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Al-Omar HA, Alshehri A, Abanumay A, Alabdulkarim H, Alrumaih A, Eldin MS, Alqahtani SA. The Impact of Obesity in Saudi Arabia: Healthcare Resource Use and Costs Associated with Obesity-Related Complications. Adv Ther 2023; 40:1430-1443. [PMID: 36680731 PMCID: PMC10070310 DOI: 10.1007/s12325-023-02426-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Saudi Arabia has a high prevalence of obesity, which increases the risk of individuals experiencing multiple chronic complications. Only a few publications highlight the healthcare costs of obesity-related complications (ORCs) in Saudi Arabia. METHODS A micro-costing approach was used to estimate the healthcare costs associated with 10 ORCs. Experienced clinicians in public and private practice across different geographical regions in Saudi Arabia were asked to estimate healthcare resource use associated with each ORC, and estimated unit costs were obtained from hospital administrators. Estimated overall annual costs per patient were calculated as a weighted average of separate public and private sector costs. RESULTS Individuals in Saudi Arabia with any single ORC incurred overall average annual healthcare costs of 2165-7558 US dollars (USD). Heart failure, chronic kidney disease, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes (T2D) were the most costly complications, mainly driven by monitoring and/or pharmacological treatment costs. In contrast, asthma, hypertension, and angina were the least costly complications. Costs in private healthcare were higher than in public healthcare; the largest differences (2359-2793 USD) were noted for dyslipidemia, T2D, and osteoarthritis, mainly explained by differences in pharmacological treatment costs. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that ORCs result in a considerable financial burden to the healthcare system, and highlight the substantial cost savings that could be achieved by preventing or delaying the occurrence of ORCs in Saudi Arabia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussain A Al-Omar
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
- Health Technology Assessment Unit, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Ali Alshehri
- Obesity Medicine Department, Obesity, Endocrine and Metabolism Centre, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Hana Alabdulkarim
- Drug Policy and Economic Centre, Ministry of National Guards Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali Alrumaih
- Pharmaceutical Care Department, Medical Services Directorate, Ministry of Defence, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Saleh A Alqahtani
- Liver Transplant Centre, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Bakakos P, Tryfon S, Palamidas A, Mathioudakis N, Galanakis P. Patient characteristics and eligibility for biologics in severe asthma: Results from the Greek cohort of the RECOGNISE "real world" study. Respir Med 2023; 210:107170. [PMID: 36841360 DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2023.107170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Some patients with severe asthma do not achieve sufficient symptom control despite guideline-based treatment, and therefore receive oral (OCS) and systemic corticosteroids (SCS) on regular basis. The side effects of corticosteroid use negatively impact patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and increase the disease burden. Biologics have shown promise in asthma therapy; however, identifying patients who might benefit from biologic therapy is complex due to the heterogeneous pathophysiology of the disease. METHODS The European, non-interventional, multicentre RECOGNISE study (NCT03629782) assessed patient characteristics, asthma medication and control, HRQoL as assessed by St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), and health care resource use in patients with severe asthma, as well as their eligibility for biologic treatment. Here, data from the Greek cohort (N = 97) are reported. RESULTS In Greece, patients with severe asthma were more often female (71%) and never smokers (68%). 87% of patients were assessed as eligible for biologic treatment by investigator's judgement (per label criteria: 76%). Most patients had been previously treated with SCS (82% eligible vs 85% non-eligible), with OCS use being more common in non-eligible patients (23.1% vs 11.9%). More eligible patients had poorly controlled asthma (76% vs 54%), and more impaired HRQoL (mean total SGRQ score: 46% vs 39%); symptom burden was significantly higher (mean symptom score: 60% vs. 44%, p: 0.0389). CONCLUSIONS A high proportion of Greek patients with severe asthma are eligible for biologic therapy; however, individual risk factors and differences between asthma types must be considered before the introduction of targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petros Bakakos
- 1st Academic Department of Respiratory Medicine, SOTIRIA General Hospital for Thoracic Diseases, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Stavros Tryfon
- Pulmonary Department (NHS), 'G Papanikolaou' General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | | | - Petros Galanakis
- Medical Department Respiratory & Immunology AstraZeneca, Athens, Greece.
