Higher Health Care Expenditures Research Articles

Clinical aspects of reimbursement policies for orphan drugs in Central and Eastern European countries.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to characterize the reimbursement policy for orphan drugs (ODs) in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries in relation to the availability and impact of clinical evidence, health technology assessment (HTA) procedure, selected economic indicators, and the drug type according to indications. Materials and methods: A list of authorized medicines with orphan designation and information about active substance, Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification, and therapeutic area was extracted from the web-based register of the European Medicines Agency (EMA). A country-based questionnaire survey was performed between September 2021 and January 2022 in a group of selected experts from nine CEE countries (an invitation was sent to 11 countries). A descriptive and statistical analysis was conducted to determine statistical significance, correlations, between the drug or country characteristic and the positive recommendation or reimbursement of ODs. Results: The proportion of reimbursed orphan drugs differed between countries, ranging from 17.7% in Estonia to 49.6% in Hungary (p < 0.001). The odds that ODs were reimbursed were reduced in countries with a "strong" level of impact of drug safety and efficacy on reimbursement decisions (p=0.018), the presence of other additional specific clinical aspects (e.g., genomic data) considered in the reimbursement decision (p < 0.001) and mandatory (without exception) safety assessments (p=0.004). The probability that ODs were reimbursed was increased in countries with a "moderate" level of impact of drug safety and efficacy on reimbursement decisions (p=0.018), when reimbursement decisions are dependent on the EMA registration status and orphan drug designation (p < 0.001), the presence of the "positive HTA recommendation guarantees reimbursement" policy (p < 0.001), higher GDP per inhabitant (p=0.003), and higher healthcare expenditure (p < 0.001). Conclusion: We found that there are differences among CEE countries in the reimbursement of orphan drugs, and we identified aspects that may influence these differences. Safety, efficacy, and specific clinical aspect issues significantly influenced reimbursement decisions. Antineoplastic and immunomodulating agents drugs were the largest group of ODs and increased the chance of getting a positive recommendation. The higher GDP per inhabitant and healthcare expenditures per inhabitant were positively linked to the chance that an OD receives reimbursement.

Surgical outcomes and healthcare expenditures among patients with dementia undergoing major surgery.

We sought to define surgical outcomes among elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) following major thoracic and gastrointestinal surgery. A retrospective cohort study was used to identify patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair, pneumonectomy, pancreatectomy, and colectomy. Individuals were identified from the Medicare Standard Analytic Files and multivariable regression was utilized to assess the association of ADRD with textbook outcome (TO), expenditures, and discharge disposition. Among 1,175,010 Medicare beneficiaries, 19,406 (1.7%) patients had a preoperative diagnosis of ADRD (CABG: n=1,643, 8.5%; AAA repair: n=5,926, 30.5%; pneumonectomy: n=590, 3.0%; pancreatectomy: n=181, 0.9%; and colectomy: n=11,066, 57.0%). After propensity score matching, patients with ADRD were less likely to achieve a TO (ADRD: 31.2% vs. no ADRD: 40.1%) or be discharged to home (ADRD: 26.7% vs. no ADRD: 46.2%) versus patients who did not have ADRD (both p<0.001). Median index surgery expenditures were higher among patients with ADRD (ADRD: $28,815 [IQR $14,333-$39,273] vs. no ADRD: $27,101 [IQR $13,433-$38,578]; p<0.001) (p<0.001). On multivariable analysis, patients with ADRD had higher odds of postoperative complications (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.25-1.40), extended length-of-stay (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.21-1.32), 90-day readmission (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.31-1.43), and 90-day mortality (OR 1.76, 95% CI 1.66-1.86) (all p<0.001). Preoperative diagnosis of ADRD was an independent risk factor for poor postoperative outcomes, discharge to non-home settings, as well as higher healthcare expenditures. These data should serve to inform discussions and decision-making about surgery among the growing number of older patients with cognitive deficits.

