Mathematical modeling for estimating influenza vaccine efficacy: A case study of the Valencian Community, Spain.

Vaccine efficacy and its quantification is a crucial concept for the proper design of public health vaccination policies. In this work we proposed a mathematical model to estimate the efficacy of the influenza vaccine in a real-word scenario. In particular, our model is a SEIR-type epidemiological model, which distinguishes vaccinated and unvaccinated populations. Mathematically, its dynamics is governed by a nonlinear system of ordinary differential equations, where the non-linearity arises from the effective contacts between susceptible and infected individuals. Two key aspects of this study is that we use a vaccine distribution over time that is based on real data specific to the elderly people in the Valencian Community and the calibration process takes into account that over one influenza season a specific proportion of the population becomes infected with influenza. To consider the effectiveness of the vaccine, the model incorporates a parameter, the vaccine attenuation factor, which is related with the vaccine efficacy against the influenza virus. With this framework, in order to calibrate the model parameters and to obtain an influenza vaccine efficacy estimation, we considered the 2016-2017 influenza season in the Valencian Community, Spain, using the influenza reported cases of vaccinated and unvaccinated. In order to ensure the model identifiability, we choose to deterministically calibrate the parameters for different scenarios and we find the one with the minimum error in order to determine the vaccine efficacy. The calibration results suggest that the influenza vaccine developed for 2016-2017 influenza season has an efficacy of approximately 76.7%, and that the risk of becoming infected is five times higher for an unvaccinated individual in comparison with a vaccinated one. This estimation partially agrees with some previous studies related to the influenza vaccine. This study presents a new integrated mathematical approach to study the influenza vaccine efficacy and gives further insight into this important public health topic.

Modelled cost-effectiveness analysis of the Support and Treatment After Replacement (STAR) care pathway for chronic pain after total knee replacement compared with usual care.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to estimate the long-term cost-effectiveness of the Support and Treatment After Replacement (STAR) care pathway for chronic pain after total knee replacement compared with usual postoperative care. METHODS: Study design: A decision-analytic (cohort Markov) model was used for the simulation with time dependent annual transition probabilities and a time horizon of five years. SETTING: Patients treated by National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in England and Wales. STUDY POPULATION: Adults classified as having chronic pain three months after undergoing a total knee replacement. INTERVENTION: The STAR care pathway following a total knee replacement. COMPARATOR: Usual postoperative care following a total knee replacement. PERSPECTIVE: The study was undertaken from the perspective of the NHS. OUTCOME MEASURES: Quality-adjusted life years and healthcare costs. Discounting: A rate of 3.5% for both costs and health utility. RESULTS: Model results indicate that the STAR intervention would dominate current practice by providing a gain in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) of 0.086 and a reduction of £375 (per person) in costs over the first five years. The incremental net monetary benefit of the STAR intervention was estimated at £2,086 (at a threshold of £20,000 per QALY). Probabilistic sensitivity analysis suggests the STAR intervention is likely to be cost-effective with a probability of 0.62. The results remain robust to changes in model assumptions on comparator utility and the timing of the start of the intervention. If hospital admission costs are assumed not to be reduced by the STAR intervention, it would no longer be cost saving, but it would likely be cost-effective based on probabilistic sensitivity analysis (0.59). CONCLUSION: Evidence from the economic model suggests that the STAR care pathway is likely to be cost-effective and potentially dominant from an NHS perspective. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The STAR trial is registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN92545361.

Patients' experience on pain outcomes after hip arthroplasty: insights from an information tool based on registry data.

BACKGROUND: Arthroplasty registries are rarely used to inform encounters between clinician and patient. This study is part of a larger one which aimed to develop an information tool allowing both to benefit from previous patients' experience after total hip arthroplasty (THA). This study focuses on generating the information tool specifically for pain outcomes. METHODS: Data from the Geneva Arthroplasty Registry (GAR) about patients receiving a primary elective THA between 1996 and 2019 was used. Selected outcomes were identified from patient and surgeon surveys: pain walking, climbing stairs, night pain, pain interference, and pain medication. Clusters of patients with homogeneous outcomes at 1, 5, and 10 years postoperatively were generated based on selected predictors evaluated preoperatively using conditional inference trees (CITs). RESULTS: Data from 6,836 THAs were analysed and 14 CITs generated with 17 predictors found significant (p < 0.05). Baseline WOMAC pain score, SF-12 self-rated health (SRH), number of comorbidities, SF-12 mental component score, and body mass index (BMI) were the most common predictors. Outcome levels varied markedly by clusters whilst predictors changed at different time points for the same outcome. For example, 79% of patients with good to excellent SRH and less than moderate preoperative night pain reported absence of night pain at 1 year after THA; in contrast, for those with fair/poor SHR this figure was 50%. Also, clusters of patients with homogeneous levels of night pain at 1 year were generated based on SRH, Charnley, WOMAC night and pain scores, whilst those at 10 years were based on BMI alone. CONCLUSIONS: The information tool generated under this study can provide prospective patients and clinicians with valuable and understandable information about the experiences of "patients like them" regarding their pain outcomes.