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Alefan Q, Nawasrah A, Almomani B, Al-Issa ET. Direct Medical Cost of Pediatric Asthma in Jordan: A Cost-of-Illness Retrospective Cohort Study. Value Health Reg Issues 2022; 31:10-17. [PMID: 35313157 DOI: 10.1016/j.vhri.2022.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to estimate and analyze the direct medical costs of pediatric patients with asthma in Jordan from the provider's perspective. METHODS A retrospective analysis of a cohort of pediatric patients with asthma treated during 3 years in a teaching hospital was conducted. The prevalence-based, bottom-up approach has been used to estimate the cost-of-illness of asthma. The total annual direct medical cost was stratified by control status and the severity of asthma. RESULTS The total annual cost for whole the sample (N = 613) in the average of 3 years was Jordanian dinar (JD) 110 874 (US$ 156 382). Pediatrics with uncontrolled asthma had significantly higher annual total direct medical costs than partly controlled and controlled asthma (JD 396 [US$ 558], JD 258 [US$ 364], and JD 150 [US$ 211], respectively) (P < .001). The annual total direct medical cost for severe asthma (JD 455 [US$ 641]) was significantly higher than moderate, mild, and intermittent (JD 176 [US$ 248], JD 35 [US$ 49], and JD 7 [US$ 9.8], respectively) (P < .001). Medications were the most expensive healthcare resource used, accounting for 79.8% of the total cost, followed by outpatient clinic visits and hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS Healthcare sources utilization and direct medical costs of asthma were highly related to disease severity and control status of the disease. Health policies targeting the achievement of better and stricter asthma control will play a crucial role in the reduction of the economic burden of asthma for society and the patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qais Alefan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan.
| | - Areen Nawasrah
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Basimah Almomani
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Eman T Al-Issa
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
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Unnatural Cycles: Anthropogenic Disruption to Health and Planetary Functions. GEOSCIENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/geosciences12030137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Natural cycles underpin the very stuff of life. In this commentary we consider unnatural cycles: that is, anthropogenic activities which have a circularity, but whose nature is to have a detrimental effect on human health, exacerbating existing problems. Natural cycles have feedback loops, some of which have recently come to light, with an understanding that everything is connected in some way. In health, feedback loops are imperative in homeostatic mechanisms. However, in the unnatural cycle the feedback loops serve to reinforce (and in some cases amplify) negative problems. We offer a commentary on an unnatural cycle moving from air quality to lung function and back to air quality; we call this the lung disease unnatural cycle. We suggest where links occur, and where wider consideration of interactions between various disciplines can lead to breaking this unnatural (or vicious) cycle, changing it to a healthy cycle where individual health can be improved, along with better global scale outcomes. We suggest that many activities within this unnatural cycle occur within silos. However, the improved cycle incorporates joint activities at geological, health, and financial levels, to the mutual benefit of all, breaking the unnatural cycle and improving health, life, and financial costs.
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Rodriguez-Martinez CE, Sossa-Briceño MP, Buendia JA. The use of ipratropium bromide for treating moderate to severe asthma exacerbations in pediatric patients in an emergency setting: A cost-effectiveness analysis. Pediatr Pulmonol 2021; 56:3706-3713. [PMID: 34473916 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.25648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Although the efficacy of the addition of ipratropium bromide (IB) to short-acting β2-agonists (SABAs) for treating children with moderate to severe asthma exacerbations has been demonstrated, evidence of its cost-effectiveness is scarce. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of treatment with a combination of SABAs and IB compared with SABAs alone for the treatment of children with moderate to severe asthma exacerbations. METHODS To achieve the objectives of the study, a decision-analysis model was adapted. Effectiveness parameters were obtained from a systematic review of the literature with meta-analysis. Cost data were obtained from hospital bills and from the national manual of drug prices in Colombia. The study was carried out from the perspective of the national healthcare system in Colombia. The main outcome of the model was avoidance of hospital admission. RESULTS In children with moderate to severe asthma exacerbations, the base-case analysis showed that compared to SABAs alone, treatment with a combination of SABAs and IB was associated with lower overall treatment costs (US$126.24 vs. US$170.69 mean cost per patient) and a higher probability of hospital admission avoided (0.7999 vs. 0.7100), thus leading to dominance. For children with severe asthma exacerbations, these values were US$132.99 versus US$170.69 and 0.7883 versus 0.7100, respectively. CONCLUSIONS In Colombia, when compared to therapy with SABAs alone, therapy with a combination of SABAs and IB for treating pediatric patients with moderate to severe asthma exacerbations involves a lower probability of hospital admission at lower treatment costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos E Rodriguez-Martinez