Overview of Community Knowledge about The Use of Antibotic in Blungkan Hamlet, Sendangrejo Village, Lamongan Sub-district, Lamongan District

Antibiotics are medications that combat bacterial illnesses. There are several negative health outcomes associated with the current epidemic of antibiotic resistance, including higher rates of illness and death, higher healthcare expenditures, and treatment failures. In 2015, there were an increase of 50 million unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions (Unnescecery prescribing) from 150 million, and this number continues to increase every year. Thus, the number of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics is increasing. This study aims to determine the extent of public awareness on the utilization of antibiotics in Dusun Blungkan, Sendangrejo village, Lamongan district. The design of this research is descriptive research and data collection using questionnaires with Cronbach's alpha value of 0.83 (&gt;0.60) then the questionnaire is declared reliable that covers 7 domains of knowledge namely understanding antibiotics, antibiotic examples, antibiotics use, dosage, contraindications, side effects, and antibiotic resistance. The results showed that in Dusun Blungkan, Sendangrejo Village, Lamongan District, and Lamongan Province there are 21 (70%) people who are aware of the use of antibiotics. Out of 30 respondents, 21 people (70%) have sufficient knowledge, 7 people (23.3%) have less knowledge, and 2 people (6.7%) have good knowledge. Controlled use of antibiotics can prevent resistance. Therefore, accurate information about the importance of antibiotics and how to use antibiotics properly and correctly is needed, as well as more wisdom in using them to avoid unexpected side effects.

Obstetric Medicine: the protocol for a prospective three-dimensional cohort study to assess maternity care for women with pre-existing conditions (ForMaT).

Pregnancies in women with pre-existing medical conditions are on the rise. These pregnancies are characterized by an increased rate of maternal and perinatal complications, which can result in higher health care expenditures and altered pregnancy experiences. The purpose of this study is to integrally analyze maternity care for women with pre-existing conditions in the framework of a risk-adapted, interdisciplinary care by recording three substantial parts of maternity care: (1) maternal and perinatal outcome; (2) hospital costs and reimbursements covering the period from preconception counseling or initial antenatal visit to discharge after birth; and (3) women's experience of reproductive choice and becoming a mother in the presence of a pre-existing condition. In this observational, prospective, longitudinal, and monocentric cohort study, we aim to include a total of 1,500 women over a recruitment period of 15 months. Women registering for care at the Department of Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, University Hospital Bonn, Germany, are allocated to three groups based on their health and risk status: women with pre-existing conditions, as well as healthy women with obstetric risk factor and healthy women with a low-risk pregnancy. Participants are observed from time of initial consultation until discharge after birth. Analysis focuses on (1) maternal and perinatal outcome, especially rate of severe maternal and neonatal morbidity; (2) costs and reimbursements; and (3) surveys to capture of women's experience and health-related quality of life during the time of reproductive choice, pregnancy, and childbirth in the presence of pre-existing medical conditions. With its complex three-dimensional design, the ForMaT-Trial is aiming to provide a comprehensive analysis of pregnancy and childbirth in women with pre-existing conditions. The results may serve as a basis for counseling and care of these women. By analyzing costs of specialized care, data for discussing reimbursement are generated. Lastly, our results may increase awareness for the perception of reproductive choice, pregnancy and motherhood in this continuously rising population.Clinical trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00030061, October 28, 2022.

The association between dual sensory loss and healthcare expenditure: Mediating effect of depression