Reverse total shoulder replacement versus anatomical total shoulder replacement for osteoarthritis: population based cohort study using data from the National Joint Registry and Hospital Episode Statistics for England.

OBJECTIVES: To answer a national research priority by comparing the risk-benefit and costs associated with reverse total shoulder replacement (RTSR) and anatomical total shoulder replacement (TSR) in patients having elective primary shoulder replacement for osteoarthritis. DESIGN: Population based cohort study using data from the National Joint Registry and Hospital Episode Statistics for England. SETTING: Public hospitals and publicly funded procedures at private hospitals in England, 2012-20. PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged 60 years or older who underwent RTSR or TSR for osteoarthritis with intact rotator cuff tendons. Patients were identified from the National Joint Registry and linked to NHS Hospital Episode Statistics and civil registration mortality data. Propensity score matching and inverse probability of treatment weighting were used to balance the study groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome measure was revision surgery. Secondary outcome measures included serious adverse events within 90 days, reoperations within 12 months, prolonged hospital stay (more than three nights), change in Oxford Shoulder Score (preoperative to six month postoperative), and lifetime costs to the healthcare service. RESULTS: The propensity score matched population comprised 7124 RTSR or TSR procedures (126 were revised), and the inverse probability of treatment weighted population comprised 12 968 procedures (294 were revised) with a maximum follow-up of 8.75 years. RTSR had a reduced hazard ratio of revision in the first three years (hazard ratio local minimum 0.33, 95% confidence interval 0.18 to 0.59) with no clinically important difference in revision-free restricted mean survival time, and a reduced relative risk of reoperations at 12 months (odds ratio 0.45, 95% confidence interval 0.25 to 0.83) with an absolute risk difference of -0.51% (95% confidence interval -0.89 to -0.13). Serious adverse events and prolonged hospital stay risks, change in Oxford Shoulder Score, and modelled mean lifetime costs were similar. Outcomes remained consistent after weighting. CONCLUSIONS: This study's findings provide reassurance that RTSR is an acceptable alternative to TSR for patients aged 60 years or older with osteoarthritis and intact rotator cuff tendons. Despite a significant difference in the risk profiles of revision surgery over time, no statistically significant and clinically important differences between RTSR and TSR were found in terms of long term revision surgery, serious adverse events, reoperations, prolonged hospital stay, or lifetime healthcare costs.

The FAME trial study protocol: In younger adults with unstable ankle fractures treated with close contact casting, is ankle function not worse than those treated with surgical intervention?

Aims: Ankle fracture is one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries sustained in the UK. Many patients experience pain and physical impairment, with the consequences of the fracture and its management lasting for several months or even years. The broad aim of ankle fracture treatment is to maintain the alignment of the joint while the fracture heals, and to reduce the risks of problems, such as stiffness. More severe injuries to the ankle are routinely treated surgically. However, even with advances in surgery, there remains a risk of complications; for patients experiencing these, the associated loss of function and quality of life (Qol) is considerable. Non-surgical treatment is an alternative to surgery and involves applying a cast carefully shaped to the patient's ankle to correct and maintain alignment of the joint with the key benefit being a reduction in the frequency of common complications of surgery. The main potential risk of non-surgical treatment is a loss of alignment with a consequent reduction in ankle function. This study aims to determine whether ankle function, four months after treatment, in patients with unstable ankle fractures treated with close contact casting is not worse than in those treated with surgical intervention, which is the current standard of care. Methods: This trial is a pragmatic, multicentre, randomized non-inferiority clinical trial with an embedded pilot, and with 12 months clinical follow-up and parallel economic analysis. A surveillance study using routinely collected data will be performed annually to five years post-treatment. Adult patients, aged 60 years and younger, with unstable ankle fractures will be identified in daily trauma meetings and fracture clinics and approached for recruitment prior to their treatment. Treatments will be performed in trauma units across the UK by a wide range of surgeons. Details of the surgical treatment, including how the operation is done, implant choice, and the recovery programme afterwards, will be at the discretion of the treating surgeon. The non-surgical treatment will be close-contact casting performed under anaesthetic, a technique which has gained in popularity since the publication of the Ankle Injury Management (AIM) trial. In all, 890 participants (445 per group) will be randomly allocated to surgical or non-surgical treatment. Data regarding ankle function, QoL, complications, and healthcare-related costs will be collected at eight weeks, four and 12 months, and then annually for five years following treatment. The primary outcome measure is patient-reported ankle function at four months from treatment. Anticipated impact: The 12-month results will be presented and published internationally. This is anticipated to be the only pragmatic trial reporting outcomes comparing surgical with non-surgical treatment in unstable ankle fractures in younger adults (aged 60 years and younger), and, as such, will inform the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) 'non-complex fracture' recommendations at their scheduled update in 2024. A report of long-term outcomes at five years will be produced by January 2027.

