Multidisciplinary Heart Failure Care Program: An Experience From Colombia.

The prevalence of Heart Failure is growing alarmingly; its treatment consumes health resources and affects the quality of life of patients. To describe the changes in NYHA functional Class, ejection fraction, hospitalizations, and mortality after 8 years of follow up in a multidisciplinary heart failure program in Colombia as a model for lower and middle income countries. An observational study was performed with the retrospective analysis of the information. 1757 patients were included, The NYHA functional class at the beginning of the program was: NYHA I 23.5%, NYHA II 50.3%, NYHA class Improvement was observed at the end of the follow-up with an increase in the percentage of patients in Functional Class NYHA I and II. The reduction in hospitalizations were 35% less (mean: 0.68 ± 0.95, P < 0.0001), a reduction in the length of stay in the hospital was 13.2% (before: 4.46 ± 7.16, after 3.87 ± 8.1 days, P < 0.001). The total mortality after eight years of follow-up was 6.6 % (n = 116). Multidisciplinary follow-up in Heart Failure (HF) programs improves Functional Class and EF, decreases hospital admissions as well as hospitalization and the length of stay. This is a very simple and successful model of care for this disease that can be implemented for countries of lower- and middle-income countries.

Cost-effectiveness of the use of the continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion pump versus daily multiple injections in type 1 diabetes adult patients at the Mexican Institute of Social Security.

BACKGROUND: To estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of the use of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy versus multiple daily injections (MDI) therapy in adult patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS). METHODS: An analysis was developed using the internationally validated Core Diabetes Model (CDM) with which the incidence and progression of acute and chronic complications and the mortality of T1D was simulated throughout life. The baseline characteristics of the simulated cohorts were obtained from Mexican T1D adult patients aged ≥ 18 years that received care at two national IMSS medical centres in 2016. In the base case, the costs of the complications and treatment of the disease with both therapies were estimated in Mexican currency from the perspective of the institution, using Diagnosis Related Groups for outpatient and inpatient care. Utilities were taken from the international bibliography. In a secondary analysis, indirect costs were included using a human capital approach. The model used a lifetime time horizon, and a discount rate of 5% was applied for health outcomes and costs. A one-way sensitivity analysis was conducted on key variables and patient sub-groups; uncertainty was evaluated using a Cost-Effectiveness Acceptability Curve. RESULTS: The average age of the cohort was 32 years, with diabetes duration of 19 years, an average HbA1c of 9.2%; 29% were men. A gain of 0.614 Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) was estimated with the use of CSII therapy. The estimated ICER was MXN$478,020 per QALY in the base case, and MXN$369,593 when indirect costs were considered. The sensitivity analysis showed that, in adult patients with HbA1c > 9.0%, the ICER was MXN$262,237. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first economic evaluation study that compares CSII therapy versus MDI therapy for T1D adult patients in Mexico. The insulin pump therapy can be considered cost-effective in the context of the IMSS when considering a threshold of three GDPs per capita with 43.9% probability. Results improve substantially when patients have an HbA1c above 9%.

Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of type 1 diabetes patients associated with emergency room visits and hospitalizations in Mexico.

BACKGROUND: To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of Type 1 diabetes (T1D) patients affiliated with the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) and ascertain the socio-demographic and clinical risk factors associated with emergency room (ER) visits and diabetes-related hospitalizations. METHODS: We conducted secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional study. The study included T1D patients 18 years of age and older who in 2016 attended follow-up visits at the endocrinology department of two IMSS tertiary care hospitals in Mexico City. The study variables included demographics, acute and chronic complications, and healthcare services utilization. Multiple Poisson and negative binomial regressions served to determine the association between the study covariates and the dependent variables: ER visits and diabetes-related hospitalizations. RESULTS: The study included 192 patients, of which 29.2% were men; average age was 32.3 years, with only 13.6% controlled (glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C) < 7%); the mean HbA1C was 9.2, and 64.6% presented chronic complications. During 2016, 39.0% visited ER services, and 33.9% were hospitalized. The common risk factors for ER visits and hospitalization were older age at the beginning of diabetes, severe acute complications, chronic microvascular and macrovascular complications, and other comorbidities. Female sex, high school education, depression, and repeated visits to the endocrinologist were associated with ER visits, whereas active smoking and the interaction between diabetes duration > 10 years and HbA1c > 9.0% were additional risk factors for hospitalization. CONCLUSION: The poor clinical conditions of T1D patients contribute to explain the escalating demand for health services for diabetes patients at the IMSS. The identification of risk factors enables focalizing interventions to improve the health outcomes of T1D patients and reduce the proportion of ER visits and hospital admissions.

