Healthcare Economic Burden Research Articles

PCN86 A Retrospective Observational Analysis of the Healthcare Economic Burden of Patients NEWLY Diagnosed with Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Treated with Locoregional Therapies in the United States

The prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing in the US, which is concomitantly associated with the increasing number of cases of cirrhosis related to chronic hepatitis C infection, as well as the rising prevalence of diabetes, obesity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. We conducted a retrospective observational analysis using administrative claims data to assess the healthcare economic burden of patients newly diagnosed with HCC and treated with locoregional therapies in the US.

Healthcare resource utilization and economic burden of antifungal management in patients with hematologic malignancy in Japan: a retrospective database study

Objective To examine treatment patterns of real-world antifungal management of patients at high risk of invasive fungal infections (IFI) and evaluate healthcare resource utilization and costs associated with antifungal management of IFIs in Japan. Methods This retrospective, observational study extracted data from a hospital-based claims database for patients in Japan who either (a) underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), or (b) were hospitalized with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and received chemotherapy during the study period of January 2010 to January 2019. Results 863 patients were included in the allo-HSCT cohort and 4498 patients were included in the AML/MDS cohort. In the allo-HSCT cohort, 91% received more than one antifungal drug during the index hospitalization. In the AML/MDS cohort, approximately 50% received more than one antifungal drug during the index hospitalization. For both the allo-HSCT and AML/MDS cohorts, about 90% of the total cost was attributed to inpatient costs. Of note, both the total cost (the total inpatient and outpatient cost) and the index hospitalization costs were higher in patients treated with multiple antifungal drugs than in those treated with a single antifungal drug during the index hospitalization. Despite being at high IFI risk, 12% of the patients in the AML/MDS cohort did not receive antifungal drugs during the index hospitalization. Conclusions Most patients with hematologic malignancy and high IFI risk underwent complicated antifungal management requiring use of multiple drugs, and accounted for high healthcare resource utilization and costs.

Thirty day readmissions and outcomes following radical nephrectomy in renal cell carcinoma: A nationwide analysis.

e16560 Background: Nephrectomy is one of the primary treatments of Stage I-III renal cell carcinoma (RCC), which is usually associated with low rates of serious morbidity and mortality. However, a fraction of patients gets readmitted after the surgery for numerous reasons which can impact their overall prognosis. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the 2017 National Readmission Database of adult patients with RCC readmitted within 30 days after an index admission for nephrectomy. We aimed to identify the 30-day readmission rate, mortality, resource utilization, and independent predictors of readmission. Results: A total of 25,307 patients with RCC underwent nephrectomy. The 30-day readmission rate was 8.7%. The top five causes for readmission were sepsis, AKI, STEMI, surgical infections & metastatic disease. Patients requiring readmission were less likely to be discharged home (56.5 vs 81.8%), have private insurance (27.2 vs 34.7), obesity (14.7 vs 20.6%), hypertension (30.9 vs 47.1%), and be admitted to a teaching hospital (75.8 vs 79.2%). They were more likely to be insured with Medicare (58.3 vs 53.3%), have lower income (28.7 vs 26.3%), type 2 diabetes (32.4 vs 26.7%), CKD (44.1 vs 20.7%), malnutrition (9.2 vs 2.1%), undergo chemotherapy (5.2 vs 1.9%). Readmission was associated with higher in-hospital mortality (1.5 vs. 0.1%), CVA (0.6 vs 0.3%), AKI (29.6 vs 16.9%) and pleural effusion (7.8 vs 1.8%). They were also more likely to require mechanical ventilation (3.5 vs 1.8%), parenteral nutrition (1.2 vs 0.4%) and hemodialysis (11.9 vs 4.5%). The in-hospital economic burden of readmission was $128 million in total charges and $31.8 million in total costs. Independent predictors of readmission were disposition to a short-term hospital or skilled nursing facility, length of stay, need for mechanical ventilation and transfusion of blood products, having type 1 diabetes, malnutrition, pleural effusion, and CKD. Younger age and private insurance were associated with preventing readmission. Conclusions: Readmissions after nephrectomy in patients with RCC are associated with increased in-hospital mortality rate and pose a high health care economic burden. We identified few risk factors and patient characteristics associated with post-surgical readmissions; however, further in-depth studies are needed to find preventable risk factors.[Table: see text]

Locoregional therapy patterns and healthcare economic burden of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in theUSA.

