Danish population health measured by the EQ-5D-5L.

AIMS: The aims of this study were to provide Danish population norms for the EQ-5D-5L and to assess the measurement properties of the instrument in a Danish population setting. METHODS: We used data from the Danish 5L valuation study in which a representative sample of the Danish population completed the EQ-5D-5L and answered socio-demographic questions. We generated population norms for the five EQ-5D-5L dimensions, corresponding utility scores and the EQ-5D visual analogue scale (EQ VAS) according to age and sex. Measurement properties of ceiling effects, known-group construct validity and convergent validity were assessed. RESULTS: The mean EQ-5D-5L utility score for the 1014 respondents completing the EQ-5D-5L was 0.90 (standard deviation (SD)=0.16). No significant differences emerged across age groups (minimum mean utility score=0.88 (SD=0.19); maximum mean utility score=0.93 (SD=0.11)) or sex (mean utility score for women=0.89 (SD=0.17); mean utility score for men=0.91 (SD=0.15)). Statistical differences were found across educational level, occupational status, income and living situation. Similar patterns were observed for the EQ VAS. Generally, respondents most often reported problems with pain and discomfort, but young women most often reported problems with anxiety/depression. There was a significant strong correlation between EQ-5D-5L utility and the EQ VAS and a significant correlation between overall health and each of the five EQ-5D-5L dimensions. The overall ceiling effect for the EQ-5D-5L was 39% (compared to 56% for the EQ-5D-3L). CONCLUSIONS: Danish population norms for the EQ-5D-5L are now available. We found fewer ceiling effects for the EQ-5D-5L compared to the EQ-5D-3L, and we provide evidence for convergent and known-group validity of the EQ-5D-5L.

Direct costs of antineoplastic and supportive treatment for progressive multiple myeloma in a tax-based health system.

Aim: To estimate current real-world costs of drugs and supportive care for the treatment of multiple myeloma in a tax-based health system. Methods: Forty-one patients were included from a personalized medicine study (2016-2019). Detailed information was collected from patient journals and hospital registries to estimate the total and mean costs using inverse probability weighting of censored data. Results: Total observed (censored) costs for the 41 patients was €8.84 million during 125 treatment years, with antineoplastic drugs as the main cost driver (€5.6 million). Individual costs showed large variations. Mean 3-year cost per patient from first progression was €182,103 (€131,800-232,405). Conclusion: Prediction of real-world costs is hindered by the availability of detailed costing data. Micro-costing analyses are needed for budgeting and real-world evaluation of cost-effectiveness.

Lay abstract In recent years, there has been a dramatic improvement in the treatment of multiple myeloma due to the introduction of new drugs. These drugs have significantly increased survival but have also had an immense impact on healthcare budgets. In this study, we used detailed treatment information for multiple myeloma patients in combination with billing data from the hospital pharmacy at a Danish hospital to calculate individual cost histories for both drugs and supportive care. Using these data, we estimated the mean 3-year cost of a multiple myeloma patient to be €182.103, but we also found large variation between patients, causing an uncertainty of €50.000 in either direction. We believe that detailed costing studies, similar to the present one, are necessary for evaluation of cost-effectiveness of drugs in clinical practice.

Operative treatment of displaced midshaft clavicular fractures is not cost-effective.

BACKGROUND: Conventional treatment of displaced midshaft clavicular fractures is nonoperative. Recent studies have implied that operative treatment might result in a faster return to work, resulting in a decreased productivity loss for society. The cost utility of plate fixation vs. nonoperative treatment of displaced midshaft clavicular fractures has not previously been investigated using a societal perspective. METHODS: Decision analytical modeling of incremental costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) was performed. Data on utility, hospitalization, and productivity costs were retrieved from a Danish randomized controlled trial. Supplementary data were taken from randomized controlled trials identified in the literature. A 1-year time horizon was applied, and all prices were reported with respect to a 2016 level. RESULTS: Operative treatment was associated with a larger QALY gain in patients and a higher cost compared with nonoperative treatment. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was estimated in Danish currency (Danish krone [kr]) at kr1,360,000 (€182,306) per QALY from a health-sector perspective and kr1,388,738 (€186,158) per QALY from a societal perspective. Considering a subgroup analysis of patients with a high-load shoulder profession, operative treatment was dominated by nonoperative treatment from a health-sector perspective. Considering a societal perspective, the ICER was estimated at -kr889,091 (-€119,181) per reduction of 1 QALY. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses showed that the results were subject to uncertainty. CONCLUSION: Operative treatment is not cost-effective when considering a threshold of €34,000/QALY. However, for a subgroup of patients with a high-load shoulder profession, operative treatment might be cost-effective compared with nonoperative treatment.