Costo efectividad del tratamiento de denervación renal vs. mejor tratamiento médico estándar disponible en el control de la hipertensión resistente en Colombia / Cost-effectiveness renal denervation therapy vs. the best standard medical treatment available in the control of resistant hypertension in Colombia

Objetivo: Mediante la adaptación a Colombia del modelo realizado por BresMed y previo análisis de transferibilidad, se realizó un análisis de costo-efectividad del tratamiento de denervación renal vs. mejor tratamiento estándar en el control de la hipertensión resistente y los eventos cardiovasculares relacionados. Métodos: Se construyó un modelo de Markov con 32 estados de salud y siete resultados finales: accidente cerebrovascular, infarto del miocardio, enfermedad coronaria, falla cardiaca, enfermedad renal crónica terminal, mortalidad cardiovascular y muerte. Se consideró un horizonte de toda la vida, la perspectiva desde el pagador y una tasa de descuento del 3%. Para el cálculo de las probabilidades de sufrir eventos se utilizaron las ecuaciones de riesgo de Framingham y las efectividades se tomaron del estudio clínico SYMPLICITY HTN-2. Los costos se extrajeron del entorno local y las tasas de mortalidad del Observatorio global de salud de la Organización Mundial de la Salud. Los resultados incluyeron los costos de cada alternativa de tratamiento, así como los años de vida ajustados a calidad ganados. Se realizaron análisis determinístico y probabilístico. Resultados: El tratamiento de denervación renal produjo 12,48 años de vida ajustados a calidad ganados a un costo de US $46.509 vs. 11,68 años de vida ajustados a calidad ganados del mejor tratamiento estándar a un costo de US $41.199, con un costo incremental por años de vida ajustados a calidad ganados de US $6.612. Tanto el análisis de sensibilidad univariado como el probabilístico, mostraron la robustez de los resultados. Conclusiones: El tratamiento de denervación renal, con un costo incremental por años de vida ajustados a calidad ganados de $6.612, muy por debajo de 1 PIB per cápita de Colombia, mostró ser altamente costo-efectivo.

Objective: By adapting to Colombia the model conducted by BresMed and preliminary analysis of transferability, an analysis of cost-effectiveness of treatment of renal denervation vs. best standard treatment in the control of resistant hypertension and cardiovascular events, was performed. Methods: A Markov model was constructed with 32 health states and seven outcomes: stroke, myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, heart failure, terminal chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular mortality and death. A horizon of lifetime, from the payer perspective and a discount rate of 3% was considered. To calculate the odds of experiencing a cardiovascular event, Framingham risk equations and effectiveness were taken from the trial SYMPLICITY HTN-2. Costs were extracted from the local environment and the mortality rates from the global health observatory of the World Health Organization. The results included the costs of each alternative of treatment, as well as the quality adjusted life years (QALY). Deterministic and probabilistic analyzes were performed. Results: Treatment of renal denervation generated 12.48 quality adjusted life years gained at a cost of U.S. $ 46,509 vs .11.68 years of quality adjusted life years gained by the best standard treatment at a cost of U.S. $ 41,199, with an incremental cost per year of quality adjusted life of U.S. $ 6,612 . Both univariate sensitivity analysis and probabilistic analysis showed the strength of the results. Conclusions: Treatment of renal denervation, with an incremental cost per quality -adjusted life years gained of $ 6,612, well below 1 GDP of Colombia per capita, showed to be highly cost-effective.