Aim:To examine the locoregional therapy (LRT) patterns and the healthcare economic burden of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the USA.Patients & methods:Patients with newly diagnosed HCC were identified from the MarketScan® databases (1 July 2015–31 May 2018). The LRTs received and all-cause and HCC-related healthcare costs were measured.Results:Among 2101 patients with HCC, most received embolization therapy as their first LRT treatment (57.8%, n = 1215); 17.1% (n = 360) received ablative therapy and 8.7% (n = 182) radiation therapy; 16.4% (n = 344) received multiple LRTs. After patients received their first LRT treatment, total all-cause healthcare costs averaged $20,316 per patient per month; 70.7% ($14,359) were HCC related.Conclusion:Among newly diagnosed HCC patients treated with LRT in the USA, the economic burden is high.

Prospective blinded evaluation of smartphone-based ECG for differentiation of supraventricular tachycardia from inappropriate sinus tachycardia

IntroductionSupraventricular tachycardias (SVT) are often difficult to document due to their intermittent, short-lasting nature. Smartphone-based one-lead ECG monitors (sECG) were initially developed for the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. No data have been published regarding their potential role in differentiating inappropiate sinus tachycardia (IST) from regular SVT. If cardiologists could distinguish IST from SVT in sECG, economic health care burden might be significantly reduced.MethodsWe prospectively recruited 75 consecutive patients with known SVT undergoing an EP study. In all patients, four ECG were recorded: a sECG during SVT and during sinus tachycardia and respective 12-lead ECG. Two experienced electrophysiologists were blinded to the diagnoses and separately evaluated all ECG.ResultsThree hundred individual ECG were recorded in 75 patients (47 female, age 50 ± 18 years, BMI 26 ± 5 kg/m2, 60 AVNRT, 15 AVRT). The electrophysiologists’ blinded interpretation of sECG recordings showed a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 91% for the detection of SVT (interobserver agreement κ = 0.76). In high-quality sECG recordings (68%), sensitivity rose to 95% with a specificity of 92% (interobserver agreement of κ = 0.91). Specificity increased to 96% when both electrophysiologists agreed on the diagnosis. Respective 12-lead ECG had a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 98% for the detection of SVT.ConclusionA smartphone-based one-lead ECG monitor allows for differentiation of SVT from IST in about 90% of cases. These results should encourage cardiologists to integrate wearables into clinical practice, possibly reducing time to definitive diagnosis of an arrhythmia and unnecessary EP procedures.Graphical abstractA smartphone-based one lead ECG device (panel A) can be used reliably to differentiate supraventricular tachycardia (panel B) from inappropriate sinus tachycardia when compared to a simultaneously conducted gold-standard electrophysiology study (panels C, D).

Lung cancer screening: who pays? Who receives? The European perspectives.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and its early detection is critical to achieving a curative treatment and to reducing mortality. Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) is a highly sensitive technique for detecting noninvasive small lung tumors in high-risk populations. We here analyze the current status of lung cancer screening (LCS) from a European point of view. With economic burden of health care in most European countries resting on the state, it is important to reduce costs of screening and improve its effectiveness. Current cost-effectiveness analyses on LCS have indicated a favorable economic profile. The most recently published analysis reported an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of €3,297 per 1 life-year gained adjusted for the quality of life (QALY) and €2,944 per life-year gained, demonstrating a 90% probability of ICER being below €15,000 and a 98.1% probability of being below €25,000. Different risk models have been used to identify the target population; among these, the PLCOM2012 in particular allows for the selection of the population to be screened with high sensitivity. Risk models should also be employed to define screening intervals, which can reduce the general number of LDCT scans after the baseline round. Future perspectives of screening in a European scenario are related to the will of the policy makers to implement policy on a large scale and to improve the effectiveness of a broad screening of smoking-related disease, including cardiovascular prevention, by measuring coronary calcium score on LDCT. The employment of artificial intelligence (AI) in imaging interpretation, the use of liquid biopsies for the characterization of CT-detected undetermined nodules, and less invasive, personalized surgical treatments, will improve the effectiveness of LCS.