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota, Colombia.,Department of Pediatric Pulmonology, School of Medicine, Universidad El Bosque, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Monica P Sossa-Briceño
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jefferson Antonio Buendia
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Research Group in Pharmacology and Toxicology (INFARTO), Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
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Antoniou KM, Bolaki M, Karagiannis K, Trachalaki A, Ierodiakonou D, Stamatopoulou V, Chatzinikolaou C, Mastrodimou S, Stamataki E, Pitsidianakis G, Lambiri I, Mitrouska I, Spandidos DA, Tzanakis N. Real-life Cretan asthma registry focused on severe asthma: On behalf of 'The Cretan registry of the use of Biologics in Severe Asthma'. Exp Ther Med 2021; 22:1239. [PMID: 34539835 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2021.10674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Asthma diagnosis and management remains a challenging task for the medical community. The aim of the present study was to present the functional and inflammatory profiles of patients with difficult-to-treat asthma in a real-life clinical setting referred to the specialized asthma clinic at the University Hospital of Heraklion. The registry included a cohort of 267 patients who were referred to the severe asthma clinic. Patients were assessed with emphasis on the history of allergies, nasal polyposis or other comorbidities. Blood testing for eosinophils counts and total and specific IgE, and pulmonary function tests were performed at baseline. The median age of patients with asthma was 55 years old, 68.5% were women and 58.3% were never smokers. The vast majority presented with late onset asthma (75.7%), whereas eight (3%) patients were on oral corticosteroids. The median number of exacerbations during the last 12 months was 1 (0-3). Furthermore, 50.7% of patients had a positive serum allergy test, the median eosinophil count was 300 (188-508.5) cells/µl of blood and median total IgE level was 117.5 (29.4-360.5) IU/ml. Patients were retrospectively grouped in the following categories: Group 1, mild-moderate asthma; group 2, patients prescribed a step 4 or 5 asthma therapy according to Global Initiative for Asthma; and group 3, patients on biologic agents. Group 1 had significantly higher FEV1% than groups 2 and 3 (93.4 vs. 79.9 and 79.4%, respectively; P<0.001). Finally, the median Asthma Control Questionnaire 7 (ACQ7) score was 1.14, with patients from groups 2 and 3 presenting higher ACQ7 scores compared with group 1 patients as expected (1.1 and 2.1 vs. 0.7, respectively; P<0.001). To the best of our knowledge, this was the first real-life asthma study in Crete that demonstrated that severe asthmatics predominantly have late-onset asthma with airflow obstruction and uncontrolled symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina M Antoniou
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pneumonology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Maria Bolaki
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Konstantinos Karagiannis
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pneumonology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Athina Trachalaki
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pneumonology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Despo Ierodiakonou
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pneumonology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece.,Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University of Nicosia Medical School, 2408 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Vagia Stamatopoulou
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pneumonology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Charito Chatzinikolaou
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pneumonology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Semeli Mastrodimou
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pneumonology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Evangelia Stamataki
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pneumonology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - George Pitsidianakis
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pneumonology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Irini Lambiri
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pneumonology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Ioanna Mitrouska
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pneumonology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Demetrios A Spandidos
- Laboratory of Clinical Virology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Tzanakis
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Pneumonology, Department of Respiratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete, 71003 Heraklion, Greece