BackgroundPrevious studies have suggested the dual sensory loss (DSL) is linked to depression, and that they are associated with higher healthcare expenditures, respectively. However, the association between DSL, depression and healthcare expenditures remains ambiguous. ObjectivesThe current study aims to examine the association between DSL, depression and healthcare expenditures as well as catastrophic health expenditures (CHE) among Chinese people aged 45 and above. MethodsWe first utilized the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) 2018 to obtain data from a total of 13,412 Chinese individuals aged 45 and above to conduct a cross-sectional study. DSL was defined as a combined variable of self-reported vision loss and hearing loss. Depression was measured using The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10). The healthcare expenditures, including outpatient out-of-pocket cost and inpatient out-of-pocket cost, were obtained from the Harmonized CHARLS section. CHE were defined as out-of-pocket (OOP) health spending equal to or higher than 40 % of a household's capacity to pay. A Tobit linear regression with three models and a path analysis were conducted to estimate the association between DSL, depression and healthcare expenditures and CHE. Then we utilized 2011CHARLS and 2018CHARLS to present a longitudinal analysis. A path analysis was conducted to estimate the association between 2011DSL, 2018depression and 2018healthcare expenditures and CHE. ResultsDepression has a significant mediating effect between DSL and healthcare expenditures. (For outpatient OOP cost: a = 0.453, b = 23.559, c = 25.257, the proportion of mediating effect in total effect = 29.71 %; for inpatient OOP cost: a = 0.453, b = 13.606, c = 15.463, the proportion of mediating effect in total effect = 28.50 %; all P < 0.05). The mediating effect of depression also exists in the association between DSL and CHE (a = 0.453, b = 0.018, c = 0.043, the proportion of mediating effect in total effect = 15.90 %; P < 0.05). The mediation effect of depression on healthcare expenditures and CHE also exists in the longitudinal analysis using CHARLS 2011 and CHARLS 2018 (all P < 0.05). LimitationsThe DSL status were based on self-report and we used 2018CHARLS to conduct the study, which may cause some bias. ConclusionSignificant mediating effect of depression exists between DSL and higher healthcare expenditures and CHE. The mental health of elder people with DSL should be focused on, and we should have an overall viewpoint on the topic of healthcare expenditures and CHE.

The role of the skin microbiome in wound healing.

The efficient management of skin wounds for rapid and scarless healing represents a major clinical unmet need. Nonhealing skin wounds and undesired scar formation impair quality of life and result in high healthcare expenditure worldwide. The skin-colonizing microbiota contributes to maintaining an intact skin barrier in homeostasis, but it also participates in the pathogenesis of many skin disorders, including aberrant wound healing, in many respects. This review focuses on the composition of the skin microbiome in cutaneous wounds of different types (i.e. acute and chronic) and with different outcomes (i.e. nonhealing and hypertrophic scarring), mainly based on next-generation sequencing analyses; furthermore, we discuss the mechanistic insights into host-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions during wound healing. Finally, we highlight potential therapeutic strategies that target the skin microbiome to improve healing outcomes.

CAN GOOD SELF-RATED HEALTH MITIGATE THE FRAILTY-INDUCED HEALTH CARE EXPENDITURE? EVIDENCE FROM CHINA

Abstract As the pathophysiology of frailty remains unknown, intervention efforts have primarily focused on improving functions and alleviating symptoms instead of treating frailty-causing biology. Frail individuals are not a clinically homogeneous group; further risk stratification may identify subgroups more resilient to health risks. Self-rated health (SRH), a simple measure of an individual’s overall perception of overall health, might be a surrogate of resilience among the frail. This work aims to determine the joint association of frailty and SRH with healthcare expenditure. Data were from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Persons were classified as non-frail, prefrail, and frail. SRH was classified as poor (including very poor) and good (fair/good/very good/excellent). Healthcare expenditure was classified into outpatient, inpatient, and self-treatment. The Cox model was used to address the study’s aims. All analyses were adjusted for age, sex, residence, education, income, insurance, smoking, and chronic conditions. Although frailty was positively correlated with poor SRH, 36.0% of the frail reported good health and 26.6% reporting poor health were deemed non-frail. Frailty and SRH were independently associated with higher odds of incurring and higher average expenditures. Among persons with poor SRH, prefrailty and frailty were associated with higher odds of incurring the cost and higher average expenditures than the non-frail, while no association was found between frailty and healthcare expenditure among those with good SRH. Frailty was associated with higher healthcare expenditure only among persons with poor SRH. Frail individuals reporting good health are resilient to frailty-induced health risks.