Healthcare resource utilization and costs among nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients in Germany.

BackgroundPatients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are associated with progression to advanced liver diseases that include compensated cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis, liver transplantation, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study characterized comorbidities, healthcare resource utilization (HRU), and associated costs among NAFLD patients in Germany.MethodsGerman healthcare claims data between 2011 and 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. Adult patients diagnosed with NAFLD and/or NASH were categorized as NAFLD, NAFLD non-progressors, compensated cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis, liver transplant, or HCC. Within each stage, annual all-cause HRU and costs were measured during the pre- and post-index periods.ResultsAmong 4,580,434 patients in the database, proportion of NAFLD was 4.7% (n=215,655). Of them, 36.8% were non-progressors, 0.2% compensated cirrhosis, 9.6% decompensated cirrhosis, 0.0005% liver transplant, and 0.2% HCC. Comorbidity rates were significantly higher in compensated cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis, and HCC compared with non-progressors (52.07%, 56.46%, 57.58% vs. 27.49% for cardiovascular disease; 77.13%, 76.61%, 83.47% vs. 54.89% for hypertension; 47.20%, 53.81%, 52.89% vs. 35.21% for hyperlipidemia; 49.88%, 36.67%, 48.21% vs. 20.38% for type 2 diabetes mellitus). The mean annual numbers of post-index outpatient visits and inpatient hospitalizations were significantly higher in patients with advanced liver diseases versus non-progressors. Mean annual costs were significantly higher among patients with advanced liver diseases (compensated cirrhosis, €10,291; decompensated cirrhosis, €22,561; liver transplant, €34,089; HCC, €35,910) than non-progressors (€3,818, P<0.001, except liver transplant cohort). This trend remained consistent after adjusting for baseline demographics and comorbidities.ConclusionsNAFLD patients in Germany are grossly underdiagnosed and exert substantial healthcare resource use and economic burden, particularly those with advanced liver diseases. Optimal strategies for early identification and management are needed to prevent disease progression and limit the rising costs.

Economic burden of generalized pustular psoriasis and palmoplantar pustulosis in the United States

Objective To estimate healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and economic burden of generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) and palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) in a commercially insured population the United States (US). Methods Adult patients with a GPP or PPP diagnosis were identified between April 1, 2016 and August 1, 2019 in the IQVIA PharMetrics Plus database. Patients required continuous enrollment in medical and pharmacy benefits 6 months before and ≥2 months after the index diagnosis. GPP and PPP cohorts were exactly matched 1:3 on demographics and index date to a plaque psoriasis and a control cohort of the general population. All-cause HCRU and cost measures (direct medical and pharmacy) were reported as per patient per month (PPPM). Generalized linear models estimated adjusted cost ratios between matched cohorts, controlling for comorbidities. Results HCRU was high among GPP and PPP patients. Rates of inpatient visits were 4 times higher in GPP patients and 2 times higher in PPP patients compared to their matched cohorts. GPP patients experienced significantly higher total healthcare costs compared to matched cohorts (GPP vs plaque psoriasis: cost ratio 1.36, 95% confidence interval (1.22, 1.50); GPP vs control: 5.58 (3.73, 8.36)). PPP patients had significantly higher total healthcare costs compared to the general population (4.11 (3.31, 5.11)), while costs were comparable to plaque psoriasis patients (1.06 (0.97, 1.16)). Conclusions GPP and PPP patients have significant economic burden due to higher direct medical and pharmacy costs. Further investigation is needed to better understand the drivers of economic burden in patients with GPP and PPP, and how HCRU and costs are impacted by disease severity.