Physical activity and health-related quality of life of patients with chronic knee pain after total knee replacement: Analysis of the PEP-TALK trial.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain is a major challenge for some people after total knee replacement (TKR). The changing impact of this complication during the first post-operative year remains unclear. This analysis aimed to examine how physical activity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) evolved over the first year after TKR for patients with and without post-operative chronic knee pain. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a randomised controlled trial (PEP-TALK), which tested the effectiveness of a behaviour change physiotherapy intervention compared with usual rehabilitation after TKR. Mean UCLA Activity Score and EQ-5D-5L for participants with and without chronic knee pain (14 points or lower in the Oxford Knee Score Pain Subscale (OKS-PS) at six months post-TKR) were compared at six and 12 months post-TKR. RESULTS: Data from 83 participants were analysed. For those with chronic knee pain, UCLA Activity Score remained unchanged between baseline to six months (mean: 3.8 to 3.8), decreasing at 12 months (3.0). Those without post-operative chronic knee pain reported improved physical activity from baseline to six months (4.0 vs 4.9), plateauing at 12 months (4.9). Participants with chronic knee pain reported lower baseline HRQoL (0.28 vs 0.48). Both groups improved health utility over one year. Of those without chronic pain at six months, 8.5% returned to chronic pain by 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Monitoring clinical outcomes after six months may be indicated for those at risk of chronic pain post-TKR. Further, sufficiently powered analyses are warranted to increase the generalisability of this exploratory analyses' results.

Applying Trial-Derived Treatment Effects to Real-World Populations: Generalizing Cost-Effectiveness Estimates When Modeling Complex Hazards.

OBJECTIVES: Generalizability of trial-based cost-effectiveness estimates to real-world target populations is important for decision making. In the context of independent aggregate time-to-event baseline and relative effects data, complex hazards can make modeling of data for use in economic evaluation challenging. Our article provides an overview of methods that can be used to apply trial-derived relative treatment effects to external real-world baselines when faced with complex hazards and follows with a motivating example. METHODS: Approaches for applying trial-derived relative effects to real-world baselines are presented in the context of complex hazards. Appropriate methods are applied in a cost-effectiveness analysis using data from a previously published study assessing the real-world cost-effectiveness of a treatment for carcinoma of the head and neck as a motivating example. RESULTS: Lack of common hazards between the trial and target real-world population, a complex baseline hazard function, and nonproportional relative effects made the use of flexible models necessary to adequately estimate survival. Assuming common distributions between trial and real-world reference survival substantially affected survival and cost-effectiveness estimates. Modeling time-dependent vs proportional relative effects affected estimates to a lesser extent, dependent on assumptions used in cost-effectiveness modeling. CONCLUSIONS: Appropriately capturing reference treatment survival when attempting to generalize trial-derived relative treatment effects to real-world target populations can have important impacts on cost-effectiveness estimates. A balance between model complexity and adequacy for decision making should be considered where multiple data sources with complex hazards are being evaluated.