Adaptación a Colombia y Venezuela del modelo económico dasatinib primera línea del York Health Economics Consortium para el tratamiento de la leucemia mieloide crónica / Adaptation to Colombia and Venezuela of the economic model Dasatinib first-line treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia, developed by the York Health Economics Consortium

Objetivo: Basados en una evaluación económica de costo-efectividad del dasatinib primera línea en el tratamiento de la leucemia mieloide crónica (LMC) realizada por el Consorcio de York, y previo análisis de transferibilidad de datos, se realizó una adaptación de ésta a Colombia y Venezuela. Se compararon los costos y la relación de costo-efectividad del uso de la dosis de 100 mg/día de dasatinib versus 400 mg/día de imatinib y 600 mg/día de nilotinib para cada fase de la enfermedad, como tratamientos de primera línea, con incrementos a 140 mg/día de dasatinib, 800 mg/día de imatinib y 800 mg/día de nilotinib en una segunda línea de tratamiento. Métodos: El modelo original consideró aquellos pacientes con diagnóstico de LMC que no hubieran recibido tratamiento previo. Para realizar la adaptación de la evaluación económica se asumieron las probabilidades de cambio, para lo cual se consideraron tres fases, crónica, acelerada y muerte, a lo largo de toda la vida y con una tasa de descuento del 3,5 por ciento para los costos y beneficios. Los resultados del modelo incluyeron los costos de cada alternativa de tratamiento con dasatinib, nilotinib o imatinib y los años de vida ajustados a calidad ganada. Los costos se expresan en pesos colombianos y bolívares fuertes del año 2011. Resultados: El dasatinib produjo la mayor cantidad de años de vida ajustados a calidad, tanto para Colombia como para Venezuela con 10,67 y 10,53 QALYs respectivamente, en comparación con 10,10 y 9,97 QALYs en cada caso para el imatinib y 10,50 y 10,36 QALYs para el nilotinib. Los costos esperados por QALY en Colombia fueron de $ 108.174.020 para el dasatinib, $ 80.826.556 para el imatinib y $ 134.747.281 para el nilotinib. En Venezuela fueron de BsF 222.970 para el dasatinib, BsF 213.142 para el imatinib y BsF 269.193 para el nilotinib. El dasatinib fue dominante sobre el nilotinib en ambos países. Conclusiones: El dasatinib fue más efectivo...

Objective: To adapt an economic model of frontline dasatinib treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia developed by the York Consortium to the health care settings in Colombia and Venezuela. Methods: The original model considered treatment of naïve patients with CML and a Markov's model with probabilities of change between chronic, accelerated phases and death, over a patient’s lifetime. The applied discount rate is 3.5 percent for both costs and benefits. Direct medical and treatment costs, and mortality rates were taken from the local published data and WHO life tables. Costs are expressed in 2011 Colombian pesos and Venezuelan strong bolivars. Results: Dasatinib 100 mg/day as frontline treatment for CML produced the greatest number of QALYs, both in Colombia and Venezuela with 10.67 and 10.53 QALYs respectively, compared with 10.10 and 9.97 QALYs for imatinib and 10.50 and 10.36 QALYs for nilotinib. The expected cost per QALY in Colombia was $ 108.174.020 for dasatinib, $ 80.826.556 for imatinib and $ 134.747.281 for nilotinib. The expected cost per QALY in Venezuela was BsF 222.970 for dasatinib, BsF 213.142 for imatinib and BsF 269.193 for nilotinib. Dasatinib was dominant to nilotinib in both countries. Conclusions: In the frontline treatment for CML in Colombia and Venezuela, dasatinib had greater QALYs than both imatinib and nilotinib, and demonstrated cost-effectiveness relative to nilotinib. There was an increase in overall costs, due to the increase in life years gained and thus a greater use of overall health care resources.

Evaluación económica del tratamiento de diabetes tipo 2 con saxagliptina en Colombia / Economic evaluation of type 2 diabetes treatment with saxagliptin in Colombia

Objetivo: Determinar la relación costo efectividad incremental del agregado de saxagliptina o sulfonilureas en Colombia a personas con DMT2 que no logran alcanzar metas glucémicas con metformina, durante un período máximo de 20 años. Metodología: Se realizó un estudio de costo efectividad, utilizando un modelo de simulación de eventos discretos con incremento de tiempo fijo (Diabetes Cardiff Model). Las características de la cohorte de pacientes y el perfil de eficacia para cada tratamiento se obtuvieron de la literatura. El costo de los medicamentos se obtuvo de SISMED y Farmaprecios. Los costos de los eventos macro y microvasculares se basaron en el POS, Manual Tarifario SOAT y consulta con experto local. La tasa de descuento en costos y beneficios fue 3,5 por ciento. Resultados: En el grupo tratado con saxagliptina registramos menos eventos fatales y no fatales y menos episodios de hipoglucemia. En ambas estrategias los mayores costos correspondieron a los medicamentos, seguidos por los asociados al tratamiento del infarto de miocardio. El costo incremental de la terapia con saxagliptina fue de US$ 555.552 a 20 años. El tratamiento con saxagliptina redundó en un mayor número de Años de Vida Ajustados por Calidad (AVAC) y Años de Vida Ganados (AVG), respecto al obtenido con sulfonilureas. El costo por AVAC fue de US$ 2.190. Los resultados de costo efectividad fueron robustos al análisis de sensibilidad. Conclusión: El agregado de saxagliptina a pacientes que no logran un control glucémico adecuado con metformina, es muy costo efectiva comparada con el agregado de sulfonilureas.