Prescription pattern study of antiasthmatics drugs in tertiary care centre

Background: Bronchial asthma is a social and economic healthcare burden. Drug Utilization studies can play a key role in helping the healthcare system to understand, interpret and improve the prescribing administration &amp; use of medications.Methods: A prospective, Cross-sectional, Observational study was conducted at inpatient and outpatient Department of Medicine and Paediatrics in tertiary health care centre. As per inclusion criteria, 127 patients with asthma were interviewed, and prescription data was recorded in a pre-designed case record form from 1 October 2018 to 31 December 2018.Results: A total of 127 prescriptions were studied. It was observed that majority of the study patients were in the age group of 40-50 years, with 83 (65.5%) males and 44 (34.6%) females. Most of the patients were of Mild intermittent asthma 65 (51.18 %) followed by patients with Mild persistent asthma 31 (24.40 %). 10 different anti-asthmatics drugs were prescribed along with adjunctive medicines. Most of the patients received multiple drug therapy 98 (77.16 %). Prevalence of two drug combination was the highest 74 (58.26 %) followed by monotherapy29 (22.83 %). Most common route of drug administration was inhalational route followed by oral route. β2 agonists and corticosteroids were the most commonly prescribed combination drugs followed by methylxanthines. 103 (81.10 %) prescription contains both generic and brand drugs compared to generic names only 16 (12.59 %) and brand names only 8 (6.29 %).Conclusions: This study concluded that the present prescribing practice in asthma therapy in tertiary care centre is not sufficiently rational. Hence, it is necessary to encourage physicians to follow asthma guidelines while managing asthmatic patients.

Healthcare utilization and economic burden of difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis: a cost-of-illness study.

To determine the impact of difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis (D2T RA) on (costs related to) healthcare utilization, other resource use and work productivity. Data regarding healthcare utilization, other resource use and work productivity of 52 D2T (according to the EULAR definition) and 100 non-D2T RA patients were collected via a questionnaire and an electronic patient record review during a study visit. Annual costs were calculated and compared between groups. Multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to assess whether having D2T RA was associated with higher costs. Mean (95% CI) annual total costs were €37605 (€27689 - €50378) for D2T and €19217 (€15647 - €22945) for non-D2T RA patients (P<0.001). D2T RA patients visited their rheumatologist more frequently, were more often admitted to day-care facilities, underwent more laboratory tests and used more drugs (specifically targeted synthetic DMARDs), compared with non-D2T RA patients (P<0.01). In D2T RA patients, the main contributors to total costs were informal help of family and friends (28%), drugs (26%) and loss of work productivity (16%). After adjustment for physical functioning (HAQ), having D2T RA was no longer statistically significantly associated with higher total costs. HAQ was the only independent determinant of higher costs in multivariable analysis. The economic burden of D2T RA is significantly higher than that of non-D2T RA, indicated by higher healthcare utilization and higher annual total costs. Functional disability is a key determinant of higher costs in RA.

The lines of loco-regional therapies received and the healthcare economic burden of patients newly diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States.

286 Background: Hepatocelluar carcinoma (HCC) is one of the fastest growing causes of cancer-related deaths in the US. The objectives of this study were to examine the lines of loco-regional therapies received and the healthcare economic burden of patients newly diagnosed with HCC in the US. Methods: Patients (≥18 years of age) diagnosed with HCC who received ≥1 loco-regional therapy (index date) after diagnosis were identified from the MarketScan Commercial and Medicare Supplemental databases (July 1, 2013-May 31, 2018). Patients were required to have ≥6 months of continuous insurance enrollment before the index date and ≥1 month after (follow-up period). The follow-up period was censored when patients received any systemic therapy. During the follow-up periods, the number of patients who received radiation therapy, ablative therapy, and embolization procedures (transarterial embolization/chemoembolization [TAE] and radioembolization [TARE]) were examined. All-cause and HCC-related healthcare costs (total and patient out-of-pocket [OOP] payments per patient per month [PPPM]) were also measured. Results: Among the 2,101 patients newly diagnosed with HCC who received ≥1 loco-regional therapy, median age was 64 years and 75.0% were male; the mean follow-up duration was 11.5 months. During the follow-up periods, 28.1% (n = 590) received radiation therapy, 27.3% (n = 574) ablative therapy, and 77.3% (n = 1,623) embolization therapy (TAE: 68.7% [n = 1,443]; TARE: 20.7% [n = 434]); 30.9% of patients received multiple loco-regional therapies. During the follow-up periods, total all-cause healthcare costs were a mean of $20,316 (OOP: $378) PPPM, of which 70.7% ($14,359; OOP: $227 PPPM) were HCC-related. The breakdown of healthcare costs is shown in the table. Conclusions: According to the findings of this large-scale real-world analysis of patients newly diagnosed with HCC in the US, a vast majority received at least one embolization procedure. The monthly healthcare economic burden of patients with HCC treated with local-regional therapies is relatively high. [Table: see text]

Thirty-Day Readmission Among Patients with Alcoholic Acute Pancreatitis.