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Clinical and economic consequences of switching from omalizumab to mepolizumab in uncontrolled severe eosinophilic asthma. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5453. [PMID: 33750842 PMCID: PMC7943587 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84895-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe asthma is burdened by frequent exacerbations and use of oral corticosteroids (OCS), which worsen patients’ health and increase healthcare spending. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical and economic impact of switching from omalizumab (OMA) to mepolizumab (MEP) in patients eligible for both biologics, but not optimally controlled by omalizumab. We retrospectively enrolled uncontrolled severe asthmatic patients who switched from OMA to MEP during the last two years. Information included blood eosinophil count, asthma control test (ACT), spirometry, serum IgE, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), OCS intake, drugs, exacerbations/hospitalizations, visits and diagnostic exams. Within the perspective of Italian National Health System, a pre- and post-MEP 12-month standardized total cost per patient was calculated. 33 patients were enrolled: five males, mean age 57 years, disease onset 24 years. At OMA discontinuation, 88% were OCS-dependent with annual mean rate of 4.0 clinically significant exacerbations, 0.30 exacerbations needing emergency room visits or hospitalization; absenteeism due to disease was 10.4 days per patient. Switch to MEP improved all clinical outcomes, reducing total exacerbation rate (RR = 0.06, 95% CI 0.03–0.14), OCS-dependent patients (OR = 0.02, 95% CI 0.005–0.08), and number of lost working days (Δ = − 7.9, 95% CI − 11.2 to − 4.6). Pulmonary function improved, serum IgE, FeNO and eosinophils decreased. Mean annual costs were €12,239 for OMA and €12,639 for MEP (Δ = €400, 95% CI − 1588–2389); the increment due to drug therapy (+ €1,581) was almost offset by savings regarding all other cost items (− €1,181). Patients with severe eosinophilic asthma, not controlled by OMA, experienced comprehensive benefits by switching to MEP with only slight increases in economic costs.
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González-Barcala FJ, Muñoz-Gall X, Mariscal E, García A, Yang S, van de Wetering G, Izquierdo-Alonso JL. Cost-effectiveness analysis of anti-IL-5 therapies of severe eosinophilic asthma in Spain. J Med Econ 2021; 24:874-882. [PMID: 34114935 DOI: 10.1080/13696998.2021.1941065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
AIM To analyse the cost-effectiveness of MEP with standard of care (SoC) versus other anti-IL-5 therapies approved for the treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA) patients, within the Spanish National Health System (NHS) perspective. METHODS A Markov model with a 4-week cycle length was used to compare MEP with BEN and RES as therapies added to SoC in the management of SEA, in terms of cost per QALY gained and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Costs (€2019) were obtained from public sources, while utilities and transition probabilities were retrieved from literature, e.g. network meta-analysis. Continuation criteria for biological treatment and reduction of oral corticosteroids (OCS) was set at 50% minimum reduction of exacerbation rate. Adverse events related to chronic OCS use included diabetes, osteoporosis, cataracts, acute myocardial infarct, and peptic ulcer. The analysis was performed over a 5-year time horizon from the National Healthcare System (NHCS) perspective, with a yearly discount rate of 3% applied to both costs and QALYs. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis and univariate deterministic sensitivity analysis were performed to address uncertainty around the cost-effectiveness results. RESULTS On top of SoC, the model indicates that MEP is dominant (lower cost, higher benefit) compared to BEN and RES: For BEN and RES, respectively, treatment with MEP had a point estimate of 0.076 and 0.075 additional QALYs, and savings of €3,173.47 and €7,772.95 per patient. The findings were robust to variation as estimated using sensitivity analysis. CONCLUSIONS MEP is a cost-effective treatment in comparison with BEN and RES added to SoC for patients with SEA in the Spanish setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Javier González-Barcala
- Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Respiratory Medicine, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Xavier Muñoz-Gall
- Department of Pulmonology, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER of Respiratory Diseases (CIBERes), Madrid, Spain
- Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | | | | | - José Luis Izquierdo-Alonso
- Medicine and Specialities Department, Universidad de Alcalá (Alcalá de Henares, Madrid), Hospital Universitario Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Spain