DOES BECOMING FRAIL MEAN THE END? SOCIAL, LIFESTYLE, AND HEALTH SURROGATES OF RESILIENCE IN THE MOST VULNERABLE

Abstract Frailty is a prevalent geriatric syndrome characterized by reduced reserve to stressors and increased vulnerability to adverse outcomes. Despite many efforts, reversing the frail status remains difficult, primarily due to a lack of understanding of its etiology. Intervention efforts have primarily focused on improving functions and alleviating symptoms instead of targeting frailty-causing biology and treating the syndrome. Although no magic pill exists for treating frailty, becoming frail doesn’t mean the end of life. Frail individuals are a socioeconomically, behaviorally, and clinically diverse group. Identifying socioeconomic, lifestyle, and health features that could mitigate the frailty-induced health risks and promote resilience is critical for guiding patient-centered management of frailty. This symposium has a collection of four studies focusing on different ways to promote health and reduce risks among the most vulnerable. The first study suggested that adherence to a healthy lifestyle may provide an excellent opportunity to decrease the risk of adverse outcomes among the frail, especially those living in an unfavorable social environment. The second study found frailty to be associated with higher healthcare expenditure only among persons with poor self-rated health, suggesting individuals reporting good health are resilient to frailty-induced health risks. The third study found that physical frailty and self-rated health were overlapping but distinct constructs. Good self-rated health was predictive of low mortality among frail individuals, and the association was stronger among the frail than the non-frail. In the fourth study, intrinsic capacity, assessed by a validated, multidimensional tool, provided prognostic value for healthcare utilization beyond multi-morbidity.

Clinical, economic, and health-related quality of life outcomes in patients with overweight or obesity in the United States: 2016-2018.

This study aimed to estimate clinical, economic (including productivity), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes and associated individual characteristics among adults with overweight (OW) or obesity in the United States. This study included adult respondents with body mass index (BMI) ≥18.5kg/m2 in the 2017-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and 2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Respondents were classified according to BMI. Individual characteristics were described by BMI categories. Multivariable regression models estimated the association between BMI categories and outcomes, adjusting for individual characteristics. Nearly three-quarters (73.7%) of NHANES participants were OW or obese. Relative to Normal weight (NW), respondents with Class 3 obesity had more obesity-related complications (2.07 vs. 4.62, p<0.001). Higher BMI was associated with significantly lower HRQoL, lower productivity, and higher healthcare expenditures as well as more frequent weight loss attempts in the previous 12months. Weight loss surgery and prescription anti-obesity medications (AOMs) were used only by a very small proportion of individuals. Despite frequent weight loss attempts, most respondents did not achieve clinically meaningful weight loss. Adults with OW or obesity experienced worse clinical, economic and HRQoL outcomes than those with NW. Better use of evidence-based obesity treatments, including prescription AOMs, should be considered to achieve more clinically meaningful weight reduction and improved outcomes in individuals with OW or obesity.

Comparing super-utilizers and lower-utilizers among commercial- and Medicare-insured adults with sickle cell disease

AbstractSickle cell disease (SCD) is a rare but costly condition in the United States. Super-utilizers have been defined as a subset of the population with high health care encounters or expenditures. Although super-utilizers have been described in other disease states, little is known about super-utilizers among adults with SCD. This study aimed to characterize the differences in expenditures, overall health care encounters, and pain episode encounters between super-utilizers (top 10% expenditures) and lower-utilizers with SCD (high, top 10%-24.9%; moderate, 25%-49.9%; and low, bottom 50% expenditures). A retrospective longitudinal cohort of adults with SCD were identified using validated algorithms in MarketScan and Medicare claim databases from 2016 to 2020. Encounters and expenditures were analyzed from inpatient, outpatient, and emergency department settings. Differences in encounters and expenditures between lower-utilizers and super-utilizers were compared using logistic regression. Among super-utilizers, differences in encounters and expenditures were compared according to incidences of pain episode encounters. The study population included 5666 patients with commercial insurance and 8600 with Medicare. Adjusted total annual health care expenditure was 43.46 times higher for super-utilizers than for low-utilizers among commercial-insured and 13.37 times higher in Medicare-insured patients. Among super-utilizers, there were patients with few pain episode encounters who had higher outpatient expenditures than patients with a high number of pain episode encounters. Our findings demonstrate the contribution of expensive outpatient care among SCD super-utilizers, in which analyses of high expenditure have largely focused on short-term care. Future studies are needed to better understand super-utilizers in the SCD population to inform the effective use of preventive interventions and/or curative therapies.