Shoulder replacement surgery's rising demand, inequality of provision, and variation in outcomes: cohort study using Hospital Episode Statistics for England.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to forecast future patient demand for shoulder replacement surgery in England and investigate any geographic and socioeconomic inequalities in service provision and patient outcomes. METHODS: For this cohort study, all elective shoulder replacements carried out by NHS hospitals and NHS-funded care in England from 1999 to 2020 were identified using Hospital Episode Statistics data. Eligible patients were aged 18 years and older. Shoulder replacements for malignancy or acute trauma were excluded. Population estimates and projections were obtained from the Office for National Statistics. Standardised incidence rates and the risks of serious adverse events (SAEs) and revision surgery were calculated and stratified by geographical region, socioeconomic deprivation, sex, and age band. Hospital costs for each admission were calculated using Healthcare Resource Group codes and NHS Reference Costs based on the National Reimbursement System. Projected rates and hospital costs were predicted until the year 2050 for two scenarios of future growth. RESULTS: A total of 77,613 elective primary and 5847 revision shoulder replacements were available for analysis. Between 1999 and 2020, the standardised incidence of primary shoulder replacements in England quadrupled from 2.6 to 10.4 per 100,000 population, increasing predominantly in patients aged over 65 years. As many as 1 in 6 patients needed to travel to a different region for their surgery indicating inequality of service provision. A temporal increase in SAEs was observed: the 30-day risk increased from 1.3 to 4.8% and the 90-day risk increased from 2.4 to 6.0%. Patients from the more deprived socioeconomic groups appeared to have a higher risk of SAEs and revision surgery. Shoulder replacements are forecast to increase by up to 234% by 2050 in England, reaching 20,912 procedures per year with an associated annual cost to hospitals of £235 million. CONCLUSIONS: This study reports a rising incidence of shoulder replacements, regional disparities in service provision, and an overall increasing risk of SAEs, especially in more deprived socioeconomic groups. These findings highlight the need for better healthcare planning to match local population demand, while more research is needed to understand and prevent the increase observed in SAEs.

Cross-sectional study of quality of life in relation with vascular access in hemodialysis patients. Study in a hospital and a satellite center

Introduction: Vascular access for hemodialysis (HD) is essential for the patient. Even though Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the preferred access, in certain age groups, the central venous catheter (CVC) may provide advantages. This study aims to investigate the quality of life related to vascular access. Methods: Cross-sectional study including patients from a hospital, a home HD unit and a satellite hemodialysis center. Clinical data was collected from the patients, who went through a quality-of-life questionnaire SF12 and a Vascular Access Questionnaire (VAQ). Results: 91 patients participated, mostly male (70 %), with a mean age of 68.9 ± 16.2 years. AVF was the current vascular access in 60.4 %, the rest used a CVC. Home HD was performed in 12.1 % of patients and 76 % started it via CVC. Regarding patients who have had both AVF and CVC, 58 % prefer AVF and only 26.5 % of current CVC carriers would have a new AVF, mostly due to fear of pain (52 %). Most people (72.5 %) reported having received sufficient information, with no differences between both accesses. The SF12 results showed no differences between patients with AVF or CVC. Regarding the VAQ, patients with AVF were more satisfied with the social aspect (p = 0.036) and complications (p = 0.006). Conclusion: Patients with AVF had better outcomes than those using CVC regarding complications and social aspects. These differences are not attributable to a worse overall quality of life status of CVC patients. Most patients with CVCs refuse to go through a new AVF for fear of puncture pain.

Introducción: el acceso vascular para la hemodiálisis (HD) es esencial para el paciente. Aunque la fístula arteriovenosa (FAV) es el acceso preferido, en ciertos grupos de edad el catéter venoso central (CVC) puede aportar ventajas. Este estudio pretende investigar la calidad de vida relacionada con el acceso vascular. Métodos: el estudio transversal incluye pacientes del hospital, de una unidad de HD domiciliaria y de un centro de hemodiálisis periférico. Se recogieron datos clínicos de los pacientes que contestaron el cuestionario de calidad de vida SF12 y Cuestionario de Acceso Vascular (VAQ). Resultados: 91 pacientes, en su mayoría varones (70 %), con una edad media de 68,9 ± 16,2 años. La FAV era el acceso vascular actual en el 60,4 %. La HD domiciliaria se realizó en el 12,1 % de los pacientes y el 76 % la inició mediante CVC. En cuanto a los pacientes que han tenido tanto FAV como CVC, el 58 % prefiere la FAV y sólo el 26,5 % de los actuales portadores de CVC se sometería a una nueva FAV, sobre todo por miedo al dolor (52 %). La mayoría de las personas (72,5 %) declararon haber recibido suficiente información, sin diferencias entre ambos accesos. Los resultados del SF12 no mostraron diferencias según el acceso. En cuanto al VAQ, los pacientes con AVF estaban más satisfechos con el aspecto social y las complicaciones. Conclusión: los pacientes con FAV tuvieron mejores resultados en comparación con los que utilizaron CVC en cuanto a complicaciones y aspectos sociales, sin deberse a un peor estado general de la calidad de vida. La mayoría de los pacientes con CVC se niegan a someterse a una nueva FAV por miedo al dolor de la punción.