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Anastasaki M, Trigoni M, Pantouvaki A, Trouli M, Mavrogianni M, Chavannes N, Pooler J, van Kampen S, Jones R, Lionis C, Tsiligianni I. Establishing a pulmonary rehabilitation programme in primary care in Greece: A FRESH AIR implementation study. Chron Respir Dis 2020; 16:1479973119882939. [PMID: 31742441 PMCID: PMC6864042 DOI: 10.1177/1479973119882939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is an evidence-based, low-cost, non-medical treatment approach for patients with chronic respiratory diseases. This study aimed to start and assess the feasibility, acceptability and impact of a PR programme on health and quality of life of respiratory patients, for the first time in primary care in Crete, Greece and, particularly, in a low-resource rural setting. This was an implementation study with before-after outcome evaluation and qualitative interviews with patients and stakeholders. In a rural primary healthcare centre, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and/or asthma were recruited. The implementation strategy included adaptation of a PR programme previously developed in United Kingdom and Uganda and training of clinical staff in programme delivery. The intervention comprised of 6 weeks of exercise and education sessions, supervised by physiotherapists, nurse and general practitioner. Patient outcomes (Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ), COPD Assessment Test (CAT), St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Incremental Shuttle Walking Test (ISWT)) were analysed descriptively. Qualitative outcomes (feasibility, acceptability) were analysed using thematic content analysis. With minor adaptations to the original programme, 40 patients initiated (24 with COPD and 16 with asthma) and 31 completed PR (19 with COPD and 12 with asthma). Clinically important improvements in all outcomes were documented (mean differences (95% CIs) for CCQ: -0.53 (-0.81, -0.24), CAT: -5.93 (-8.27, -3.60), SGRQ: -23.00 (-29.42, -16.58), PHQ-9: -1.10 (-2.32, 0.12), ISWT: 87.39 (59.37, 115.40)). The direct PR benefits and the necessity of implementing similar initiatives in remote areas were highlighted. This study provided evidence about the multiple impacts of a PR programme, indicating that it could be both feasible and acceptable in low-resource, primary care settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilena Anastasaki
- Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Maria Trigoni
- Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Anna Pantouvaki
- Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Marianna Trouli
- Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Maria Mavrogianni
- Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Niels Chavannes
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jillian Pooler
- Population Studies and Clinical Trials, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK
| | - Sanne van Kampen
- Population Studies and Clinical Trials, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK
| | - Rupert Jones
- Population Studies and Clinical Trials, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK
| | - Christos Lionis
- Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Ioanna Tsiligianni
- Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
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Andersson M, Janson C, Kristensen T, Szende A, Golam S. Cost effectiveness of benralizumab for severe, uncontrolled oral corticosteroid-dependent asthma in Sweden. J Med Econ 2020; 23:877-884. [PMID: 32324093 DOI: 10.1080/13696998.2020.1760285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Aim: We investigated cost effectiveness of benralizumab vs. standard of care (SOC) plus oral corticosteroids (OCS) for patients with severe, eosinophilic OCS-dependent asthma in Sweden.Materials and methods: A three-state, cohort-based Markov model of data from three Phase III benralizumab clinical trials (ZONDA [NCT02075255], SIROCCO [NCT01928771], and CALIMA [NCT01914757]) was used to assess the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of benralizumab vs. SOC plus OCS. Health outcomes were estimated in terms of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). The model included costs and disutilities associated with extrapolated OCS-related adverse events. Patients with severe asthma were defined as those receiving OCS ≥5 mg/day.Results: Benralizumab demonstrated a cost-effectiveness ratio vs. SOC plus OCS of 2018 Swedish Kronor (SEK) 366,855 (€34,127) per QALY gained, based on increases of 1.33 QALYs and SEK 488,742 (€45,344) per patient. Benralizumab treatment costs contributed most to incremental costs. The probability of benralizumab's being cost-effective with willingness-to-pay (WTP) thresholds between SEK 429,972 (€40,000) and SEK 752,452 (€70,000) ranged from 75% to 99%.Limitations: Potential limitations of these analyses include the use of combined data from three different clinical trials, a one-way sensitivity analysis that did not include mortality and transition estimates, and Observational & Pragmatic Research Institute (OPRI) data from the UK as a proxy of the Swedish health care system.Conclusions: The results of these analyses demonstrate that benralizumab has a high probability of being cost-effective compared with SOC plus OCS for a subgroup of patients with severe, eosinophilic asthma receiving regular OCS treatment and may support clinicians, payers and patients in making treatment decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christer Janson
- Department of Medical Sciences, Respiratory, Allergy and Sleep Research, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | | | - Sarowar Golam
