intervals (CrI) containing the null value. Discontinuations due to adverse events and viral suppression at 96 weeks were the only two outcomes for which the unadjusted AgD NMA would not be selected. For the first, the selected model shifted the principal comparison of interest from an odds ratio of 0.28 (95% CrI: 10.17, 0.44) to 0.37 (95% CrI: 0.23, 0.58). Throughout all outcomes, the regression estimates differed substantially between AgD and IPD methods, with the latter being more often larger in magnitude and statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the use of IPD often impacted the coefficient estimates, but not sufficiently as to necessitate altering the final recommendations of the 2018 WHO Guidelines. Future work should examine the features of a network where adjustments will have an impact, such as how much IPD is required in a given size of network.

Valuing the SF-6Dv2 Classification System in the United Kingdom Using a Discrete-choice Experiment With Duration.

OBJECTIVE: An updated version of the SF-6D Classification System (SF-6Dv2) has been developed, and utility value sets are required. The aim of this study was to test the development of a United Kingdom SF-6Dv2 value set, and address limitations of the existing SF-6D value set (which results in a narrow range of utilities). This was done using 2 discrete-choice experiment (DCE) tasks. Interactions and preference heterogeneity were also investigated. RESEARCH DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: An online sample of respondents (n=3014) completed 10 DCE with duration choice sets from an efficient design of 300 (Design 1) and 2 DCE with duration choice sets including immediate death from a set of 60 (Design 2). Conditional logit regression was used to estimate value set models with and without interactions. We investigated preference heterogeneity using latent class models. RESULTS: Models including ordered coefficients within each dimension were developed, with the favored model including an additional interaction term when one dimension was at the most severe level. Value sets differed across Designs 1 and 2. Design 1 models had a wider utility range and a higher proportion of negative values. The most important dimensions were pain, mental health, and physical functioning. Preference heterogeneity was apparent, with a 2-class model describing the data. CONCLUSIONS: We developed and applied a protocol to value the SF-6Dv2 using DCE. The results provide a provisional value set for use in resource allocation. The protocol can be applied internationally. Further work should investigate how to account for preference heterogeneity in value set production.

Evaluating Canadians' Values for Drug Coverage Decision Making.

BACKGROUND: Decision makers are facing growing challenges in prioritizing drugs for reimbursement because of soaring drug costs and increasing pressures on financial resources. In addition to cost and effectiveness, payers are using other values to dictate which drugs are prioritized for funding, yet there are limited data on the Canadian public's priorities. OBJECTIVES: To measure the relative societal importance of values considered most relevant in informing drug reimbursement decisions in a representative sample of Canadians. METHODS: An online survey of 2539 Canadians aged 19 years and older was performed in which 13 values used in drug funding prioritization were ranked and then weighted using an analytic hierarchy process. RESULTS: Canadians value safe and efficacious drugs that have certainty of evidence. The values ranked in the top 5 by most of our subjects were potential effect on quality of life (65.4%), severity of the disease (62.6%), ability of drug to work (61.1%), safety (60.5%), and potential to extend life (49.4%). Values related to patient or disease characteristics such as rarity, socioeconomic status, and health and lifestyle choices held the lowest rankings and weights. CONCLUSIONS: Canadians value, above all, treatment-related factors (eg, efficacy and safety) and disease-related factors (eg, severity and equity). Decision makers are currently using additional justifications to prioritize drugs for reimbursement, such as rarity and unmet need, which were not found to be highly valued by Canadians. Decision makers should integrate the public's values into a Canadian reimbursement framework for prioritization of drugs competing for limited funds.