Chronic Kidney Disease-Associated Pruritus and Quality of Life: Learning from Our Patients.

Chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus is itching directly related to kidney disease that cannot be explained by any other condition. Despite technological advances in the different aspects of dialysis sessions and the best treatment for chronic kidney disease patients, it is still a common problem in our patients. The many complex physiological mechanisms involved, the different hypotheses made over the years on the aetiology of the condition, and the great clinical variability may partially explain the limited knowledge about this problem and the difficulties in treating it. The presence of all these factors leads to the persistence of unpleasant symptoms, which must affect the disease burden and quality of life of kidney patients. Through the presentation of an illustrative clinical case, the aim of this review article is to highlight the need for adequate diagnosis and an improved approach to all aspects of chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus, in view of the heavy burden of the disease and the huge impact on the patient's quality of life.

Impact of fragility fractures on activities of daily living and productivity in community-dwelling women: a multi-national study.

We estimated the short-term impact of fragility fractures on community-dwelling women in five countries. Women with fragility fractures reported significantly more difficulties performing activities of daily living and significantly higher levels of lost productivity and caregiver support than those without fractures; results highlight the multi-country indirect burden of fragility fractures. INTRODUCTION: To estimate the impact of fragility fractures on activities of daily living (ADL), productivity loss and caregiver support in women with a recent fragility fracture. METHODS: This multi-centre cross-sectional study enrolled community-dwelling women aged ≥ 50 years in South Korea, Spain, Germany, Australia and the United States. The fragility fracture cohort consisted of women with an index fragility fracture in the past 12 months; the fracture free cohort consisted of women with no fracture in the 18 months prior to study enrolment. Study participants completed three validated questionnaires: Lawton Instrumental ADL (IADL), Physical Self-Maintenance Scale (PSMS) and iMTA Productivity Cost Questionnaire (iPCQ). RESULTS: In total, 1,253 participants from 41 sites across the five countries were included. Compared with the fracture free cohorts, fragility fracture cohorts had significantly lower function and were more dependent on support (p < 0.05 in all countries for Lawton IADL, and in South Korea, Spain, Australia and the United States for PSMS), significantly higher hours of paid absenteeism (p < 0.05, Spain, Germany, Australia), significantly higher unpaid lost productivity (p < 0.05, South Korea, Spain, Germany), significantly more days of paid help received in the home (p < 0.05 South Korea, Spain and the United States), and significantly more days of unpaid help from family members or friends (p < 0.05, all countries). CONCLUSION: In this multi-national study, fragility fractures in community-dwelling ≥ 50 years women were associated with several outcomes indicating higher indirect burden and lower quality of life, including more difficulties performing ADL and higher levels of lost productivity and caregiver support.

Association between surgeon volume and patient outcomes after elective shoulder replacement surgery using data from the National Joint Registry and Hospital Episode Statistics for England: population based cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between surgeon volume and patient outcomes after elective shoulder replacement surgery to improve patient outcomes and inform future resource planning for joint replacement surgery. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Public and private hospitals in the United Kingdom, 2012-20. PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged 18 years or older who had shoulder replacement surgery, identified in the National Joint Registry, with linkage of participants in England to Hospital Episode Statistics data. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome measure was revision surgery. Secondary outcome measures were reoperation within 12 months, serious adverse events, and prolonged hospital stay (>3 nights) after shoulder replacement surgery. RESULTS: 39 281 shoulder replacement procedures undertaken by 638 consultant surgeons at 416 surgical units met the inclusion criteria and were available for analysis. Multilevel mixed effects models and restricted cubic splines were fit to examine the association between a surgeon's mean annual volume and risk of adverse patient outcomes, with a minimum volume threshold of 10.4 procedures yearly identified. Below this threshold the risk of revision surgery was significantly increased, as much as twice that of surgeons with the lowest risk (hazard ratio 1.94, 95% confidence interval 1.27 to 2.97). A greater mean annual surgical volume was also associated with a significantly lower risk of reoperations, fewer serious adverse events, and shorter hospital stay, with no thresholds identified. Annual variation in surgeon volume was not associated with any of the outcomes assessed. CONCLUSIONS: In the healthcare system represented by these registry data, an association was found between surgeons who averaged more than 10.4 shoulder replacements yearly and lower rates of revision surgery and reoperation, lower risk of serious adverse events, and shorter hospital stays. These findings should inform resource planning for surgical services and joint replacement surgery waiting lists and improve patient outcomes after shoulder replacement surgery.