Alcoholic acute pancreatitis (AAP) comprises the second most common cause of acute pancreatitis in the USA, and there is lack of data regarding 30-day specific readmission causes and predictors. We aim to identify 30-day readmission rate, causes, and predictors of readmission. Retrospective analysis of the 2016 National Readmission Database of adult patients readmitted within 30days after an index admission for AAP. Totally, 76,609 AAP patients were discharged from the hospital in 2016. The 30-day readmission rate was 12%. The main cause of readmission was another episode of AAP. Readmission was not associated with higher mortality (1.3% vs. 1.2%; P = 0.21) or prolonged length of stay (5.2 vs. 5.0days; P = 0.06). The total health care economic burden was $354 million in charges and $90 million in costs. Independent predictors of readmission were having Medicaid insurance, a Charlson comorbidity index score ≥ 3, use of total parenteral nutrition, opioid abuse disorder, prior pancreatic cyst, chronic alcoholic pancreatitis, and other chronic pancreatitis. Obesity was associated with lower odds of readmission. Readmission rate for AAP is high and its primary cause are recurrent episodes of AAP. Alcohol and substance abuse pose a high burden on our health care system. Public health strategies should be targeted to provide alcohol abuse disorder rehabilitation and cessation resources to alleviate the burden on readmission, the health care system and to improve patient outcomes.

Healthcare utilization and cost burden of Huntington’s disease among Medicare beneficiaries in the United States

Aims To examine healthcare utilization and costs in a US Medicare population diagnosed with Huntington’s disease (HD). Methods This was a retrospective matched cohort study using Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) claims data using 2013–2017 Research Identifiable Files. Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with HD based on the presence of at least one medical claim with an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth or Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9/10-CM) diagnosis code for HD (ICD-9-CM: 333.4; ICD-10-CM: G10) during the identification period (2014–2016). Beneficiaries without HD were drawn from a 5% random sample of Medicare beneficiaries and 1:1 matched to those with HD for comparison. All-cause and HD-related (any utilization related to HD diagnosis or symptoms associated with HD) healthcare utilization and costs were reported. Results We identified 3,688 matched pairs of beneficiaries with and without HD. Of those with HD, 1,922 (52.1%) were late-stage, 916 (24.8%) were middle-stage, and 850 (23.1%) were early-stage. Mean [SD] annual total healthcare costs were higher for HD beneficiaries than beneficiaries without HD ($41,631 [57,393] vs. $17,222 [31,218], p < .001) and were primarily driven by outpatient pharmacy costs ($19,182 [45,469] vs. $4,318 [11,553], p < .001). In the stratified analysis, total healthcare costs were highest among beneficiaries with late-stage HD (mean [SD] cost: $20,475 [$41,122] for early-stage vs. $29,733 [$44,977] for middle-stage vs. $56,657 [$64,185] for late-stage; p < .001). Limitations Results are not generalizable to beneficiaries enrolled in other non-FFS Medicare plans. Administrative claims are intended for billing purposes, not research, and may not capture all symptoms, comorbidities, and other adverse events. Conclusions This original, comprehensive analysis of healthcare utilization and economic burden among Medicare beneficiaries with HD found that healthcare needs and associated costs are substantially higher among Medicare beneficiaries who are diagnosed with HD compared to beneficiaries without HD.

