Custo-efetividade do uso da tomografia de emissão de pósitrons na detecção de recorrência do câncer diferenciado de tireoide / Cost-effectiveness of the use of positron emission tomography in the detection of recurrence of differentiated thyroid cancer

Avaliou-se a custo-efetividade da adição da tomografia de emissão de pósitrons (18FDG-PET-TC) aos métodos convencionais na detecção de recorrência de cânceres diferenciados de tireoide. O modelo analítico de decisão representou coorte hipotética de pacientes adultos, de alto risco pela estratificação inicial, submetidos a tireoidectomia total e ablação com I131. A estratégia convencional de detecção foi comparada à adição da 18FDG-PET-TC aplicada aos indivíduos com resultados de cintigrafia com I131 negativos. O horizonte temporal foi de dez anos. Utilizou-se a perspectiva do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) e, como medida de efetividade, os casos adicionais diagnosticados pela inclusão da PET-TC. Foram considerados apenas os custos médicos diretos. O custo do PET-TC foi estimado por microcustos; os demais custos foram obtidos das tabelas de pagamento de procedimentos do SUS. Custos e benefícios foram descontados em 5%. Realizaram-se análises de sensibilidade determinística univariada e probabilística. Detectaram-se 1.875 casos de recorrência com a estratégia convencional. Uso da 18FDG-PET-TC permitiu a detecção adicional de 13 casos, com custo de R$477.633,05/caso detectado. Os parâmetros de maior impacto na análise foram: medidas de acurácia dos métodos convencionais, custo do PET-TC e taxa de desconto. Os custos da adição da PET-TC mostram-se significativos e sua introdução não é custo-efetiva.

The positron emission tomography (18FDG-PET/CT) was recently introduced in Brazilian health care for many oncology indications but accompanied by higher costs. In our study we performed a cost-effectiveness analysis of the addition of PET/CT to the conventional diagnostic work-up to detect recurrent differentiated thyroid cancers. The analytical decision model represented a hypothetical cohort of adults, thyroid cancer patients with high risk by initial stratification, submitted to total thyroidectomy and ablation with I131. The addition of PET/CT was applied to subjects with negative results on I131scintigraphy. The model was designed from the perspective of the Brazilian public health care system, with a time horizon of 10 years. Effectiveness was measured by the additional recurrent cases detected. Only direct medical costs were considered. Costs and benefits were discounted by 5%. Univariate deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyzes were performed to explore the uncertainties. The PET/CT diagnosed 13 additional cases compared to conventional strategy (1,888 vs 1,875) by a cost of R$477,633.05 per case detected. The parameters of greatest impact in the sensitivity analysis were the accuracy of conventional tests, cost of PET/CT and the discount rate. The costs of adding PET/CT seems significant and its introduction is not cost-effective on the Brazilian perspective.

Accuracy of positron emission tomography and positron emission tomography-CT in the detection of differentiated thyroid cancer recurrence with negative (131) I whole-body scan results: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this review was to present a meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the accuracy of positron emission tomography (PET) and PET-CT for detecting recurrence of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) not identified by (131) I whole-body scintigraphy. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, and Cochrane databases were searched for studies published between January 1985 and March 2012. Systematic methods were used to select and evaluate the quality of studies. Pooled sensitivity and specificity for conventional PET and PET-CT was estimated using random effects model. RESULTS: Twenty studies were included in the systematic review; the data of 18 studies were used in the meta-analysis. The combined sensitivity and specificity for conventional PET were both found to be 84%; for PET-CT, they were 93% and 81%, respectively. The overall accuracies were 91% and 93%, respectively. CONCLUSION: (18) Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET and PET-CT are highly accurate diagnostics tools for DTC recurrence in patients who present a negative whole-body scintigraphy and could impact the clinical and therapeutic management of DTC.