Development and usability testing of a patient decision aid for newly diagnosed relapsing multiple sclerosis patients.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients often struggle with treatment decisions, in part due to the increasing number of approved disease modifying therapies, each with different characteristics, and also since physicians can struggle to identify which of these characteristics matter most to each individual patient. Decision uncertainty can contribute to late treatment initiation and treatment non-adherence-causes of 'undertreatment' in MS. An interactive online patient decision aid that informs patients of their options, considers their individual preferences and goals, and facilitates conversations with their physicians, could improve how patients with relapsing forms of MS make evidence-based treatment decisions. OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate a prototype patient decision aid (PtDA) for first-line disease modifying therapies for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. METHODS: Informed by previous studies and International Patient Decision Aid Standards guidelines, a prototype PtDA was developed for patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis considering first line treatment. Patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis were recruited from the University of British Columbia's Multiple Sclerosis Clinic to participate in either an online survey or a focus group. Online survey participants completed the PtDA, followed by measures of acceptability, usability, and preparedness for decision-making, and provided general feedback. Focus group participants assessed usability of the revised PtDA. The analysis of qualitative and quantitative data led to improvements of the PtDA prototype. RESULTS: The prototype PtDA received high ratings for acceptability and usability, and after its use, participants reported high-levels of preparedness for decision-making. Analysis of all qualitative data identified three key themes: the need for credible information; the usefulness of the PtDA; and the importance of normalizing and sharing experiences. Nine content areas were identified for revision. Overall, participants found the PtDA to be a valuable tool for facilitating treatment decisions. CONCLUSIONS: This mixed methods study has led to the development of a PtDA that can support patients with RRMS as they make treatment decisions. Future studies will assess the feasibility of implementation and the impact of the PtDA on both the timely treatment initiation and longer-term adherence.

Assessment of Condition and Medication Knowledge Gaps Among Atrial Fibrillation Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Patient education facilitates construction of a correct illness representation, improves beliefs about medications, and improves knowledge, factors that have been associated with better adherence. Objective: Our objective was to characterize the published literature about atrial fibrillation (AF) patients' disease and medication knowledge to identify knowledge gaps and misconceptions to inform AF patient education strategies. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsychINFO from inception to May 2018 for studies that assessed AF patients' knowledge about their condition and medications. For quantitative studies, we extracted the proportion of participants who provided correct answers to the questions asked about their condition, medications, or risk of stroke. We classified data for related questions into knowledge domains. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted for each knowledge domain. A domain was considered a knowledge gap if the pooled mean proportion of participants who demonstrated knowledge of it was ≤50%, regardless of CI. Qualitative data were summarized narratively. Results: A total of 21 studies were included. AF- and stroke-related knowledge gaps and misconceptions included the following: AF can be asymptomatic, AF can predispose to heart failure, women are at a higher risk of stroke, the definition of ischemic stroke, and patients' awareness of their diagnosis. Medication-related knowledge gaps were antithrombotic-drug interactions, antithrombotic-food interactions, vitamin K content of foods, the term INR (international normalized ratio) and its interpretation, and the required actions in case of a missed dose. Conclusion and Relevance: This systematic review identified several AF patient knowledge gaps about their condition and its treatment that can inform the development of AF patient education programs.

Evaluating the Effect of a Patient Decision Aid for Atrial Fibrillation Stroke Prevention Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Stroke prevention therapy decisions for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are complex and require trade-offs, but few validated patient decision aids (PDAs) are available to facilitate shared decision making. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of a novel PDA on decision-making parameters for AF patients choosing stroke prevention therapy. METHODS: We developed an evidence-based individualized online AF PDA for stroke prevention therapy and evaluated it in a prospective observational pilot study. The primary outcome was decisional conflict. Secondary outcomes were knowledge, usability/acceptability, patient preferences, effects on therapy choices, and participant feedback. RESULTS: 37 participants completed the PDA. The PDA could be completed independently and was well accepted. It significantly decreased the mean decisional conflict score ( P < 0.001) and all its subscales and increased participant AF knowledge ( P = 0.02). 76% of participants indicated that their individualized therapy attribute ranking was congruent with their values. The PDA-generated best-match therapy was chosen by 70% of participants in decision 1 (no therapy, aspirin, or oral anticoagulant), and 17% for decision 2 (choice of anticoagulant). Among AF patients, 60% chose a different drug than that currently prescribed to them. Conclusion and Relevance: Our PDA was effective for reducing decisional conflict, increasing patient knowledge, eliciting patients' values, and presenting therapy options that aligned with patients' values and preferences. Using the PDA revealed that many patients have therapy preferences different from their currently prescribed treatment. The PDA is a practical and potentially valuable tool to facilitate decision making about stroke prevention therapy for AF.