Early Economic Assessment of Faecal Microbiota Transplantation for Patients with Urinary Tract Infections Caused by Multidrug-Resistant Organisms.

INTRODUCTION: The use of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to eradicate intestinal carriage of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) has been described in case reports and small case series. Although few in numbers, these patients suffer from recurrent infections that may exacerbate both the patients' comorbidities and their healths. In the current study, we hypothesized that FMT for MDRO-related urinary tract infections (UTIs) reduces hospitalisations and associated costs. METHODS: In a cohort of patients referred for FMT from 2015 to 2020, we selected all patients who had consecutively been referred for eradication of MRDO carriage with UTIs. An early economic assessment was performed to calculate hospital-related costs. The overall study cohort was registered at ClinicalTrials, study identifier NCT03712722. RESULTS: We consecutively included five patients with UTIs caused by MDROs. Four of the patients were renal transplant recipients. Patients were followed for median 126 days (range 60-320), where the follow-up duration for each patient was aligned with the number of days from the first UTI to FMT. The median number of UTIs per patient dropped from 4 to 0. Investigating hospital costs, hospital admission days dropped by 87% and monthly hospital costs by 79%. CONCLUSIONS: FMT was effective in reducing the occurrence of UTIs and mediated a marked reduction in hospital costs. We suggest that this strategy is cost-effective. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials, study identifier NCT03712722.

Trends and drivers of pharmaceutical expenditures from systemic anti-cancer therapy.

Expenditures on medicine for systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT) have seen large increases in recent years. The characterization of patients with high SACT costs is crucial to identify cost-driving factors, but little is known about the distribution of expenditures at the patient-level. We priced 260,834 registrations of SACT for 12,589 patients from 2008 to 2019 by combining them with product-level billings of EUR 142.1 million. Based on this, we defined high-cost patients as the 2.5% most expensive by accumulated SACT expenditures. We found that high-cost patients accounted for 28.8% of the total SACT expenditures and were observed across all major cancer groups except for pancreatic cancer. The risk of becoming a high-cost patient was increased for younger age groups, i.e., 18-44 and 45-64 years, for patients with BMI ≥ 25, and for patients with multiple cancer diagnoses, while no alteration of risk was observed due to comorbidities or sex. Changes in the characteristics of high-cost patients during the study period were found with an increased risk of becoming high-cost in later years for elderly patients and patients with lung cancer and a decreased risk for breast cancer patients.

What is known and what is still unknown within chronic musculoskeletal pain? A systematic evidence and gap map.

ABSTRACT: Evidence and gap maps (EGMs) can be used to identify gaps within specific research areas and help guide future research agendas and directions. Currently, there are no EGMs within the broad domain of chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain in adults. The aim of this study was to create a contemporary EGM of interventions and outcomes used for research investigating chronic MSK pain. This EGM was based on systematic reviews of interventions published in scientific journals within the past 20 years. Embase, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO were used to retrieve studies for inclusion. The quality of the included reviews was assessed using AMSTAR-II. Interventions were categorised as either physical, psychological, pharmacological, education/advice, interdisciplinary, or others. Outcomes were categorised using the Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials (IMMPACT) recommendations. Of 4299 systematic reviews, 457 were included. Of these, 50% were rated critically low quality, 25% low quality, 10% moderate quality, and 15% rated high quality. Physical interventions (eg, exercise therapy) and education were the most common interventions reported in 80% and 20% of the studies, respectively. Pain (97%) and physical functioning (87%) were the most reported outcomes in the systematic reviews. Few systematic reviews used interdisciplinary interventions (3%) and economic-related outcomes (2%). This contemporary EGM revealed a low proportion of high-quality evidence within chronic MSK pain. This EGM clearly outlines the lack of high-quality research and the need for increased focus on interventions encompassing the entire biopsychosocial perspective.

Participatory research: a Priority Setting Partnership for chronic musculoskeletal pain in Denmark.