Economic burden of congenital athymia in the United States for patients receiving supportive care during the first 3 years of life

Aims Congenital athymia is an ultra-rare pediatric condition characterized by the lack of thymus in utero and the naïve T cells critical for infection defense and immune regulation. Patients with congenital athymia receive supportive care to minimize and treat infections, autoimmune phenomena, and autologous graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) manifestations, but historically, die within the first 3 years of life with supportive care only. We estimated the healthcare resource utilization and economic burden of supportive care over patients’ first 3 years of life in the United States. Methods A medical chart audit by the treating physician was used to collect patient data from birth to age 3 on clinical manifestations associated with congenital athymia (clinical manifestations due to underlying syndromic conditions excluded). Using costs and charges from publicly available sources, the total economic burden of direct medical costs and charges for the first 3 years of life (considered “lifetime” for patients receiving supportive care) and differences in economic burden between patients with higher and lower inpatient hospitalization durations were estimated. Results All patients (n = 10) experienced frequent infections and aGVHD manifestations; 40% experienced ≥1 episode of sepsis, and 20% had recurrent sepsis episodes annually. The estimated mean 3-year economic burden per patient was US$5,534,121 (2020 US dollars). The annual mean inpatient hospitalization duration was 150.6 days. Inpatient room charges accounted for 79% of the economic burden, reflecting the high costs of specialized care settings required to prevent infection, including isolation. Patients with high inpatient utilization (n = 5; annual mean inpatient hospitalization duration, 289.6 days) had an estimated 3-year economic burden of US$9,926,229. Limitations The total economic burden may not be adequately represented due to underestimation of some direct costs or overestimation of others. Conclusions Current treatment of patients with congenital athymia (supportive care) presents a high economic burden to the healthcare system.

The Long-Term Healthcare Utilization and Economic Burden of RSV Infection in Infants&amp;lt;5 Years in Japan: A Propensity Score Matched Case Control Study

The Long-Term Healthcare Utilization and Economic Burden of RSV Infection in Infants&amp;lt;5 Years in Japan: A Propensity Score Matched Case Control Study

Healthcare utilization patterns and economic burden of animal bites: A cross-sectional study

Objective: To determine the healthcare utilization patterns and estimate the economic burden of animal bites in Golestan province, north part of Iran.Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed based on the data of 12 181 animal-bite patients from Golestan province who were referred to the rabies prophylaxis centers between March 2019 and March 2020. The study was a societal perspective, and all patients were investigated by census method. The micro-costing method with a bottom-up approach as well as the human capital approach were used to estimate the economic burden.Results: In our study, the economic burden caused by animal bites was estimated at $1 383 639 (275 354 672 060 Rials). The largest share of costs was related to direct healthcare costs, direct non-healthcare costs, and indirect costs accouting for 91%, 5%, and 4%, respectively. In addition, the average cost of a animal-bite patient was estimated at $113.5 (22 605 260 Rials) (The average cost of a case in type 2 and 3 exposures was $45 and $412.8, respectively). The largest share of direct healthcare costs was related to immunoglobulin, vaccine, and personnel expenses accounting for 61.3%, 19.8%, and 11.65%, respectively.Conclusions: Our study shows that animal bites in Golestan province, north of Iran impose a high economic burden on the communities, especially the healthcare system, which indicates the need to review management and control programs of animal bites and rabies based on animal-bite patterns of the area.

PND54 Healthcare Resource Utilization and Economic Burden of Migraine in the United Kingdom, France, and Spain: Results of a Real-World Study

This longitudinal, retrospective study evaluated epidemiology, pharmacologic management, resource utilization, and treatment costs (medications/consultations/diagnostic tests) for patients with episodic migraine (EM; <15-days/month, last 3 months) and chronic migraine (CM) in the UK, France, and Spain. The patient cohort, from a representative panel of electronic medical records, included adults with a record of migraine diagnosis or specific treatment from April 2016 to March 2017. Patients were stratified, with triptan usage as a surrogate for migraine, by migraine classification (EM/CM). Patients were followed for 1 year after first recorded migraine diagnosis or specific migraine treatment. This study included 42,439 patients in the UK (EM, 96%), 31,250 in France (EM, 88%), and 10,577 in Spain (EM, 82%). In the UK, France, and Spain, 15.7%, 10.1%, and 2.7% of all patients, respectively, received acute and preventive treatments. During follow-up, CM patients had more mean migraine-related consultations with general practitioners than EM patients in the UK (13.9 vs 4.6), Spain (15.0 vs 5.7), and France (4.2 vs 2.5); proportions with ≥1 migraine-related diagnostic test were higher for CM versus EM patients in the UK (12.1% vs 7.2%) and France (25.1% vs 18.7%), but not Spain (10.7% vs 9.8%). Mean quarterly treatment costs (payer’s perspective) were higher in CM versus EM patients in the UK (434.3€ vs 104.3€), France (155.7€ vs 40.8€), and Spain (986.8€ vs 111.5€). Migraine is associated with substantial healthcare and economic burden, with higher resource utilization and treatment costs among CM versus EM patients in the UK, France, and Spain.