- Global Market Access and Pricing, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Seyedrezazadeh E, Ansarin K, Sharifi A, Jafari Rouhi AH, Gilani N, Aftabi Y, Khalili M, Najmi M. Validation of the Persian work productivity and activity impairment questionnaire in asthmatic patients. Expert Rev Respir Med 2020; 14:757-762. [PMID: 32233706 DOI: 10.1080/17476348.2020.1750373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The work productivity and activity impairment (WPAI) questionnaire is a fine linguistic validated tool to measure work productivity and activity impairment. Considering its capability, this study aimed to evaluate the validity of the Persian version of WPAI-AQ in asthmatics. METHODS The standard forward-backward process was used to translate the English version of WPAI-AQ into Persian. The convergent validity and responsiveness were evaluated by analyzing the correlations between the Persian WPAI-AQ and the health outcomes, and its longitudinal change score with the change in SGRQ score, respectively. Additionally, the stability was estimated according to test-retest scores. RESULTS There was a significant correlation between the Persian WPAI-AQ related outcomes and symptoms, activities, and impacts of disease (r = 0.41-0.89, p < 0.04). Desirable stability was observed by the test-retest analysis; 0.90 (95%CI: 0.89-0.95) for overall impairment, 0.90 (95%CI: 0.86-0.93) for work time missed, 0.72 (95%CI: 0.54-0.83) for activity impairment; 0.79 (95%CI: 0.71-0.86) for student class time missed, and 0.76 (95%CI: 0.66-0.81) for school impairment. Response to the change scores strongly supported the longitudinal responsiveness of the Persian WPAI-AQ (r = 0.37 to 0.63, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION The Persian WPAI-AQ is a feasible valid tool to estimate work productivity and activity impairment in Persian-speaking asthmatic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ensiyeh Seyedrezazadeh
- Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz, Iran
| | - Khalil Ansarin
- Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz, Iran
| | - Akbar Sharifi
- Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Neda Gilani
- Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz, Iran.,Emergency Medicine Research Team, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz, Iran
| | - Younes Aftabi
- Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz, Iran
| | - Majid Khalili
- Department of Basic Science, Maragheh University of Medical Sciences , Maragheh, Iran
| | - Mehdi Najmi
- Department of Non-communicable Diseases Control, Deputy of Health, Ministry of Health and Medical Education , Tehran, Iran
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Vellopoulou K, Bakakos P, Loukides S, Maniadakis N, Kourlaba G. The Economic Burden of Asthma in Greece: A Cross-Sectional Study. APPLIED HEALTH ECONOMICS AND HEALTH POLICY 2019; 17:629-640. [PMID: 30997609 DOI: 10.1007/s40258-019-00469-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The high prevalence rates of asthma worldwide and the chronic nature of the disease make asthma a major cause of morbidity, imposing a significant socio-economic burden in many countries. Specifically in Greece, the self-reported prevalence of asthma reached 9% in 2017. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to estimate the total management cost of asthma in Greece and its potential determinants. METHODS A population-based, random-digit-dialed telephone nationwide survey was conducted to recruit patients with asthma in Greece (n = 353). A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic and lifestyle characteristics, exacerbations, asthma control, medical resource utilization, and productivity loss during the past 12 months. The total annual direct cost from the societal, payer, and patient perspective as well as the indirect cost was calculated. All costs refer to the year 2017 (€). The significance level was set to α = 0.05. RESULTS The mean (95% confidence interval) annual total cost per patient for asthma management from the societal, payer, and patient perspective was €895 (696-1105), €673 (497-861), and €151 (119-188), respectively. The direct medical cost accounted for almost 90% of the total cost, whereas only 4% was attributed to the indirect cost. The direct medical cost was mainly driven by the medication cost (48%). The total annual societal cost was statistically significantly higher in those with not well-controlled asthma (p = 0.014) and those experiencing exacerbations during the past 12 months (p < 0.001) than in their counterparts. The total annual economic burden of asthma in Greece was estimated at €727 million and €547 million from the societal and payer perspective, respectively. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that asthma imposes a high economic burden on society and the healthcare system in Greece. Therefore, greater investment in interventions aimed at asthma control and prevention of acute exacerbations may reduce the overall burden of asthma in Greece.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Petros Bakakos
- 1st Respiratory Medicine Department, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Sotiria Chest Diseases Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Stelios Loukides
- 2nd Respiratory Medicine Department, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon General Hospital, Chaidari, Greece
| | - Nikos Maniadakis
- Department οf Health Services Organization and Management, National School οf Public Health, Athens, Greece
