Suprachoroidal Injection of Triamcinolone Acetonide Injectable Suspension for the Treatment of Macular Edema Associated With Uveitis in the United States: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

ObjectivesSuprachoroidal injection of triamcinolone acetonide is the first Food and Drug Administration–approved treatment for macular edema associated with uveitis. A cost-effectiveness analysis was performed comparing this treatment with best supportive care (BSC) for the management of this indication from US Medicare and commercial payer perspectives.MethodsA patient-level simulation was developed per the patient characteristics and changes in best-corrected visual acuity letter scores observed in a phase III study of triamcinolone acetonide (PEACHTREE). The wholesale acquisition cost of triamcinolone acetonide was $1650/injection; suprachoroidal injection cost was assumed at $200/injection. Healthcare costs were informed by a US claims–based analysis. Mortality risk associated with severe vision loss and blindness was modeled by applying a hazard ratio to all-cause mortality rates of the US general population. Health-related quality of life weights, obtained from a regression model fitted to the Visual Function Questionnaire-25 data from PEACHTREE, were applied based on the best-corrected visual acuity scores of both eyes. Costs (2020 US dollar) and benefits were discounted at 3% annually. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were estimated over a 10-year horizon.ResultsIn the base-case, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio comparing triamcinolone acetonide with BSC was $28 479 per quality-adjusted life-year gained. The wholesale acquisition cost for triamcinolone acetonide for suprachoroidal use was ～68%, ～56%, and ～27% below the willingness-to-pay thresholds of $150 000, $100 000, and $50 000 per quality-adjusted life-year gained, respectively. Results were robust in sensitivity and scenario analyses.ConclusionsTriamcinolone acetonide for suprachoroidal use is cost-effective compared with BSC for patients with macular edema associated with uveitis.     

前列平胶囊治疗慢性前列腺炎湿热瘀阻证的药品临床综合评价

目的：探索前列平胶囊治疗慢性前列腺炎湿热瘀阻证的药品临床综合价值,为临床基本用药管理的相关决策提供证据。方法：该研究以《药品临床综合评价管理指南（2021年版试行）》为依据,通过系统梳理前列平胶囊治疗慢性前列腺炎湿热瘀阻证的现有研究,结合相关数据库资料和问卷调查结果,基于循证医学、临床流行病学、临床医学、循证药学、药物经济学、卫生统计学、卫生技术评估等学科基础,采用多准则决策分析模型（MCDA）和CSC 2.0软件,对药品的安全性、有效性、经济性、创新性、适宜性、可及性6个维度及中医药特色进行定性与定量相结合的综合评价。结果：安全性,基于国家药品不良反应监测中心自发呈报系统（SRS）、安全性文献分析、药理毒理实验报告等证据,前列平胶囊安全性等级评价为A级,安全性好。有效性,基于药理药效学研究及Meta分析结果,综合有效性证据价值及证据质量,最终有效性等级评价为B级。经济性,前列平胶囊为国家医保乙类药物,与同类中成药价格相比,前列平胶囊的日均费用属中等,服药过程中无相关费用增加,经济学研究显示前列平胶囊联合α受体阻滞剂与单用α受体阻滞剂比较,具有较好经济性。综合经济学证据质量评价和经济性...     

Three-Year Follow-Up of the POIBA Intervention on Childhood Obesity: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Childhood obesity has increased worldwide over the past four decades. This quasi-experimental study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a multicomponent and multilevel school-based intervention (POIBA) at 3 years of follow-up. The nutrition intervention focused on food groups, food pyramid, nutrients, portions, and balanced menus. In total, 3624 children participated in the study. Anthropometric measurements and information on food frequency and behavior, physical activity, and daily screen use were collected in the intervention (IG) and comparison group (CG). Positive unadjusted changes toward adherence to recommendations were found for water, meat, sweets, and fried potato consumption, proper breakfast, not having dinner in front of the TV, out-of-school physical activity, and daily screen use. Three scores were used to calculate the proportion of children making more than one change to improve healthy habits regarding physical activity (global Activity score), nutrition (global Nutrition score), and both (global score). Students exposed to the intervention had a significantly better global Activity score (16.2% IG vs. 11.9% CG; p = 0.012) and Global score (63.9% IG vs. 58.5% CG; p = 0.025). Intervention effects on obesity incidence at 3-year follow-up lost significance but maintained the positive trend. In conclusion, school-based interventions including a family component could be useful to address the childhood obesity problem.     

台州市2018/2019年度社区老年人接种流感疫苗的保护效果

目的评估台州市2018/2019年度社区老年人接种三价灭活流感疫苗(TIV)的保护效果(VE)。方法运用前瞻性队列研究设计,招募接种和未接种TIV的≥60岁社区老年人随访6个月,观察流感样疾病(ILI)、因ILI就诊、因ILI或肺炎住院、因呼吸或循环系统疾病住院4种临床结局,计算TIV的VE。结果 TIV接种组、未接种组分别纳入研究对象1 048名、1 025名。接种TIV后1-3月预防4种临床结局的VE(95%CI)分别为-25.1(-80.4-13.2)%、-33.1(-99.2-11.1)%、35.8(-124.9-81.7)%和-12.6(-229.2-61.5)%;接种TIV后4-6月分别为25.5(-7.5-48.4)%、35.1(3.0-56.5)%、1.4(-249.1-72.1)%和-11.5(-240.9-63.5)%;接种TIV后1-6月分别为5.9(-24.2-28.7)%、11.6(-18.9-34.3)%、21.7(-99.2-69.2)%和-13.9(-155.5-49.2)%。结论台州市2018/2019年度社区老年人接种TIV对预防ILI病例发病、就诊和相关住院具有一定的保护效果。     

Management of Chronic Pain in Long-Term Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