Economic evaluation of suture versus clip anastomosis in arteriovenous fistula creation

ObjectiveTechniques such as the use of nonpenetrating vascular clips for arteriovenous fistula (AVF) anastomotic creation have been developed in an effort to reduce fistula-related complications. However, the outcomes data for the use of clips have remained equivocal, and the cost evaluations to support their use have been largely theoretical. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine both the clinical and the cost outcomes of AVFs created with nonpenetrating vascular clips compared with the continuous suture technique during a 10-year period at a single institution. MethodsAll patients undergoing AVF creation in the upper extremity from 2009 through 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The patient demographics and AVF outcomes were collected and compared stratified by the surgical technique used. A cost analysis was performed of a subgroup of patients from 2013 to 2018. ResultsDuring the 10-year study period, 916 AVFs were created (79% using the continuous suture technique and 21% using nonpenetrating vascular clips). Patient demographics and comorbid conditions did not differ between the two groups, and no differences were present in maturation, primary patency, assisted primary patency, or complication rates between the two groups at 1 year. The suture group had a shorter time to maturation (4.3 months vs 5.5 months; P < .01) and improved secondary patency compared with the clip group (77.13% vs 69.59%; P = .03) The cost analysis of the procedures revealed a significant difference in direct costs (suture, $1389.26 vs clip, $1716.51; P < .01) and contribution margin (suture, $1770.19 vs clip, $1128.36; P < .01) for the two groups. ConclusionsBoth suture and clip techniques in AVF creation demonstrated equivalent rates of maturation, primary patency, assisted primary patency, and complications at 1 year with higher expense associated with the use of clips. Thus, in an effort to reduce the economic burden of healthcare in the United States, the findings from the present study support the preferential use of the standard polypropylene suture technique when creating upper extremity AVFs.

Impact of Severity of Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease on Healthcare Resource Utilization, Cost and Outcomes