[Cost analysis of18F-FDG PET-CT from the perspective of the Brazilian Unified National Health System as healthcare provider: a study in a public healthcare center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil]. / Análise dos custos do procedimento PET-TC com 18 F-FDG na perspectiva do SUS provedor: estudo em uma unidade pública de saúde do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

Positron emission tomography (PET) has been introduced recently in Brazil and requires costs analysis to support economic evaluation studies on its use. The current study analyzed the use of 18 F-FDG PET-CT and estimated its costs from the perspective of a public healthcare provider. The micro-costing technique was used, identifying, quantifying, and valuing all the inputs used to perform the procedure. Cost estimates considered 85 tests performed at the Brazilian National Cancer Institute from March to June 2012. Reference cases were defined as adult cancer patients, output of five tests per day, and one dose of 18 F-FDG per patient. Unit cost for the procedure was BRL 3,150.30 based on career wages under the Ministry of Science and Technology and BRL 2,927.19 based on Ministry of Health career wages. The factor with the heaviest cost impact was daily output of tests. Other factors that could impact the test's cost in public healthcare institutions were also examined.

Análise dos custos do procedimento PET-TC com 18 F-FDG na perspectiva do SUS provedor: estudo em uma unidade pública de saúde do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil / Cost analysis of 18 F-FDG PET-CT from the perspective of the Brazilian Unified National Health System as healthcare provider: a study in a public healthcare center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil / Análisis de costes del procedimiento PET-TC con 18 F-FDG desde la perspectiva del SUS proveedor: estudio en una unidad pública de salud de Río de Janeiro, Brasil

A tomografia de emissão de pósitrons (PET) é de uso recente no Brasil e há necessidade de se estimar os custos do procedimento, de forma a subsidiar estudos de avaliação econômica sobre a tecnologia. O trabalho analisou o processo de produção da PET-TC utilizando 18 F-FDG e estimou seus custos na perspectiva de um provedor público de serviços de saúde. Utilizou- se a técnica de microcustos, com identificação, quantificação e valoração de todos os insumos consumidos na produção do procedimento. As estimativas de custo consideraram a observação de 85 exames realizados no Instituto Nacional de Câncer, de março/julho de 2012. O caso de referência considerou pacientes oncológicos adultos, volume de produção de 5 exames/dia e uso de uma dose de 18 F-FDG por paciente. Os custos unitários do procedimento foram de R$ 3.150,30, na perspectiva salarial da carreira de Ciência & Tecnologia, e de R$ 2.927,19 na do Ministério da Saúde. O elemento de maior impacto nos custos correspondeu ao volume diário de produção dos exames. Foram explorados elementos que podem impactar no custo do exame nas instituições públicas de saúde.

Positron emission tomography (PET) has been introduced recently in Brazil and requires costs analysis to support economic evaluation studies on its use. The current study analyzed the use of 18 F-FDG PET-CT and estimated its costs from the perspective of a public healthcare provider. The micro-costing technique was used, identifying, quantifying, and valuing all the inputs used to perform the procedure. Cost estimates considered 85 tests performed at the Brazilian National Cancer Institute from March to June 2012. Reference cases were defined as adult cancer patients, output of five tests per day, and one dose of 18 F-FDG per patient. Unit cost for the procedure was BRL 3,150.30 based on career wages under the Ministry of Science and Technology and BRL 2,927.19 based on Ministry of Health career wages. The factor with the heaviest cost impact was daily output of tests. Other factors that could impact the test’s cost in public healthcare institutions were also examined.