Effect of healthcare expenditure on the health related quality of life among diabetic patients of South India: A cross- sectional study

BackgroundDiabetes mellitus imposes a huge economic burden along with impairing health related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of healthcare expenditure on HRQoL among diabetic patients. MethodsA Cross -Sectional study was carried out among 328 Type 2 diabetics in Southern India. HRQoL was assessed using EQ-5D-5L questionnaire and data regarding expenditure were gathered using a validated questionnaire. Poisson regression and Multivariate regression analysis were performed to predict the factors associated with healthcare expenditure and quality of life respectively. ResultsThe annual expenditure in management of diabetes was INR 10969.6 (USD 132.83) with direct medical cost INR 8727 (USD 105.67) forming the bulk. 11.6% of participants spent over 30% of their annual income in diabetes care. Older age group, being obese, lower socioeconomic status, longer duration of diabetes, presence of complication, episodes of hospitalization were associated with higher healthcare expenditure. Mean quality of life score was 0.84 ± 0.13 and mean visual analog score was 73.15 ± 11.21. Participants with EQ-5D-5L index of range (0.0–0.3) had an expenditure of INR 31703.56. On linear regression analysis, proportion of total income spent for diabetes care was associated with poor quality of life (β = −0.163, 95% CI = −0.239 to −0.086, p < 0.001). ConclusionCost of diabetes care was inordinately high and an increased spending particularly among the socioeconomically disadvantaged group, resulting in poorer QoL. Policymakers need to focus on strengthening primary healthcare facilities for Non-Communicable diseases and implementing cost containment policy for reducing the financial burden.

A Basic Review of Sarcopenia Diagnosis

Associated with aging, sarcopenia is characterized by a decline in skeletal muscle mass, muscle strength and physical performance, eventually resulting in reduced physical capability, disability, poor quality of life, mortality in older people and high health care expenditure. The prevalence varies significantly by population characteristics, disease status, diagnostic criteria and measurement tools. It is essential to achieve an accurate diagnosis of sarcopenia for the management plan to be effective. This review briefly discusses the essential steps in diagnosing sarcopenia: Find – Assess – Confirm - Severity. Keywords: sarcopenia, sarcopenia diagnosis, case finding, muscle strength, performance, muscle mass

Evaluating symptoms of chronic rhino sinusitis and most common sinuses affected

Background: Chronic rhinosinusitis is a common condition that significantly affect the quality of life, high health-care consumption and significant comorbidity.&#x0D; Objective: To investigate and identify the symptoms that are most often experienced by people with chronic rhinosinusitis.&#x0D; Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we conducted one hundred patients complaining of chronic rhinosinusitis presented to the outpatient clinic for otolaryngology at Baquba teaching hospital; the patients were chosen randomly. A careful clinical examination following comprehensive history taking done for all of the patients. All patient's main complaint were nasal airway obstruction, nasal discharge, and anosmia. In addition to a clinical evaluation, a computed tomography (CT) scan of the nose and paranasal sinuses was performed,. And Diagnostic nasal endoscopy&#x0D; Results: The population under investigation had a mean age of 35 years and was mostly comprised of males. The majority of patients in this study reported a common symptoms, including nasal congestion (72%), headache (68%), and rhinorrhea (mucus discharge) (58%)&#x0D; Conclusion: Chronic rhinosinusitis is characterised by a set of symptoms that, if caught early, may be diagnosed and treated effectively.

Humanistic and Economic Burden of Patients with Cardiorenal Metabolic Conditions: A Systematic Review.