Introduction: Acute GVHD (aGVHD) contributes to poor outcomes and increased healthcare resource utilization (HRU) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT). However, HRU and the economic burden of aGVHD based on severity of the disease and organ involvement is not well characterized. We examined the HRU, cost and mortality associated with aGVHD severity from initial hospitalization (index admission) up to 100 days post allo-HCT. Methods: Study cohort included 290 adult (≥ age 18) recipients of a first allo-HCT at the University of Florida between 1/2010 and 1/2019. The electronic medical records were reviewed for all patients who developed aGVHD as well as 116 patients without aGVHD who lived at least 1 month after HCT. Clinical measures that characterize the severity of aGVHD and extent of organ involvement were collected from electronic medical records. Medical costs and total hospital days were retrieved from administrative data that allocate costs to services based on departmental input for resource use and were adjusted to 2018 dollars. Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to compare number of inpatient days and total cost. Chi-squared test was used to compare ICU admission rate. Multivariable linear regression was fitted on log transformed cost. Results are shown as cost multipliers that represent ratios on original cost scale. Results: Of the 290 patients, 174 developed aGVHD within 100 days of allo-HCT. A higher proportion of patients with aGVHD had a Karnofsky performance status &amp;lt;80%, underwent matched unrelated donor HCT, and received calcineurin based GVHD prophylaxis. The mean number of days in the hospital for patients with aGVHD compared to those without aGVHD was 28 vs. 22 days, P&amp;lt;0.001 (Figure 1A). The mean number of hospital days for patients with grade I-II compared to those without aGVHD was 25 days vs. 22 days (P= 0.04) and for grade III-IV the mean number of days in the hospital compared to those without aGVHD was 48 days vs. 22 days (p &amp;lt; 0.001). In addition, presence of Lower gastrointestinal (GI) aGVHD was associated with more mean number of days in the hospital compared with those without aGVHD (43 vs. 22 days, P&amp;lt; 0.001). The ICU admission rates in patients with and without aGVHD were 13.2% and 6%, respectively (P=0.07) (Figure 1B). Analysis of ICU admissions based on grade of aGVHD revealed a significantly higher rate of ICU admission among patients with higher grade (grade III-IV) acute GVHD compared to those without aGVHD (22.3% vs. 6.0%, P=0.002). The early mortality rate in the first 100 days in aGVHD patients was twice that of the no aGVHD patients (14.9% vs. 7.8%; P=0.09). Compared to patients without aGVHD, early mortality was significantly higher in patients with aGVHD grade III-IV (7.8% vs. 33.9%; P&amp;lt; 0.001) and lower GI aGVHD (7.8% vs. 25.7%; P=0.001). Development of aGVHD was associated with a significantly higher total (inpatient and outpatient) cost. The mean total cost for patients with and without aGVHD were $226,545 and $165,622, respectively (P&amp;lt;0.001). Mean total costs associated with grades I, II and III-IV aGVHD were $183,693 (p = 0.44), $201,737 (p = 0.04) and $286,551 (&amp;lt;0.001), respectively (compared to $165,622 for those without aGVHD). Acute GVHD with GI involvement was significantly associated with higher mean total cost compared with aGVHD without GI involvement ($255,283 vs. $177,151, P&amp;lt;0.001). Among aGVHD cohort with GI involvement (Lower and/or upper GI), the mean cost was higher in patients with lower GI (LGI) compared with those without LGI aGVHD ($280,290 vs. $203,879, P=0.04). A multivariable analysis of risk factors for HCT cost identified presence of aGVHD, younger age at HCT, higher comorbidity index, and donor other than matched related donor as being associated with significantly higher costs (Table 1). Conclusion: HRU, cost, and clinical outcomes were associated with the severity of aGVHD. Development of higher grades of aGVHD and LGI aGVHD were associated with a poor clinical outcome and considerably increased healthcare economic burden. Given these clinical and economic risks it is imperative that new therapeutic strategies are developed for this patient population. Disclosures Farhadfar: Incyte pharmaceutical: Other: Member of GVHD advisory forum; CSL Behring: Research Funding. Leather:CSL Behring: Research Funding. Itzler:CSL Behring: Current Employment, Current equity holder in private company. Wingard:CSL Behring: Research Funding.

Projecting influenza vaccine effectiveness: A simulation study.

The impact of influenza vaccination is largely measured by estimating vaccine effectiveness (VE), which vary in different seasons. Strain mutations and waning immunity present two key mechanisms affecting VE. We sought to quantify the relative effect of these mechanisms by projecting VE and the reduction of illness due to vaccination. We developed a stochastic age-structured agent-based simulation model of influenza transmission dynamics to encapsulate intraseason waning of immunity post-vaccination, and mutation-induced antigenic distance between circulating strains and vaccine strains. Parameterizing the model with published estimates, we projected the temporal and overall VE during an epidemic season, and estimated the reduction of infection for high (70%) and low (30%) vaccine efficacies to reflect the levels of vaccine-induced protection in randomized control trials. Both temporal and overall VE decreased as the attack rate increased, with lower median values for epidemics starting with strains that were antigenically more distant from vaccine strains. We observed a higher rate of temporal decline with considerably lower median values of the overall VE in the presence of intraseason waning of immunity compared with only the antigenic distance effect. The highest benefit of vaccination in preventing influenza infection was achieved at moderate attack rates in the range of 6%-15%. The results show that even when VE is relatively low in the population and almost negligible for older age groups (i.e., 50+ years), vaccination can still prevent significant illness in high-risk individuals; thereby reducing healthcare resource utilization and economic burden. Our study indicates that early vaccination remains an important strategy for alleviating the burden of seasonal influenza. Policy discussions on optimal timing of vaccination to reduce the effect of intraseason waning of immunity should be considered in the context of strain mutations within the epidemic course.