Health technology assessment : HTA
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Health Technol Assess · Nov 2006
ReviewEvaluation of the ventricular assist device programme in the UK.
To summarise the relevant clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness literature, to collect data on survival, transplantation rates, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and resource use for ventricular assist device (VAD) and non-VAD transplant candidates in the UK, and to construct cost-effectiveness and cost-utility models of VADs in a UK context. Also to investigate the factors that drive costs and survival. ⋯ There are insufficient data from either published studies or the current study to construct a fair comparison group for VADs. Overall survival of 52% is an excellent clinical achievement for those young patients with rapidly failing hearts. However, if the worst case scenario were plausible, and one could reliably extrapolate results to the lifetime of the patients, VADs would not be cost-effective at traditional thresholds. Further randomised controlled trials are required, using current second generation devices or subsequent devices and conducted in the UK.
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Health Technol Assess · Nov 2006
Review Meta AnalysisA systematic review of the effectiveness of adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in adults and an economic evaluation of their cost-effectiveness.
This report reviews the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab, agents that inhibit tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), when used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults. ⋯ Adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab are effective treatments compared with placebo for RA patients who are not well controlled by conventional DMARDs, improving control of symptoms, improving physical function, and slowing radiographic changes in joints. The combination of a TNF inhibitor with methotrexate was more effective than methotrexate alone in early RA, although the clinical relevance of this additional benefit is yet to be established, particularly in view of the well-established effectiveness of MTX alone. An increased risk of serious infection cannot be ruled out for the combination of methotrexate with adalimumab or infliximab. The results of the economic evaluation based on BRAM are consistent with the observations from the review of clinical effectiveness, including the ranking of treatments. TNF inhibitors are most cost-effective when used as last active therapy. In this analysis, other things being equal, etanercept may be the TNF inhibitor of choice, although this may also depend on patient preference as to route of administration. The next most cost-effective use of TNF inhibitors is third line, as recommended in the 2002 NICE guidance. Direct comparative RCTs of TNF inhibitors against each other and against other DMARDs, and sequential use in patients who have failed a previous TNF inhibitor, are needed. Longer term studies of the quality of life in patients with RA and the impact of DMARDs on this are needed, as are longer studies that directly assess effects on joint replacement, other morbidity and mortality.
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Health Technol Assess · Nov 2006
Review Meta AnalysisCost-effectiveness of cell salvage and alternative methods of minimising perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion: a systematic review and economic model.
To compare patient outcomes, resource use and costs to the NHS and NHS Blood Transfusion Authority (BTA) associated with cell salvage and alternative methods of minimising perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion. ⋯ The available evidence indicates that cell salvage may be a cost-effective method to reduce exposure to allogeneic blood transfusion. However, ANH may be more cost-effective than cell salvage. The results of this analysis are subject to the low quality and reliability of the data used and the use of indirect comparisons. This may affect the reliability and robustness of the clinical and economic results. There is a need for further research that includes adequately powered high-quality RCTs to compare directly various blood transfusion strategies. These should include measures of health status, health-related quality of life and patient preferences for alternative transfusion strategies. Observational and tracking studies are needed to estimate reliably the incidence of adverse events and infections transmitted during blood transfusion and to identify the lifetime consequences of the serious hazards of transfusion on mortality, health status and health-related quality of life.
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Health Technol Assess · Nov 2006
ReviewClinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer: systematic reviews and economic evaluation.
The aim of this study was to determine the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic, laparoscopically assisted (hereafter together described as laparoscopic surgery) and hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) in comparison with open surgery for the treatment of colorectal cancer. ⋯ Laparoscopic resection is associated with a quicker recovery (shorter time to return to usual activities and length of hospitalisation) and no evidence of a difference in mortality or disease-free survival up to 3 years following surgery. However, operation times are longer and a significant number of procedures initiated laparoscopically may need to be converted to open surgery. The rate of conversion may be dependent on experience in terms of both patient selection and performing the technique. Laparoscopic resection appears more costly to the health service than open resection, with an estimated extra total cost of between pound 250 and pound 300 per patient. In terms of relative cost-effectiveness, laparoscopic resection is associated with a modest additional cost, short-term benefits associated with more rapid recovery and similar long-term outcomes in terms of survival and cure rates up to 3 years. Assuming equivalence of long-term outcomes, a judgement is required as to whether the benefits associated with earlier recovery are worth this extra cost. The long-term follow-up of the RCT cohorts would be very useful further research and ideally these data should be incorporated into a wider IPD meta-analysis. Data on the long-term complications of surgery such as incisional hernias and differences in outcomes such as persisting pain would also be valuable. Once available, further data on both costs and utilities should be included in an updated model. At this point, further consideration should then be given as to whether additional data should be collected within ongoing trials. Few data were available to assess the relative merits of HALS. Ideally, there should be more data from methodologically sound RCTs. Further research is needed on whether the balance of advantages and disadvantages of laparoscopic surgery varies within subgroups based on the different stages and locations of disease. Research relating to the effect of experience on performance is also required.
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Health Technol Assess · Nov 2006
ReviewEtanercept and efalizumab for the treatment of psoriasis: a systematic review.
To evaluate the clinical effectiveness, safety, tolerability and cost-effectiveness of etanercept and efalizumab for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis. ⋯ Clinical trial data indicate that both etanercept and efalizumab are efficacious in patients who are eligible for systemic therapy, but the economic evaluation demonstrates that these biological therapies are likely to be cost-effective only in patients with poor baseline QoL and who are at risk of hospitalisation. Efficacy trials conducted in the specific population for which etanercept and efalizumab are licensed are required, as are long-term comparisons of etanercept and efalizumab with other treatments for moderate to severe psoriasis. Long-term efficacy trials and safety/tolerability data for patients treated with etanercept or efalizumab are required, as are trials on the response of specific subtypes of psoriasis to different drugs. Research on the rate of inpatient hospitalisation in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis is warranted, and the effect of treatment on this rate.