Diabetes is associated with significant economic burden. Moreover, cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart failure, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are common comorbidities, leading to premature mortality. We conducted a systematic review to assess the humanistic and economic burden of cardio-renal-metabolic (CRM) conditions in individuals ≥ 18 years with CVD, CKD, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. We searched Embase® and Medline® databases from 2011 to January 10, 2022 for English publications reporting humanistic and economic burden outcomes from observational studies, real-world evidence, and economic model studies. Intervention and validation studies were excluded. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Abstracts/posters were identified from four conferences (2020-2022). Of 1804 studies identified, 22 (including four conference publications) were selected involving 351,296,930 participants (one modeled the US population); eight reported healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), seven only cost data, six HCRU and cost data, one reported quality-of-life data (11/18 and 7/18 had estimated low and medium risk of bias, respectively). Participants were predominantly ≥ 65 years and identified as having White ethnicity. Higher costs and HCRU were observed in patients with all three conditions compared to those with two or none. Urban/metropolitan and insured patients had higher healthcare expenditure and service utilization compared to uninsured and racial/ethnic minority populations. Comorbidities were associated with increased hospitalizations, higher costs, and more emergency department visits. In general, patients identified as having Black ethnicity had low odds of using healthcare services, possibly due to disparities in healthcare access and distrust in the system. Limitations included no adjustment for inflation and a predominance of retrospective studies. This review showed a greater economic burden for patients with CRM conditions, with a clear trend between increasing numbers of comorbidities and increasing healthcare costs/resource use. Comparisons between countries are complicated and the scarcity of evidence from minority racial and ethnic groups and lack of data from non-US geographies warrant further investigation.

Lifetime healthcare expenditures across socioeconomic groups in Sweden.

Individuals of lower socioeconomic status generally have higher healthcare expenditures than individuals of higher socioeconomic status. However, little is known about how expenditures are distributed across socioeconomic groups over a lifetime, once accounting for differences in life expectancy. This study describes how lifetime healthcare expenditures are distributed across age, sex and socioeconomic groups in Sweden while adjusting for differences in life expectancy. Healthcare utilization from 2016 were linked to demographic and socioeconomic data for a random sample of individuals aged 20 and above in the four largest Swedish regions (n = 440 659). Mortality data were used to estimate income- and sex-specific survival rates. Expected lifetime healthcare expenditures were estimated by combining survival rates with mean healthcare expenditures over age, by sex, and income quintile. We find that expected lifetime healthcare expenditures are highest among the first (lowest) income quintile despite their evident lower life expectancy. Expected lifetime expenditures were 17.9% (16.8%) higher in the first income quintile compared to the fifth (highest) quintile for women (men). Individuals in the first income quintile had higher expected lifetime expenditures for all care categories except for primary care. We conclude that despite a lower life expectancy, the quintile of the lowest socioeconomic status still had higher lifetime healthcare expenditures.

1011-P: Humanistic and Economic Burden of Patients with Cardiorenal Metabolic Conditions—A Systematic Literature Review

Background: A comprehensive understanding of the burden of CRM conditions is needed to guide targeted interventions. Objective: This SLR assessed the humanistic and economic burden of T2D, CVD (including HF), and CKD. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, Embase and Medline databases were systematically searched to identify observational, RWE, and economic-model studies in populations ≥18 years old with CKD, T2D, and CVD. Outcomes of interest included humanistic (e.g., health related QoL, functional impairment, QALY) and economic burden. English-language studies from Jan 2011 to Jan 2022 were included. Relevant abstracts/posters also were identified from ACC, AHA, ASN, and ADA from the 2 previous years. Results: Of 22 studies identified (13 US; 9 non-US) and included, 1 Chinese study reported QoL data (depressive symptoms of CKD and T2D), 8 reported healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), 7 reported cost, and 6 reported HCRU and cost. Multimorbidity and advanced stages of CKD were associated with higher medical costs and HCRU for patients with CRM across all studies. Increasing age was associated with more comorbidities, leading to greater economic burden among patients ≥65 years old. Higher costs and HCRU were observed in patients with all 3 conditions (T2D, CVD, CKD) compared to those with fewer comorbidities. Higher healthcare expenditures and HCRU was observed among urban insured compared with uninsured populations. Black patients had lower odds of using healthcare services compared to patients who identified as White, Asian/Pacific Islander, or Hispanic ethnicity. Conclusions: This SLR identified a clear trend of increasing healthcare costs and HCRU commensurate with an increasing number of CRM comorbidities. Further research evaluating the economic and humanistic burden of CRM conditions, especially in patients from racial/ethnic groups, is needed. Disclosure K.Ferdinand: Consultant; Amgen Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim Inc., Novartis, Medtronic, Pfizer Inc. K.C.Norris: None. H.W.Rodbard: Advisory Panel; Merck Sharp &amp; Dohme Corp., Pacira BioSciences, Inc., Research Support; Eli Lilly and Company, Medtronic, Sanofi, Novo Nordisk. J.Trujillo: Advisory Panel; Novo Nordisk, Sanofi. Funding Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and Company Diabetes Alliance

A Systematic Review of Healthcare Professionals' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting in Ethiopia.

