Costs, resource utilization, and treatment patterns for patients with metastatic melanoma in a commercially insured setting.

Objective: To estimate real-world healthcare costs, resource utilization, and treatment patterns among metastatic melanoma (MM) patients who received a therapy recommended in current treatment guidelines during 2011 and 2012, following approval in the US of novel therapies (ipilimumab and vemurafenib).

Research Design And Methods: Administrative claims data were used in a retrospective, longitudinal, open cohort study. Adult MM patients were identified using ICD-9 codes.

Treatment of COPD: relationships between daily dosing frequency, adherence, resource use, and costs.

Background: Medication adherence is important in managing COPD. This study analyzed real-world use of inhaled medications for COPD to characterize relationships between daily dosing frequency, adherence, healthcare resource utilization, and cost.

Methods: This retrospective study used a large administrative claims database covering 8 million insured lives in the US from 1999 to 2006.

The economic impact of exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and exacerbation definition: a review.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) poses a significant economic burden on society, and a substantial portion is related to exacerbations of COPD. A literature review of the direct and indirect costs of COPD exacerbations was performed. A systematic search of the MEDLINE database from 1998-2008 was conducted and supplemented with searches of conference abstracts and article bibliographies.

Comparison of hospitalization risk and associated costs among patients receiving sargramostim, filgrastim, and pegfilgrastim for chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.

Background: Sargramostim is a granulocyte-macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Unlike filgrastim and pegfilgrastim, which are granulocyte-colony-stimulating factors (G-CSFs), sargramostim activates a broader range of myeloid lineage-derived cells. Therefore, GM-CSF might reduce infection risk more than the G-CSFs.

Costs, quality of life and treatment compliance associated with antibiotic therapies in patients with cystic fibrosis: a review of the literature.

Background: Cystic fibrosis is the most common incurable hereditary disease in the US. Persistent respiratory infection is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis patients.

Objective: This study aimed to review the literature on economic and quality of life outcomes and treatment compliance associated with antibiotic therapies for cystic fibrosis patients.

Safety impacts of SUVs, vans, and pickup trucks in two-vehicle crashes.

Policy makers, vehicle manufacturers, and consumers have shown growing concern about the relative safety of sport utility vehicles (SUVs), vans, pickups, and cars. Empirical analysis of real-world crashes is complicated by the possibility that apparent relationships between vehicle type and safety may be confounded by other factors, such as driver behavior and crash circumstances. This study compares different vehicle types with respect to their crashworthiness (self-protection) and aggressivity (risk to others) in crashes between two passenger vehicles.