Secondary prophylaxis treatment versus on-demand treatment for patients with severe haemophilia A: comparisons of cost and outcomes in Taiwan.

This study compared secondary prophylaxis treatment with on-demand treatment for severe haemophilia A in Taiwan. Fifty patients from one medical centre were evaluated over a 5-year period. Differences in annual bleed rates and factor VIII (FVIII) utilization were assessed between patients receiving secondary prophylaxis and patients receiving FVIII concentrates on-demand. Results were then used as inputs in a pharmacoeconomic model to predict outcomes of future haemophilia therapy strategies in Taiwan. The median annual number of total bleeding episodes was significantly lower in the 13 (26%) patients who received secondary prophylaxis than in the 37 patients who received FVIII on-demand (7.76 vs. 31.91, P < 0.0001). The between-group difference in median annual factor VIII utilization was statistically significant (1824.41 IU kg(-1) for the prophylaxis group and 1324.81 IU kg(-1) for the on-demand group, P < 0.01). It was estimated that approximately $2 million (USD) per year would be added to the cost of treatment by having all severe haemophilia A patients in Taiwan receive secondary prophylaxis instead of on-demand therapy while 12,566 bleeding will be prevented. It is recommended that National Health Insurance officials utilize these data to evaluate the benefits of enhanced treatment strategies and before making substantial policy changes to haemophilia care in Taiwan.

Intervention of Online Percent Coefficient of Variation Reporting System Reduces the Variability of Tacrolimus Trough Concentration in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

BACKGROUND: The online percent coefficient of variation reporting system could monitor the variation of tacrolimus trough level (T0) and identify kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) with a higher percent coefficient of variation (%CV) instantly. Consequently, transplant doctors and pharmacists could take actions to improve drug variability. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of the system for higher intrapatient variability of T0 in KTRs. METHODS: The T0 data were collected with KTRs routinely followed up at an outpatient clinic between June 2016 and November 2016. The %CV was calculated with T0 data within 6 months before and after the index date. The last outpatient clinic visit date was before December 1, 2016. The KTRs with %CV of T0 greater than 22% were enrolled. RESULTS: The study consisted of 183 KTRs (96 male, 87 female), the median age was 50 years (interquartile range [IQR], 41.0-57.0), and the median years post-kidney transplantation was 7 years (IQR, 3.0-12.4). The median T0 and creatinine level at baseline were 6.09 ng/mL (IQR, 4.80-7.52) and 1.33 mg/dL (IQR, 1.03-1.72), respectively. After the intervention, the median %CV of T0 was significantly lower than before, 32% (IQR, 26%-42%) vs 22% (IQR, 15%-33%), P < .001. The average improvement of %CV was also significantly better in KTRs with %CV ≥ 30% (median, from 41% to 25%) than KTRs with %CV between 22% and 30% (median, from 26% to 20%), P < .001. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that continuously aggressive intervention with an online %CV reporting system effectively improves intrapatient variability of T0 in KTRs.

Three-dimensional laser scanning two-photon fluorescence confocal microscopy of polymer materials using a new, efficient upconverting fluorophore.

Three-dimensional confocal imaging of polymer samples was achieved by the use of two-photon excited fluorescence in both positive and negative contrast modes. The fluorophore was a new and highly efficient two-photon induced upconverter, resulting in improved signal strength at low pumping power. Because of the relatively long wavelength of the excitation source (798 nm from a mode-locked Ti:Sapphire laser), this technique shows a larger penetration depth into the samples than provided by conventional single-photon fluorescence confocal microscopy. Single-photon and two-photon images of the same area of each sample show significant differences. The results suggest the possibility of using two-photon confocal microscopy, in conjunction with highly efficient fluorophores, as a tool to study the surface, interface, and fracture in material science applications.