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are a prominent cause of morbidity and mortality and higher healthcare expenditures. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) play a crucial role in ADR reporting through spontaneous reporting systems, but under-reporting is their major limitation. The goal of this study is to evaluate HCPs' knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding ADR reporting as well as the factors that influence reporting using research papers that are currently available. A literature search was conducted using sources such as PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar to find studies that evaluated HCPs' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding ADRs reporting in Ethiopia. A standard procedure of systematic review protocol was used to conduct this review. Demographic factors, sample size, response rate, survey delivery, HCP working setting, and encouraging and discouraging factors of ADR reporting were extracted from articles. A total of 17 articles were included in the systematic review out of 384. The number of HCPs in the included studies ranged from 62 to 708. Response rate ranges from 76.1% to 100%. Most of the research included in this evaluation looked at HCPs, who worked in hospitals. When pharmacists were compared to other HCPs, they were more likely to report ADRs; because they had higher knowledge, attitude, and practice. Lack of understanding, unavailability of reporting forms, uncertainty about the causal relationship between the drug and ADR, and failure to report because the ADR was well known were among the common hurdles to ADR reporting identified in research. To improve reporting, educational initiatives and continued training in pharmacovigilance and ADRs are frequently recommended considerations. In Ethiopia, there is a pressing need to close the gap in HCP knowledge, attitudes, and practice regarding PV and ADR reporting. To address this point, specific educational interventions based on existing gaps in ADR reporting should be developed and integrated into the health education curriculum or provided as in-service training after graduation.

Healthcare utilization and outcomes in atrial fibrillation patients treated by drug therapy versus a catheter ablation strategy

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background and Aims Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent arrhythmia, associated with increased mortality and morbidity and causing relevant costs. Treatment options consist of catheter ablation (PVI) and rate or rhythm control drugs (non-PVI). Methods We analyze inpatient and outpatient data from the Upper Austrian Health Insurance Fund. Data of patients with a first hospitalization for AF in the years 2005 to 2018 were examined, using propensity score matching (PSM) including all CHA2DS2-VASc variables and working collar. Results Out of 21,791 AF patients, PSM identified 1,013 well-matching pairs (PVI and non-PVI). Over a ten-year period, the PVI treatment strategy group reveals significantly higher inpatient and outpatient expenditures (€2,200/year). Positive economic effects can be demonstrated by a 5.1 percentage points (pp) higher employment rate and fewer retirements (7.6pp). Utmost important is the 5.8pp all-cause mortality reduction over 10 years in the PVI treatment strategy. Conclusions A PVI based treatment strategy results in higher healthcare expenditures vs. drug therapy alone. Most of these higher costs are caused by the PVI procedures during this period. Thus, more effective and efficient methods are needed to further reduce costs for the intervention and prevent repeat procedures. The benefit of a PVI treatment strategy is seen in higher employment rates, which is crucial from a societal perspective and should be a strong argument for caregivers. We show a significant reduction in all-cause mortality, which we partly attribute to the PVI procedure itself, to a stricter risk factor assessment and treatment, and a tighter medical adherence.