Objective: To determine in Colombia, the cost effectiveness ratio of the saxagliptin or sulphonylureas addition to patients with T2DM who fail to achieve glycemic goals with metformin, for a maximum period of 20 years. Methods: We performed a cost effectiveness analysis, using a discrete event simulation model with fixed time step (Cardiff Diabetes Model). The characteristics of the cohort of patients and efficacy profile for each treatment were obtained from the literature. The cost of medication was obtained from SISMED and Farmaprecios. The costs of macro and microvascular events were based on POS tariffs, SOAT Manual and consultation with local expert. The discount rate on costs and benefits was 3.5 percent. Results: The group treated with saxagliptin had fewer fatal and nonfatal events and fewer episodes of hypoglycemia than the one with sulfonylureas. In both strategies the higher cost corresponds to the drugs, followed by those associated with the treatment of myocardial infarction. The incremental cost of saxagliptin therapy was US$ 555.552 to 20 years. Saxagliptin treatment resulted in a greater number of quality-adjusted life year (QALYs) and life-years gained (LYG) than that obtained with sulfonylureas. The cost per QALY was US$ 2,190. Cost-effectiveness results were robust to sensitivity analysis. Conclusion: Addition of saxagliptin to patients who do not achieve adequate glycemic control with metformin, is highly cost-effective compared with the addition of sulphonylureas.

Measuring the quality of health care outputs and its possible impact upon the cost containment of health care / La medición de la calidad de los productos y su posible impacto en la contención de los costos en la atención de la salud

This paper intends to answer the following research question: On which extent are these measures effective and efficient with regard to Cost-containment in health care? A descriptive study is done starting from a revision of the published literature in the European Union member states. With the objective of responding to this question, a description of what health is and also what health care is, which its components of costs in health are, what is understood by Health Technology Assessment and which are their applications and the utility of that this tool represents to control the costs in health. It is described in the health output measurement and which are the mostly used tools to measure the gain in health of the patients after doing an intervention on him/her in the System of health. A description of the diverse components of Costs-containment is done, which of these are used, how they are used, what impact they have on health systems and finally, it concludes that one of the best tools for the cost-containment is the products that the agencies/offices of Health Technology Assessment generate, products generated from researching interventions on health, assessing its effectiveness, its scientific evidence and the impact on the population’s health. It is worth mentioning that the products of the Health Technology Assessment Agencies are a fundamental tool for the decision making in the health systems.

Este artículo pretende responder la siguiente pregunta de investigación: ¿Hasta qué punto las acciones en salud son eficaces y eficientes para controlar los costos? Se realizó este trabajo a partir de una revisión de la literatura publicada en los países miembros de la Unión Europea. Con el objetivo de responder esta pregunta se realiza una descripción de lo que es salud y el cuidado de la salud, cuáles son sus componentes de costos en salud, qué se entiende por evaluación de tecnología en salud y cuáles son sus aplicaciones y la utilidad que esta herramienta representa para controlar los costos en salud. Se describe la medición de los resultados (outputs) en salud y cuáles son las herramientas más utilizadas para medir la ganancia en salud de los pacientes luego de efectuar una intervención en el Sistema de Salud. Se realiza una descripción de los diversos componentes de contención de costos, cuáles de estos son los más utilizados, cómo se utilizan, qué impacto tienen en los sistemas de salud; y se concluye que una de las mejores herramientas para la contención de costos son los productos que genera las agencias o las oficinas de Evaluación de tecnologías en salud, generados a partir de la investigación de las intervenciones en salud, evaluando su efectividad, evidencia científica y el impacto en la salud de la población. Es de anotar que los productos de las Agencias de Evaluación de Tecnologías en Salud son una herramienta fundamental para la toma de decisiones en los sistemas de salud.