OBJECTIVES: Patient and stakeholder engagements in research have increasingly gained attention in healthcare and healthcare-related research. A common and rigorous approach to establish research priorities based on input from people and stakeholders is the James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership (JLA-PSP). The aim of this study was to establish research priorities for chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain by engaging with people living with chronic MSK pain, relatives to people living with chronic MSK pain, healthcare professionals (HCP), and researchers working with chronic MSK pain. METHODS: This JLA-PSP included a nation-wide survey in Denmark, an interim prioritisation, and an online consensus building workshop. The information gained from this was the basis for developing the final list of specific research priorities within chronic MSK pain. RESULTS: In the initial survey, 1010 respondents (91% people living with chronic MSK pain/relatives, 9% HCPs/researchers) submitted 3121 potential questions. These were summarised into 19 main themes and 36 sub-themes. In the interim prioritisation exercise, 51% people living with pain/relatives and 49% HCPs/researchers reduced the list to 33 research questions prior to the final priority setting workshop. 23 participants attended the online workshop (12 people/relatives, 10 HCPs, and 1 researcher) who reached consensus for the most important research priorities after two rounds of discussion of each question. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified several specific research questions generated by people living with chronic MSK pain, relatives, HCPs, and researchers. The stakeholders proposed prioritization of the healthcare system's ability to support patients, focus on developing coherent pathways between sectors and education for both patients and HCP. These research questions can form the basis for future studies, funders, and be used to align research with end-users' priorities.

Health-related quality of life in patients with recurrent Clostridioides difficile infections.

Background: The health-related quality of life (HrQoL) can be substantially affected in patients with recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (rCDI) but the impact of effective treatment of the infection remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the HrQoL in patients with rCDI and estimate the gain in HrQoL associated with effective treatment of rCDI. Methods: Patients' HrQoL was estimated based on EuroQol 5-Dimensions 3-Levels (EQ-5D-3L) questionnaires obtained from a Danish randomised controlled trial (RCT). In the RCT, 64 patients with rCDI were randomised to receive either vancomycin (n = 16), fidaxomicin (n = 24) or faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) preceded by vancomycin (n = 24). The primary outcome in the RCT was rCDI resolution. Patients were closely monitored during the RCT, and rescue FMT was offered to those who failed their primary treatment. Patients' HrQoL was measured at baseline and at 8- and 26-weeks follow-up. Linear regression analyses conditional on the differences between baseline and follow-up measurements were used to assess statistical significance (p < 0.05). Results: Within 26 weeks of follow-up, 13 (81%) patients treated with vancomycin, 12 (50%) patients treated with fidaxomicin, and 3 (13%) patients treated with FMT had a subsequent recurrence and received a rescue FMT. The average HrQoL for untreated patients with rCDI was 0.675. After receiving effective treatment, this value increased by 0.139 to 0.813 (p < 0.001) at week 8 and by 0.098 to 0.773 (p = 0.003) at week 26 of follow-up compared with baseline. Conclusion: The HrQoL was adversely affected in patients with an active episode of rCDI but increased substantially after receiving an effective treatment algorithm in which rescue FMT was provided in case of a primary treatment failure. Trial registration: The RCT was preregistered at EudraCT (j.no. 2015-003004-24, https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2015-003004-24/results) and at ClinicalTrials.gov (study identifier NCT02743234, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02743234).

The cost-effectiveness of oral semaglutide versus empagliflozin in Type 2 diabetes in Denmark.

Aim: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of oral semaglutide+metformin versus empagliflozin+metformin in people with Type 2 diabetes uncontrolled on msetformin alone. Materials and methods: The IQVIA Core Diabetes Model was populated with efficacy data from a head-to-head study between oral semaglutide+metformin and empagliflozin+metformin. Danish costs and quality-of-life data were sourced from literature. Price per day was Danish Krone (DKK) 25.53 for oral semaglutide and DKK11.40 for empagliflozin. Discounting was fixed at 4%. Scenario and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: Over a lifetime, Core Diabetes Model projected 8.78 and 8.75 quality-adjusted life-years and a total cost of DKK 447,633 and DKK 387,786, thereby generating an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of DKK 1,930,548 for oral semaglutide+metformin versus empagliflozin+metformin. Scenario and sensitivity analyses showed the robustness of the outcomes. Duration of treatment with oral semaglutide is the key driver of the analyses. Conclusion: Oral semaglutide+metformin seems not cost effective versus empagliflozin+metformin in patients uncontrolled on metformin in Denmark.

The Cost-Effectiveness of Subcutaneous Semaglutide Versus Empagliflozin in Type 2 Diabetes Uncontrolled on Metformin Alone in Denmark.