Characteristics and risk of coronary-related events following hospitalisation for chronic coronary disease

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): Western Australian Department of Health. Background Chronic coronary heart disease (CCD) is associated with a high healthcare burden and expenditure in Western societies, yet population-level data on CCD are limited. Use of hospitalisation data to investigate CCD epidemiology has not been well explored. Our aim was to describe characteristics of patients hospitalised with CCD and to estimate the long-term risk of coronary outcomes in this cohort. Method We used Western Australian state-wide linked hospitalisation/mortality data to identify all hospitalisations for CCD, comprised stable angina (SA, ICD-10-AM I20.1-I20.9) and chronic ischaemic heart disease (IHD, I25) from 2002 – 2017. Index admissions were defined as the first SA or chronic IHD admission in the study period. 14-years of hospitalisation history data were used to identify prior medical history, including admissions for acute coronary syndromes (ACS) +/- angiography, PCI and CABG. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were used to estimate risk of readmission for coronary outcomes and procedures using up to 15-years of follow-up from linked morbidity/mortality data. Results There were 32,557 index SA and 29,505 index chronic IHD admissions from 2002-2017. SA index case number declined by -3.9%/year while chronic IHD admissions increased steadily (+5.3%/year, age-adjusted). The mean age was 66 years for SA and chronic IHD index admissions, with women on average 3 years younger than men; median length of stay was 3 days. Women comprised a higher proportion of SA admissions (37.8%) than chronic IHD (26.9%, p&amp;lt;0.0001). SA admissions were more likely to be emergency admissions (45.6% vs 13.4%) and have comorbidities including diabetes, hypertension and stroke. Patients with a chronic IHD admission were more likely to undergo angiography only (65.3% vs 46.7%) or revascularisation (20.6% vs 12.9%) during the index admission. Around 1/3 of SA and chronic IHD patients had a prior ACS admission (n=9964 and 8291 respectively); around half of these prior ACS admissions occurred in the 1-year preceding the index SA and chronic IHD admissions (Figure), with the majority occurring in the 90 days immediately prior to the index admission. Following an index SA or chronic IHD admission, the risk of ACS within the initial year of follow-up was 9.4% in men and 8.6% in women with SA, and 5.6% in chronic IHD men and women. This risk increased to &amp;gt;20% in both groups with 15 years of follow-up. The 15-year risk of CVD mortality was 4.3% in men and 4.2% in women following a chronic IHD admission; similar long-term risks were seen following SA admissions. Conclusion The heterogeneity in clinical profile and outcomes between patients admitted for SA versus chronic IHD requires cautious interpretation of hospitalisation data to inform the epidemiology of CCD. However, while mortality risk is low, the risk of ACS readmission is high, indicating significant ongoing morbidity and healthcare burden of CCD.

Polypharmacy Prevalence and Perceptions of Deprescribing in Elderly Patients Among Community Primary Care Providers in Mid-Michigan Practices.

Polypharmacy is common among the elderly and can predispose them to increased morbidity and higher healthcare expenditures. Deprescribing is an important aspect of preventative medicine to minimize polypharmacy-related adverse effects. Mid-Michigan has historically been considered a medically underserved area. We sought to describe polypharmacy prevalence and primary care provider (PCP) perceptions of deprescribing in the elderly at community practices in the region. Medicare Part D claims data from 2018 to 2020 were queried to calculate the prevalence of polypharmacy, which is defined as Medicare beneficiaries who were concurrently prescribed at least five medications. PCPs from four community practices in adjacent counties in mid-Michigan, including two high- and two low-prescribing practices, were surveyed to assess their perceptions of deprescribing. The prevalence of polypharmacy in two adjacent mid-Michigan counties was 44.0% and 42.5%, which was similar to Michigan's overall prevalence of 40.7% (p = 0.720 and 0.844, respectively). Additionally, 27 survey responses were received from mid-Michigan PCPs (response rate, 30.7%). Most respondents expressed confidence in deprescribing in the elderly from a clinical standpoint (66.7%). Barriers to deprescribing included patient/family concerns (70.4%) and lack of time during office visits (37.0%). Facilitators to deprescribing included patient readiness (18.5%), collaboration with case managers/pharmacists (18.5%), and up-to-date medication lists (18.5%). An exploratory comparison of perceptions at high- and low-prescribing practices showed no significant differences. These findings demonstrate a high prevalence of polypharmacy in mid-Michigan and suggest that PCPs in the region are generally supportive of deprescribing. Potential targets to improve deprescribing in patients with polypharmacy include addressing visit length, patient/family concerns, increasing interdisciplinary collaboration, and medication reconciliation support.