Etiopathogenesis of chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus: putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

Defined as the unpleasant sensation that causes the desire to scratch, pruritus is the most common skin symptom associated with uremia and appears in almost half of patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). Beyond its direct impact on quality of life, CKD-associated pruritus (CKD-aP) is an independent predictor of mortality that also has a synergistic effect with other quality of life-related symptoms, such as insomnia, depression, and anxiety. Although different mechanisms have been proposed to explain the origin of Pa-ERC, its etiopathogenesis is still not fully understood. Since new therapeutic targets have been identified and several clinical trials have recently shown promising results, our current understanding of the interrelationships has expanded significantly and the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying CKD-aP are now considered to be multifactorial. The potential triggers of pruritus in patients with CKD are discussed in this review, including hypotheses about skin xerosis, accumulation of uremic toxins, dysregulation of the immune system and systemic inflammation, uremic neuropathy, and imbalances in the endogenous opioid system. Other non-uremic causes of pruritus are also discussed, with the aim of guiding the physicians to apply an adequate aetiopathogenic approach to CKD-aP in their day-to-day clinical practice.

Perception of Spanish nephrologists on an old unsolved problem: Pruritus associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD-aP).

INTRODUCTION: Pruritus associated with chronic kidney disease is defined as the sensation of itching, in people with chronic kidney disease, in a one area or all over the body that causes the need to scratch, after having ruled out other dermatological or systemic causes. It is an old and known problem whose prevalence has been able to decrease with the improvement of dialytic techniques but which still persists and is underdiagnosed. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to analyse the current perception of nephrologists about this problem that influences the quality of life of people with chronic kidney disease through a survey. RESULTS: 135 nephrologists, most of them engaged in haemodialysis, participated. 86% considered that pruritus associated with chronic kidney disease is still a problem today that affects the quality of life. Most nephrologists believe that the main pathophysiological cause is uremic toxins (60%) and only 16% believe that it is due to the dysregulation of the opioid system/endorphins-dynorphins. Only 16% comment that the prevalence of pruritus in their centre is greater than 20%. 40% believe that the diagnosis is made because it is manifested by the patient and only 27% because it is asked by the doctor. Moreover, it is not usual to use scales to measure it or the codification in the medical records. The main treatment used is antihistamines (96%), followed by moisturizers/anaesthetics (93%) and modification of the dialysis regimen (70%). CONCLUSIONS: Pruritus associated with chronic kidney disease is still a current problem, it is underdiagnosed, not codified and with a lack of indicated, effective and safe treatments. Nephrologists do not know its real prevalence and the different pathophysiological mechanisms involved in its development. Many therapeutic options are used with very variable results, ignoring their efficacy and applicability at the present time. The new emerging kappa-opioid-receptor agonist agents offer us an opportunity to reevaluate this age-old problem and improve the quality of life for our patients with chronic kidney disease.

Mid- to late-term follow-up of primary hip and knee arthroplasty: the UK SAFE evidence-based recommendations.

To review the evidence and reach consensus on recommendations for follow-up after total hip and knee arthroplasty. A programme of work was conducted, including: a systematic review of the clinical and cost-effectiveness literature; analysis of routine national datasets to identify pre-, peri-, and postoperative predictors of mid-to-late term revision; prospective data analyses from 560 patients to understand how patients present for revision surgery; qualitative interviews with NHS managers and orthopaedic surgeons; and health economic modelling. Finally, a consensus meeting considered all the work and agreed the final recommendations and research areas. The UK poSt Arthroplasty Follow-up rEcommendations (UK SAFE) recommendations apply to post-primary hip and knee arthroplasty follow-up. The ten-year time point is based on a lack of robust evidence beyond ten years. The term 'complex cases' refers to individual patient and surgical factors that may increase the risk for arthroplasty failure. For Orthopaedic Data Evaluation Panel (ODEP) 10A* minimum implants, it is safe to disinvest in routine follow-up from one to years post-non-complex hip and knee arthroplasty provided there is rapid access to orthopaedic review. For ODEP 10A* minimum implants in complex cases, or non-ODEP 10A* minimum implants, periodic follow-up post-hip and knee arthroplasty may be required from one to ten years. At ten years post-hip and knee arthroplasty, clinical and radiological evaluation is recommended. After ten years post-hip and knee arthroplasty, frequency of further follow-up should be based on the ten-year assessment; ongoing rapid access to orthopaedic review is still required. Complex cases, implants not meeting the ODEP 10A* criteria, and follow-up after revision surgery are not covered by this recommendation.