An individualized patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) based patient decision aid and surgeon report for patients considering total knee arthroplasty: protocol for a pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: While the rates of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) continue to rise worldwide, there are concerns about whether all surgeries are appropriate. Guidelines for appropriateness suggest that patients should have realistic expectations for total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and that the patient and their surgeon should agree that the potential benefits outweigh the potential harms. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether routinely collected pre- and post-TKA patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) could be integrated into a patient decision aid to better inform these appropriateness criteria. This randomised trial will evaluate the preliminary efficacy of a tailored PROM-based patient decision aid and surgeon report (compared to usual care) for patients considering TKA on decision quality. METHODS: This is a pragmatic, randomised controlled trial conducted at one site in Alberta, Canada. Adults over the age of 30 years, who have been scheduled for a TKA consultation at the Edmonton Bone and Joint Centre with a participating surgeon, who understand, speak, and read English, and can provide informed consent, are eligible to participate. Participants will be randomised to receive a PROM-based patient decision aid and surgeon report before their surgical consultation or usual care. The decision aid will provide patients with information on their expected outcomes based on the EQ-5D-5L PROM, and these estimates are individualized based on clinical and demographic characteristics. The primary outcome of this trial is decision quality. Analysis will consider outcomes intention to treat, and feasibility outcomes for implementing the trial to routine practise. DISCUSSION: This patient decision aid and surgeon report intervention could contribute to improved treatment decision-making for patients considering total knee arthroplasty. TRIAL REGISTRATION (REGISTRY AND NUMBER): ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT03240913. Registered on August 1, 2017.

Assessing an Interactive Online Tool to Support Parents' Genomic Testing Decisions.

Clinical use of genome-wide sequencing (GWS) requires pre-test genetic counseling, but the availability of genetic counseling is limited. We developed an interactive online decision-support tool, DECIDE, to make genetic counseling, patient education, and decision support more readily available. We performed a non-inferiority trial comparing DECIDE to standard genetic counseling to assess the clinical value of DECIDE for pre-GWS counseling. One hundred and six parents considering GWS for their children with epilepsy were randomized to conventional genetic counseling or DECIDE. Following the intervention, we measured parents' knowledge and empowerment and asked their opinions about using DECIDE. Both DECIDE and conventional genetic counseling significantly increased parents' knowledge, with no difference between groups. Empowerment also increased but by less than 2% in each group. Parents liked using DECIDE and found it useful; 81% would recommend it to others; 49% wished to use it along with a genetic counselor; 26% of parents preferred to see a genetic counselor; 7% preferred DECIDE alone; and 18% had no preference. DECIDE appears equivalent to genetic counseling at conveying information. In addition, it was highly acceptable to the majority of study participants, many of whom indicated that it was useful to their decision-making. Use of DECIDE as a pre-test tool may extend genetic counseling resources.

Triple Therapy Versus Biologic Therapy for Active Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis.