INTRODUCTION: International and Danish guidelines recommend the use of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors already in second line in the management of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term cost-effectiveness (CE) of subcutaneous (SC) semaglutide (GLP-1 RA) versus empagliflozin (SGLT-2 inhibitor) in individuals with T2D uncontrolled on metformin alone from a Danish payer's perspective. METHODS: Cost-effectiveness analyses (CEA) were conducted from a Danish payer's perspective, using the IQVIA Core Diabetes model (CDM 9.5), with a time horizon of 50 years and an annual discount of 4% on costs and effects. Patients received either SC semaglutide or empagliflozin, in addition to metformin, until HbA1c threshold of 7.5% (58 mmol/mol) was reached, following which treatment intensification with insulin glargine in addition to empagliflozin or SC semaglutide plus metformin was considered. Baseline cohort characteristics and treatment effects were sourced from a published CEA. Utilities and cost of diabetes-related complications were also obtained from published sources. Treatment costs were derived from Danish official sources. Scenario analyses were also performed to test the accuracy of the base case results. RESULTS: Individuals with T2D on SC semaglutide plus metformin gained 0.065 life-years (LYs) and 0.130 quality-adjusted LYs (QALYs), respectively, at an incremental cost of DKK 96,923 (€ 13,031) compared to empagliflozin plus metformin, resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of DKK 745,561(€ 100,239) per QALY gained. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) results showed that the SC semaglutide plus metformin was cost-effective in 19% of simulations assuming a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of DKK 357,100 (€ 48,011)/QALY gained. Duration of therapy with SC semaglutide seems the key driver of results. CONCLUSION: The current analyses suggest that SC semaglutide plus metformin is not cost-effective compared to empagliflozin plus metformin from a Danish payer's perspective.

Economic evaluation alongside a randomized controlled trial of blended cognitive-behavioral therapy for patients suffering from major depressive disorder.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of blended cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) compared to standard CBT for adult patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD). DESIGN: A cost-utility analysis alongside the randomized controlled ENTER trial. SETTING: Center for Telepsychiatry, Mental Health Services in the Region of Southern Denmark, Denmark. PARTICIPANTS: The study included 76 patients suffering from MDD. INTERVENTIONS: The patients in the intervention group received blended CBT treatment comprising a combination of online modules and face-to-face consultations with a psychologist. The patients in the control group received standard CBT treatment, that is, solely face-to-face consultations with a psychologist. The treatment period was 12 weeks. OUTCOME MEASURES: Cost-effectiveness was reported as incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. A micro-costing approach was applied to evaluate the savings derived. Changes in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated using the EuroQol 5-Dimensions 5-Levels questionnaire at the baseline and the six-month follow-up. RESULTS: Data for 74 patients were included in the primary analysis. The adjusted QALY difference between blended CBT and standard CBT was -0.0291 (95% CI: -0.0535 to -0.0047), and the adjusted difference in costs was -£226.32 (95% CI: -300.86 to -151.77). Blended CBT was estimated to have a 6.6% and 3.1% probability of being cost-effective based on thresholds of £20,000 and £30,000. CONCLUSION: Compared to standard CBT, blended CBT represents a cost-saving but also a loss in QALYs for patients suffering from MDD. However, results should be carefully interpreted, given the small sample size. Future research involving larger replication studies focusing on other aspects of blended CBT with more patient involvement is advised. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrial.gov: S-20150150.

Healthcare Resource Utilization and Costs for Empagliflozin Versus Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists in Routine Clinical Care in Denmark.