Association between outpatient follow-up and incidence of revision after knee and hip replacements: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Follow-up visits 5 or 7 years after surgery were recommended for people having primary hip or knee replacement. The benefits of this practice to patients and the healthcare system, however, have not yet been specifically examined. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between long-term follow-up outpatient hospital visits and revision rates for patients who undergo primary knee or hip replacement surgery. METHODS: Cohorts were identified for patients undergoing knee or hip replacement surgery using medical records from primary care practices within the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) GOLD dataset linked to hospital records from the English Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) data. Two groups of patients were compared in terms of revision and mortality rates: those with at least one long-term (between five and 10 years since primary surgery) follow-up visit at the orthopaedic department ('Follow-up' group), and those without ('No follow-up' group). RESULTS: A total of 9856 (4349 in the Follow-up group) patients with knee replacement and 10,837 (4870 in the Follow-up group) with hip replacement were included in the analysis. For knee replacement, the incidence of revision was 3.6% for those followed-up and 0.6% for those not followed-up. An adjusted regression model confirmed the difference in the hazard ratio (HR) for revision was statistically significant (HR: 5.65 [95% CI 3.62 to 8.81]). Mortality at 4 years was lower for the Follow-up (17%) compared to the No follow-up group (21%), but this difference was not statistically significant (HR: 0.95 [0.84 to 1.07]). For hip replacement, the incidence of revision rates were 3.2 and 1.4% for the follow-up and not follow-up groups, respectively, the difference being statistically significant (HR: 2.34 [1.71 to 3.20]). Mortality was lower for the Follow-up (15%) compared to the No follow-up group (21%), but the difference was not statistically significant (HR: 0.91 [0.81 to 1.02]). CONCLUSION: Patients attending follow-up orthopaedic consultations show a higher risk of revision surgery compared to those who are not followed-up. A cause for this difference could not be identified in this study but a likely explanation is that surgeons play an effective role as ultimate arbitrators when identifying patients to be included in long-term follow-up lists.

Patient-reported outcomes measures of X-linked hypophosphataemia participants: findings from a prospective cohort study in the UK.

BACKGROUND: X-linked hypophosphataemia (XLH) is a rare genetic condition passed on through the X chromosome which causes multiple symptoms including weakened teeth, bones, and muscles. Due to the rarity of the condition, little is known about the health outcomes as reported by people with the disease. The objectives of this study were threefold: to characterise key patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) in adults with XLH, to identify clusters of symptom-severity groups based on PROMs, and to analyse the longitudinal progression of available PROMs. METHODS: Data from 48 participants from the Rare and Undiagnosed Diseases cohort Study (RUDY) was used to analyse both cross-sectional and longitudinal patient-reported outcomes. We analysed data for health-related quality of life (HRQL): EuroQol 5 dimensions-5 levels (EQ-5D-5L), Short-form 36 (SF-36) Physical Component Score (PCS), and SF-36 Mental Component Score (MCS), sleep: Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and Epworth Sleepiness scale (ESS), fatigue: Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and Functional assessment of chronic illness therapy-fatigue (FACIT-F), pain: Short form McGill pain questionnaire version 2 (SF-MPQ-2) and PainDETECT, and mental well-being: Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) anxiety and depression. Summary statistics, tests of mean differences, mixed-effects models, and cluster analysis were used to describe and examine the various health dimensions of individuals with XLH. RESULTS: Overall mean scores were EQ-5D-5L = 0.65, SF-36-PCS = 32.7, and SF-36-MCS = 48.4 for HRQL, ESS = 5.9 and PSQI = 8.9 for sleep, FSS = 32.8 and FACIT-F = 104.4 for fatigue, SF-MPQ-2 = 1.9 for pain, and HADS-depression = 4.7 and HADS-anxiety = 6.2 for mental well-being. 7% reported neuropathic pain (PainDETECT). Whilst many adults with XLH reported good outcomes, extreme or severe problems were reported across all outcomes. Cluster analysis identified that adults with XLH could be divided into two distinct groups, one reporting worse (35.3%) and the other better outcomes (64.7%) (less pain, fatigue, depression, and higher levels of sleep). Longitudinal analysis showed that FACIT-F and HADS-anxiety scores worsened slightly over two years with statistically significant (p < 0.05) time coefficients (b = - 2.135 and b = 0.314, respectively). CONCLUSION: Although about two thirds of adult participants of the RUDY cohort with XLH report good health outcomes, for a considerable third much worse outcomes are reported. More research is needed to examine why some experience good and others poor health outcomes and the characteristics which identify them.