La tomografía por emisión de positrones (PET) es de uso reciente en Brasil y es necesario estimar sus costes, con el fin de subsidiar estudios de evaluación económica sobre esta tecnología. El trabajo examina el proceso de producción de PET-TC con 18F-FDG y se estimaron sus costes desde la perspectiva de un prestador público de servicios de salud. Se empleó la técnica de microcostes, con la identificación, cuantificación y valoración de los insumos consumidos en la producción del procedimiento. Las estimaciones consideran la observación de 85 exámenes entre marzo y julio de 2012. El “caso base” considera pacientes adultos de cáncer, con una producción de 5 exámenes/día y el uso de una dosis de 18F-FDG por paciente. Los costes unitarios del procedimiento fueron, respectivamente, R$ 3.150.30 y R$ 2.927.19, desde la perspectiva del Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología y del Ministerio de Salud. El volumen diario de producción fue el elemento de mayor impacto en los costes. Además, se analizaron los factores que pueden repercutir en el coste del examen en instituciones de salud pública.

[The pharmacist's perceptions about their job at communitarian pharmacies of the state of Rio de Janeiro]. / As percepções dos farmacêuticos sobre seu trabalho nas farmácias comunitárias em uma região do estado do Rio de Janeiro.

The aim of this study was to understand the pharmacist's perceptions that work at communitarian pharmacies from Rio de Janeiro about their professional practices and how this vision can be related to the practice implementation of Pharmaceutical Attention. A qualitative research was developed with the execution of semi-structured interviews; subsequently discourse was submitted to content analysis, through the thematic analysis. This research have been made with 15 pharmaceuticals of Rio de Janeiro state pharmacies with proportional distribution corresponding to the following typology: state pharmacy network; local network; and familiar, without branches. The speech classification which was made here has shown at least three convergences: the continue difficulties of the population about the use of medicines, certain migration of the pharmaceutical practice, in the meaning of (re)valuing the patient and the superficial knowledge about the Attention Pharmaceutical conception. It is necessary to intensify a reflection on this issue to lead us to identify elements that can guarantee that this pharmaceutical practice can be implemented as a complementary health service.

As percepções dos farmacêuticos sobre seu trabalho nas farmácias comunitárias em uma região do estado do Rio de Janeiro / The pharmacist's perceptions about their job at communitarian pharmacies of the state of Rio de Janeiro

Este trabalho teve por objetivo compreender as percepções de farmacêuticos de farmácias comunitárias do estado do Rio de Janeiro sobre suas práticas profissionais e como estas poderiam estar relacionadas com a implantação da Atenção Farmacêutica. Foi desenvolvido um estudo qualitativo, com a realização de entrevistas semiestruturadas, posteriormente submetidas à análise de conteúdo baseada na análise temática das falas. A população de estudo foi composta por quinze farmacêuticos responsáveis técnicos de farmácias comunitárias do estado, com distribuição equânime segundo a seguinte tipologia: farmácias de rede estadual, de rede local e farmácias consideradas familiares, sem filiais. A categorização do discurso dos farmacêuticos mostrou, pelo menos, três convergências: as contínuas dificuldades da população quanto ao uso de medicamentos, certo deslocamento da prática, no sentido de (re)valorizar o paciente, e um conhecimento bastante superficial do conceito de Atenção Farmacêutica. Faz-se necessário ampliar as reflexões sobre esse tema, de modo a identificar elementos que possam vir a garantir que a práxis farmacêutica se insira com complementaridade nos serviços de saúde.

The aim of this study was to understand the pharmacist's perceptions that work at communitarian pharmacies from Rio de Janeiro about their professional practices and how this vision can be related to the practice implementation of Pharmaceutical Attention. A qualitative research was developed with the execution of semi-structured interviews; subsequently discourse was submitted to content analysis, through the thematic analysis. This research have been made with 15 pharmaceuticals of Rio de Janeiro state pharmacies with proportional distribution corresponding to the following typology: state pharmacy network; local network; and familiar, without branches. The speech classification which was made here has shown at least three convergences: the continue difficulties of the population about the use of medicines, certain migration of the pharmaceutical practice, in the meaning of (re)valuing the patient and the superficial knowledge about the Attention Pharmaceutical conception. It is necessary to intensify a reflection on this issue to lead us to identify elements that can guarantee that this pharmaceutical practice can be implemented as a complementary health service.