INTRODUCTION: The sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) empagliflozin has shown reductions in major adverse cardiac events similar to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs). However, evidence is limited about how these therapies compare regarding overall healthcare resource utilization and costs in routine clinical care. METHODS: We conducted a comparative cohort study based on linked prospective healthcare databases for the entire population of Denmark during 2015-2018. We included 13,747 new users of empagliflozin and 13,249 new users of GLP-1RAs. Propensity scores were applied to balance potential confounders across the two treatment groups through inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW). We assessed directly referable costs per person-year associated with healthcare resource utilization (inpatient, emergency room, and outpatient clinic hospital care, primary care health services, and prescription medication costs at pharmacies) among drug initiators while on-treatment. RESULTS: The two IPTW cohorts were well balanced at baseline (median age 61 years, 60% men, diabetes duration 6.7 years, 19% with pre-existing ischemic heart disease, 8% with pre-existing cerebrovascular disease), with similar healthcare costs in the previous year. During follow-up, average on-treatment costs per person-year were very similar among empagliflozin and GLP-1 RA initiators for the following services: inpatient hospitalizations (13,565 DKK versus 13,275 DKK), hospital outpatient clinic visits (12,007 DKK versus 12,152 DKK), emergency room visits (370 DKK versus 399 DKK), and primary care services (4108 DKK versus 4302 DKK). Total costs for any prescription drugs were clearly lower for empagliflozin initiators than for GLP-1 RA initiators (8946 DKK versus 14,029 DKK). In sum, overall healthcare costs on-treatment were lower for empagliflozin initiators (38,995 DKK per person-year) than for GLP-1RA initiators (44,157 DKK per person-year). CONCLUSIONS: In this nationwide population-based cohort study, average healthcare costs after drug initiation and while on treatment were lower for empagliflozin initiators than for GLP-1RAs initiators, driven by lower drug costs. REGISTRATION: The study protocol and analysis plan have been registered on the website of the European Network of Centres for Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacovigilance (ENCEPP) ( http://www.encepp.eu/encepp/viewResource.htm?id=37726 , first protocol registration 4 June 2019), and on clinicaltrials.gov ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03993132 , first posted 20 June 2019).

Subgroup analysis of telehealthcare for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the cluster-randomized Danish Telecare North Trial.

PURPOSE: Results from the Danish cluster-randomized trial of telehealthcare to 1,225 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the Danish Telecare North Trial, concluded that the telehealthcare solution was unlikely to be cost-effective, by applying international willingness-to-pay threshold values. The purpose of this article was to assess potential sources of variation across subgroups, which could explain overall cost-effectiveness results or be utilized in future economic studies in telehealthcare research. METHODS: First, the cost-structures and cost-effectiveness across COPD severities were analyzed. Second, five additional subgroup analyses were conducted, focusing on differences in cost-effectiveness across a set of comorbidities, age-groups, genders, resource patterns (resource use in the social care sector prior to randomization), and delivery sites. All subgroups were investigated post hoc. In analyzing cost-effectiveness, two separate linear mixed-effects models with treatment-by-covariate interactions were applied: one for quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gain and one for total healthcare and social sector costs. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was used for each subgroup result in order to quantify the uncertainty around the cost-effectiveness results. RESULTS: The study concludes that, across the COPD severities, patients with severe COPD (GOLD 3 classification) are likely to be the most cost-effective group. This is primarily due to lower hospital-admission and primary-care costs. Telehealthcare for patients younger than 60 years is also more likely to be cost-effective than for older COPD patients. Overall, results indicate that existing resource patterns of patients and variations in delivery-site practices might have a strong influence on cost-effectiveness, possibly stronger than the included health or sociodemographic sources of heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: Future research should focus more on sources of heterogeneity found in the implementation context and the way telehealthcare is adopted (eg, by integrating formative evaluation into cost-effectiveness analyses). TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01984840.

Early Assessment of Cost-effectiveness of Gastric Electrical Stimulation for Diabetic Nausea and Vomiting.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Recurrent nausea and/or vomiting are common complications of diabetes mellitus. The conditions severely impact the quality of life of patients and often cause repeated admissions to hospital incurring significant healthcare costs. If standard treatment fails, gastric electrical stimulation (GES) may be offered in selected cases, as a minimally invasive, but expensive, therapeutic option. Our aims are to evaluate the clinical effect and the cost-utility of GES as a treatment for severe diabetic recurrent nausea and/or vomiting. METHODS: Among 33 diabetes patients implanted with GES because of recurrent nausea and/or vomiting, 30 were available for evaluation. The effect of treatment was assessed prospectively using symptom-diaries and the SF-36 questionnaires at baseline, after 6 and 12 months, and thereafter yearly. The number of days in hospital due to symptoms related to gastrointestinal dysfunction was calculated using hospital records 12 months prior to and 12 months after implantation. RESULTS: The surgical procedures were performed without mortality or major complications. Six months after surgery 78% of the respondents had at least 50% reduction in time with nausea and 48% had at least 50% reduction in days with vomiting. Symptom relief persisted at follow-up after at least 4 years. Quality adjusted life years improved after GES, which was cost-effective after 24 months. CONCLUSIONS: GES reduces symptoms and improves quality of life in diabetes patients with recurrent nausea and/or vomiting. The procedure is supposed as cost-effective over a 2-year time horizon.

