PURPOSE To investigate the cost-effectiveness of computed tomography (CT) relative to radiography for cervical spine screening in trauma patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS A decision analysis model was constructed to compare the incremental cost-effectiveness of radiography and CT as primary cervical spine screening modalities in trauma patients. Analyses were performed from a societal perspecti...

PURPOSE To estimate the cost-effectiveness of rufinamide relative to topiramate and lamotrigine as adjunctive treatment for children with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS). METHODS A Markov decision analytic model was developed to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio over a three-year time horizon in patients with LGS uncontrolled by up to three antiepileptic drugs. Utilities were as...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the cost effectiveness of screening for Chlamydia trachomatis compared with a policy of no organised screening in the United Kingdom. DESIGN Economic evaluation using a transmission dynamic mathematical model. SETTING Central and southwest England. PARTICIPANTS Hypothetical population of 50,000 men and women, in which all those aged 16-24 years were invited to be ...

PURPOSE The purpose of this study is to compare the cost-effectiveness of two external beam radiation therapy techniques for treatment of low- to intermediate-risk prostate cancer: stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS A Markov decision analysis model with probabilistic sensitivity analysis was designed with the vari...

IMPORTANCE Cervical total disc replacement (CTDR) was developed to treat cervical spondylosis, while preserving motion. While anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) has been the standard of care for 2-level disease, a randomized clinical trial (RCT) suggested similar outcomes. Cost-effectiveness of this intervention has never been elucidated. OBJECTIVE To determine the cost-effectiven...

OBJECTIVE Exercise therapy in heart failure (HF) patients is considered safe and has demonstrated modest reduction in hospitalization rates and death in recent trials. Previous cost-effectiveness analysis described favorable results considering long-term supervised exercise intervention and significant effectiveness of exercise therapy; however, these evidences are now no longer supported. To e...

INTRODUCTION We compared the economic impacts of linezolid and vancomycin for the treatment of hospitalized patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)-confirmed nosocomial pneumonia. METHODS We used a 4-week decision tree model incorporating published data and expert opinion on clinical parameters, resource use and costs (in 2012 US dollars), such as efficacy, mortality,...

BACKGROUND Compared with single-chamber ventricular pacing, dual-chamber pacing can reduce adverse events and, as a result, improve quality of life in patients paced for sick sinus syndrome. It is not clear, however, how these benefits compare with the increased cost of dual-chamber pacemakers. METHODS AND RESULTS We used 4-year data from a 2010-patient, randomized trial to estimate the incre...

PURPOSE Frequent exacerbations which are both costly and potentially life-threatening are a major concern to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), despite the availability of several treatment options. This study aimed to assess the lifetime costs and outcomes associated with alternative treatment regimens for patients with severe COPD in the UK setting. PATIENTS AND MET...

PURPOSE The fixed-dose dual bronchodilator combination (FDC) of tiotropium and olodaterol showed increased effectiveness regarding lung function and health-related quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compared with the use of its mono-components. Yet, while effectiveness and safety have been shown, the health economic implication of this treatment is sti...