Expected Benefits and Budget Impact From a Microsimulation Model Support the Prioritization and Implementation of Fracture Liaison Services.

Osteoporotic-related fractures cause significant patient disability, leading to a growing burden on health care systems. Effective secondary fracture prevention can be delivered by fracture liaison services (FLSs), but these are not available in most countries. A major barrier is insufficient policy prioritization, helped by the lack of economic assessments using national data and providing estimates of patient outcomes alongside health care resource use and cost impacts. The aim of this study was to develop an economic model to estimate the benefits and budget impact of FLSs and support their wider international implementation. Five interconnected stages were undertaken: establishment of a generic patient pathway; model design; identification of model inputs; internal validation and output generation; and scenario analyses. A generic patient pathway including FLS activities was built to underpin the economic model. A state-based microsimulation model was developed to estimate the impact of FLSs compared with current practice for men and women aged 50 years or older with a fragility fracture. The model provides estimates for health outcomes (subsequent fractures avoided and quality-adjusted life years [QALYs]), resource use, and health and social care costs, including those necessary for FLSs to operate, over 5 years. The model was run for an exemplar country the size of the United Kingdom. FLSs were estimated to lead to a reduction of 13,149 subsequent fractures and a gain of 11,709 QALYs. Hospital-bed days would be reduced by 120,989 and surgeries by 6455, while 3556 person-years of institutional social care would be avoided. Expected costs per QALY gained placed FLSs as highly cost-effective at £8258 per QALY gained over the first 5 years. Ten different scenarios were modeled using different configurations of FLSs. Further work to develop country-specific models is underway to delivery crucial national level data to inform the prioritization of FLSs by policy makers. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).

Percepción de los nefrólogos españoles sobre un problema antiguo no resuelto: Prurito asociado a la enfermedad renal crónica (Pa-ERC) / Perception of Spanish nephrologists on an old unsolved problem: Pruritus associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD-aP)

Introducción: El prurito asociado a enfermedad renal crónica se define como la sensación desagradable que provoca la necesidad de rascarse en una parte del cuerpo o en todo en personas con enfermedad renal crónica, tras haberse descartado otras causas dermatológicas o sistémicas. Es un problema antiguo y conocido cuya prevalencia ha podido disminuir con la mejoría de la eficacia dialítica pero que todavía persiste y está infradiagnosticado. Objetivos: El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la percepción y práctica actual de los nefrólogos sobre este problema que impacta en la calidad de vida de las personas con enfermedad renal crónica a través de una encuesta anónima. Resultados: Participaron 135 nefrólogos, la mayoría dedicados a hemodiálisis. Un 86% consideró que el prurito asociado a enfermedad renal crónica sigue siendo un problema en la actualidad que afecta a la calidad de vida. La mayoría de los nefrólogos opinan que la principal causa fisiopatológica son las toxinas urémicas (60%) y solo un 16% cree que se debe a la desregulación del sistema opioide/endorfinas-dinorfinas. Únicamente un 16% comenta que la prevalencia de prurito en su centro es mayor del 20%. Un 40% cree que el diagnóstico se realiza porque lo manifiesta el paciente y solo un 27% porque lo pregunta el facultativo. Además, no es habitual usar escalas ni codificarlo en la historia clínica. El tratamiento más común son los antihistamínicos (96%), seguido de las cremas hidratantes/anestésicas (93%) y la modificación de la pauta de diálisis (70%). (AU)

Introduction: Pruritus associated with chronic kidney disease is defined as the sensation of itching, in people with chronic kidney disease, in a one area or all over the body that causes the need to scratch, after having ruled out other dermatological or systemic causes. It is an old and known problem whose prevalence has been able to decrease with the improvement of dialytic techniques but which still persists and is underdiagnosed. Objectives: The objective of this study was to analyze the current perception of nephrologists about this problem that influences the quality of life of people with chronic kidney disease through a survey. Results: 135 nephrologists, most of them engaged in hemodialysis, participated. 86% considered that pruritus associated with chronic kidney disease is still a problem today that affects the quality of life. Most nephrologists believe that the main pathophysiological cause is uremic toxins (60%) and only 16% believe that it is due to the dysregulation of the opioid system/endorphins-dynorphins. Only 16% comment that the prevalence of pruritus in their center is greater than 20%. 40% believe that the diagnosis is made because it is manifested by the patient and only 27% because it is asked by the doctor. Moreover, it is not usual to use scales to measure it or the codification in the medical records. The main treatment used is antihistamines (96%), followed by moisturizers/anesthetics (93%) and modification of the dialysis regimen (70%). (AU)