A systematic review of the cost and cost-effectiveness of telehealth for patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

We conducted a systematic review of the evidence on the costs and cost-effectiveness of telehealth for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A literature search identified six relevant economic evaluations that were assessed according to the Consensus Health Economic Criteria list (CHEC list). Three studies were from North America and three studies were from Europe. All studies reported the use of home monitoring devices that measured and transmitted different physical indicators to nurses who provided personalised feedback to patients during weekdays. The six studies involved a total of 559 COPD patients of whom 281 were randomised to telehealth. The review demonstrated a potential for cost savings. All six studies reported a lower average cost per patient with telehealth plus usual care compared with usual care alone. However, the quality of the economic evidence was poor. Five studies were evaluated as low quality and one study was evaluated as moderate quality, with CHEC list scores of 21-68%. Caution is advised for healthcare decision-makers seeking large-scale implementation of telehealth in routine clinical practice. The clinical effectiveness of such implementations with follow-up exceeding 12 months has not yet been demonstrated.

Processes of early stroke care and hospital costs.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between processes of early stroke care and hospital costs remains unclear. AIMS: We therefore examined the association in a population based cohort study. METHODS: We identified 5909 stroke patients who were admitted to stroke units in a Danish county between 2005 and 2010.The examined recommended processes of care included early admission to a stroke unit, early initiation of antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy, early computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (CT/MRI) scan, early physiotherapy and occupational therapy, early assessment of nutritional risk, constipation risk and of swallowing function, early mobilization,early catheterization, and early thromboembolism prophylaxis.Hospital costs were assessed for each patient based on the number of days spent in different in-hospital facilities using local hospital charges. RESULTS: The mean costs of hospitalization were $23 352 (standard deviation 27 827). The relationship between receiving more relevant processes of early stroke care and lower hospital costs followed a dose­response relationship. The adjusted costs were $24 566 (95% confidence interval 19 364­29 769) lower for patients who received 75­100% of the relevant processes of care compared with patients receiving 0­24%. All processes of care were associated with potential cost savings, except for early catheterization and early thromboembolism prophylaxis. CONCLUSIONS: Early care in agreement with key guidelines recommendations for the management of patients with stroke may be associated with hospital savings.

A health economic analysis of osteoporotic fractures: who carries the burden?

UNLABELLED: This is a cost-of-illness study of osteoporotic fractures in Denmark estimating the incremental societal cost associated with osteoporotic fractures, with both direct cost and productivity cost. This study includes cost regarding hospitals, general practices, the patients, the municipalities and regions. The total cost of osteoporotic fractures in Denmark was estimated at EUR 1.563 billion. PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to estimate the societal burden imposed by osteoporotic fractures in Denmark. In contrast to prior studies, this study will present a comprehensive model for the cost of osteoporotic fractures regarding hospitals, general practices, the municipalities, the regions and the patients. METHODS: This cost-of-illness study applied an incidence-based bottom-up approach from a societal perspective, including both direct costs and productivity costs. The study focused on incremental cost associated with osteoporotic fractures using a Markov model. Danish citizens ≥50 years with an osteoporotic fracture between 2001 and 2010 were studied. RESULTS: The total cost of osteoporotic fractures in Denmark was estimated to EUR 1.563 billion in 2011, at EUR 628 million and EUR 936 million for men and women, respectively. The most expensive fracture for both genders was first hip fracture. The municipalities carried the majority of the costs, with 55-57 % of incremental lifetime cost. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the incremental societal burden of osteoporotic fractures is an important health problem. Medical costs of the osteoporotic fractures were substantial cost for the health care sector, but were by far exceeded by the cost for the municipality in terms of social services and rehabilitation.

Assessing common classification methods for the identification of abnormal repolarization using indicators of T-wave morphology and QT interval.

Various parameters based on QTc and T-wave morphology have been shown to be useful discriminators for drug induced I(Kr)-blocking. Using different classification methods this study compares the potential of these two features for identifying abnormal repolarization on the ECG. A group of healthy volunteers and LQT2 carriers were used to train classification algorithms using measures of T-wave morphology and QTc. The ability to correctly classify a third group of test subjects before and after receiving d,l-sotalol was evaluated using classification rules derived from training. As a single electrocardiographic feature, T-wave morphology separates normal from abnormal repolarization better than QTc. It is further indicated that nonlinear boundaries can provide stronger classifiers than a linear boundaries. Whether this is true in general with other ECG markers and other data sets is uncertain because the approach has not been tested in this setting.