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Rodriguez-Martinez CE, Sossa-Briceño MP, Castro-Rodriguez JA. Advantage of inhaled corticosteroids as additional therapy to systemic corticosteroids for pediatric acute asthma exacerbations: a cost-effectiveness analysis. J Asthma 2019; 57:949-958. [PMID: 31164017 DOI: 10.1080/02770903.2019.1628254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Although the efficacy of systemic corticosteroids (SCs) in acute asthma exacerbations is well established, the fact that many children still require admission to hospital and that SCs have a slow onset of action are cause of concern. For this reason, the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) as a therapy added to SCs has been explored, with no clarity about its cost-effectiveness. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of ICS in addition to SCs (ICS + SCs) compared to standard therapy with SCs for treating pediatric asthma exacerbations.Methods: A decision-analysis model was developed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of SCs compared to ICS + SCs for treating pediatric patients with acute asthma exacerbations. Effectiveness parameters were obtained from a systematic review of the literature. Cost data obtained from hospital bills and from the national manual of drug prices. The study was carried out from the perspective of the national healthcare system in Colombia. The main outcome of the model was avoidance of hospital admission.Results: For the base-case analysis, the model showed that compared to SCs, therapy with ICS + SCs was associated with lower total costs (US$88.76 vs.US$97.71 average cost per patient) and a lower probability of hospital admission (0.9060 vs. 0.9000), thus showing dominance.Conclusions: This study shows that compared with standard therapy with SCs, ICS + SCs for treating pediatric patients with acute asthma exacerbations is the preferred strategy because it was associated with a lower probability of hospital admission, at lower total treatment costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos E Rodriguez-Martinez
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota, Colombia.,Department of Pediatric Pulmonology and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad El Bosque, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Monica P Sossa-Briceño
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Jose A Castro-Rodriguez
- Division of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Mukherjee M, Nwaru BI, Soyiri I, Grant I, Sheikh A. High health gain patients with asthma: a cross-sectional study analysing national Scottish data sets. NPJ Prim Care Respir Med 2018; 28:27. [PMID: 30026587 PMCID: PMC6053372 DOI: 10.1038/s41533-018-0094-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Revised: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies have shown that a small proportion of patients have particularly high needs and are responsible for disproportionally high disease burden. Estimates suggest that 2-5% of patients are high users of healthcare for their health gain. Such patients in Scotland are referred to as high health gain (HHG) patients. We wanted to investigate if there were HHG individuals with asthma in Scotland. We analysed data from the Scottish Health Survey (2010-11), and primary and National Health Survey (NHS) secondary healthcare and administrative data sets (2011-12). In all, 1,379,690 (26.0%) and 836,135 (15.8%) people reported to have ever had and currently have symptoms suggestive of asthma, respectively; 369,868 (7.0%) people reported current symptomatic clinician-diagnosed asthma. 310,050 (5.6%) people had clinician-reported-diagnosed asthma; there were 289,120 nurse consultations, 215,610 GP consultations, 9235 accident and emergency visits (0.2% people), 8263 ambulance conveyances (0.2% people), 7744 inpatient episodes (0.1% people), 3600 disability allowance claims (0.1% people), 187 intensive care unit (ICU) episodes and 94 deaths from asthma. From our study a maximum of about 9.4% of asthma patients (n = 29,145), which is 0.5% of the Scottish population, and from the National Review of Asthma Deaths' estimate (10% hospitalised), a minimum of nine people had severe asthma attacks that needed acute hospital attendance/admission. We found that although a high proportion of the Scottish population had symptoms suggestive of asthma and clinician diagnosed asthma, only a small proportion of asthma patients experienced exacerbations that were severe enough to warrant hospital attendance/admission in any given year. Developing risk prediction models to identify these HHG patients has the potential to both improve health outcomes while substantially reducing healthcare expenditure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mome Mukherjee
- Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research, Centre for Medical Informatics, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
| | - Bright I Nwaru
- Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research, Centre for Medical Informatics, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Krefting Research Centre, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ireneous Soyiri
- Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research, Centre for Medical Informatics, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ian Grant
- ScotPHO Collaboration, Information Services Division (ISD), NHS National Services Scotland, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Aziz Sheikh
- Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research, Centre for Medical Informatics, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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