Background: The RACAT (Rheumatoid Arthritis Comparison of Active Therapies) trial found triple therapy to be noninferior to etanercept-methotrexate in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Objective: To determine the cost-effectiveness of etanercept-methotrexate versus triple therapy as a first-line strategy. Design: A within-trial analysis based on the 353 participants in the RACAT trial and a lifetime analysis that extrapolated costs and outcomes by using a decision analytic cohort model. Data Sources: The RACAT trial and sources from the literature. Target Population: Patients with active RA despite at least 12 weeks of methotrexate therapy. Time Horizon: 24 weeks and lifetime. Perspective: Societal and Medicare. Intervention: Etanercept-methotrexate first versus triple therapy first. Outcome Measures: Incremental costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). Results of Base-Case Analysis: The within-trial analysis found that etanercept-methotrexate as first-line therapy provided marginally more QALYs but accumulated substantially higher drug costs. Differences in other costs between strategies were negligible. The ICERs for first-line etanercept-methotrexate and triple therapy were $2.7 million per QALY and $0.98 million per QALY over 24 and 48 weeks, respectively. The lifetime analysis suggested that first-line etanercept-methotrexate would result in 0.15 additional lifetime QALY, but this gain would cost an incremental $77 290, leading to an ICER of $521 520 per QALY per patient. Results of Sensitivity Analysis: Considering a long-term perspective, an initial strategy of etanercept-methotrexate and biologics with similar cost and efficacy is unlikely to be cost-effective compared with using triple therapy first, even under optimistic assumptions. Limitation: Data on the long-term benefit of triple therapy are uncertain. Conclusion: Initiating biologic therapy without trying triple therapy first increases costs while providing minimal incremental benefit. Primary Funding Source: The Cooperative Studies Program, Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development, Canadian Institutes for Health Research, and an interagency agreement with the National Institutes of Health-American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty versus Hemiarthroplasty for the Management of Complex Proximal Humeral Fractures in the Elderly.

BACKGROUND: There is ongoing debate regarding the optimal surgical treatment of complex proximal humeral fractures in elderly patients. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) compared with hemiarthroplasty (HA) in the management of complex proximal humeral fractures, using a cost-utility analysis. METHODS: On the basis of data from published literature, a cost-utility analysis was conducted using decision tree and Markov modeling. A single-payer perspective, with a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of Can$50,000 (Canadian dollars), and a lifetime time horizon were used. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was used as the study's primary outcome measure. RESULTS: In comparison with HA, the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained for RTSA was Can$13,679. One-way sensitivity analysis revealed the model to be sensitive to the RTSA implant cost and the RTSA procedural cost. The ICER of Can$13,679 is well below the WTP threshold of Can$50,000, and probabilistic sensitivity analysis demonstrated that 92.6% of model simulations favored RTSA. CONCLUSIONS: Our economic analysis found that RTSA for the treatment of complex proximal humeral fractures in the elderly is the preferred economic strategy when compared with HA. The ICER of RTSA is well below standard WTP thresholds, and its estimate of cost-effectiveness is similar to other highly successful orthopedic strategies such as total hip arthroplasty for the treatment of hip arthritis.

Testing the External Validity of a Discrete Choice Experiment Method: An Application to Latent Tuberculosis Infection Treatment.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the external validity and predictive power of stated preferences obtained from a discrete choice experiment (DCE) by comparing the predicted behavior of respondents to their actual choices at an individual level. METHODS: A DCE was performed in patients before being offered treatment for latent tuberculosis infection. A mixed logit model was estimated using hierarchical Bayes. The individual-specific preference coefficients were used to calculate the expected probability of choosing the treatment by each patient. The predicted choice using this probability was compared with their actual decision. We used a receiver-operating characteristic curve and different thresholds to convert probabilities into the predicted choices. The comparability of different distributions for the random parameters was also examined. RESULTS: Our results identified significant heterogeneity in preferences for all attributes among respondents. The best model correctly predicted actual treatment decisions for 83% of the participants. The results from using different thresholds and a receiver-operating characteristic curve also confirmed the compatibility between predicted and actual choices. We showed that individual-specific coefficients reflected respondents' actual choices more closely compared with the aggregate-level estimates. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study provided support for the external validity of DCEs on the basis of their power to predict actual behavior in this setting. Future investigations are, however, required to establish the external validity of DCEs in different settings.