ObjectivesPain, a complex subjective experience, is common in care home residents. Despite advances in pain management, optimal pain control remains a challenge. In this updated systematic review, we examined effectiveness of interventions for treating chronic pain in care home residents.DesignA Cochrane-style systematic review and meta-analysis using PRISMA guidelines.Setting and ParticipantsRandomized and nonrandomized controlled trials and intervention studies included care home residents aged ≥60 years receiving interventions to reduce chronic pain.MethodsSix databases were searched to identify relevant studies. After duplicate removal, articles were screened by title and abstract. Full-text articles were reviewed and included if they implemented a pain management intervention and measured pain with a standardized quantitative pain scale. Meta-analyses calculated standardized mean differences (SMDs) using random-effect models. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias Tool 2.0.ResultsWe included 42 trials in the meta-analysis and described 13 more studies narratively. Studies included 26 nondrug alternative treatments, 8 education interventions, 7 system modifications, 3 nonanalgesic drug treatments, 2 analgesic treatments, and 9 combined interventions. Pooled results at trial completion revealed that, except for nonanalgesic drugs and health system modification interventions, all interventions were at least moderately effective in reducing pain. Analgesic treatments (SMD ?0.80; 95% CI ?1.47 to ?0.12; P = .02) showed the greatest treatment effect, followed by nondrug alternative treatments (SMD ?0.70; 95% CI ?0.95 to ?0.45; P < .001), combined interventions (SMD ?0.37; 95% CI ?0.60 to ?0.13; P = .002), and education interventions (SMD ?0.31; 95% CI ?0.48 to ?0.15; P < .001).Conclusions and ImplicationsOur findings suggest that analgesic drugs and nondrug alternative pain management strategies are the most effective in reducing pain among care home residents. Clinicians should also consider implementing nondrug alternative therapies in care homes, rather than relying solely on analgesic drug options.     

Comparative effectiveness of robotic and open radical prostatectomy

Radical prostatectomy (RP) has undergone a remarkable transformation from open to minimally-invasive surgery over the last two decades. However, it is important to recognize there is still conflicting evidence regarding key outcomes. We aimed to summarize current literature on comparative effectiveness of robotic and open RP for key outcomes including oncologic results, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures, safety and postoperative complications, and healthcare costs. The bulk of the paper will discuss and interpret limitations of current data. Finally, we will also highlight future directions of both surgical approaches and its potential impact on health care delivery.     

Comparison of local influenza vaccine effectiveness using two methods

BackgroundIn some settings, research methods to determine influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) may not be appropriate because of cost, time constraints, or other factors. Administrative database analysis of viral testing results and vaccination history may be a viable alternative. This study compared VE estimates from outpatient research and administrative databases.MethodsUsing the test-negative, case-control design, data for 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 influenza seasons were collected using: 1) consent, specimen collection, RT-PCR testing and vaccine verification using multiple methods; and 2) an administrative database of outpatients with a clinical respiratory viral panel combined with electronic immunization records. Odds ratios for likelihood of influenza infection by vaccination status were calculated using multivariable logistic regression. VE = (1 ? aOR) × 100.ResultsResearch participants were significantly younger (P < 0.001), more often white (69% vs. 59%; P < 0.001) than non-white and less frequently enrolled through the emergency department (35% vs. 72%; P < 0.001) than administrative database participants. VE was significant against all influenza and influenza A in each season and both seasons combined (37–49%). Point estimate differences between methods were evident, with higher VE in the research database, but insignificant due to low sample sizes. When enrollment sites were separately analyzed, there were significant differences in VE estimates for all influenza (66% research vs. 46% administrative P < 0.001) and influenza A (67% research vs. 49% administrative; P < 0.001) in the emergency department.Conclusions:The selection of the appropriate method for determining influenza vaccine effectiveness depends on many factors, including sample size, subgroups of interest, etc., suggesting that research estimates may be more generalizable. Other advantages of research databases for VE estimates include lack of clinician-related selection bias for testing and less misclassification of vaccination status. The advantages of the administrative databases are potentially shorter time to VE results and lower cost.     

Importance of COVID-19 vaccine efficacy in older age groups

ImportanceAn effective vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 will reduce morbidity and mortality and allow substantial relaxation of physical distancing policies. However, the ability of a vaccine to prevent infection or disease depends critically on protecting older individuals, who are at highest risk of severe disease.ObjectiveWe quantitatively estimated the relative benefits of COVID-19 vaccines, in terms of preventing infection and death, with a particular focus on effectiveness in elderly people.DesignWe applied compartmental mathematical modelling to determine the relative effects of vaccines that block infection and onward transmission, and those that prevent severe disease. We assumed that vaccines showing high efficacy in adults would be deployed, and examined the effects of lower vaccine efficacy among the elderly population.Setting and participantsOur mathematical model was calibrated to simulate the course of an epidemic among the entire population of British Columbia, Canada. Within our model, the population was structured by age and levels of contact.Main outcome(s) and measure(s)We assessed the effectiveness of possible vaccines in terms of the predicted number of infections within the entire population, and deaths among people aged 65 years and over.Results In order to reduce the overall rate of infections in the population, high rates of deployment to all age groups will be critical. However, to substantially reduce mortality among people aged 65 years and over, a vaccine must directly protect a high proportion of people in that group.Conclusions and relevanceEffective vaccines deployed to a large fraction of the population are projected to substantially reduce infection in an otherwise susceptible population. However, even if transmission were blocked highly effectively by vaccination of children and younger adults, overall mortality would not be substantially reduced unless the vaccine is also directly protective in elderly people. We strongly recommend: (i) the inclusion of people aged 65 years and over in future trials of COVID-19 vaccine candidates; (ii) careful monitoring of vaccine efficacy in older age groups following vaccination.