A novel integrated care concept (NICC) versus standard care in the treatment of chronic cardiovascular diseases: protocol for the randomized controlled trial CardioCare MV.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the major cause of death globally and represent a major economic burden on health care systems. Positive effects of disease management programs have been shown for patients with heart failure (HF). Remote monitoring and telemonitoring with active intervention are beneficial in atrial fibrillation (AF) and therapy-resistant hypertension (TRH), respectively.

Drug safety and the impact of drug warnings: An interrupted time series analysis of diabetes drug prescriptions in Germany and Denmark.

Objective: To analyse the impact of drug safety warnings from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on drug utilisation and their interaction with information released through national reimbursement bodies.

Methods: Insurance claims data on anti-diabetic drug prescriptions in primary care in Germany and Denmark were analysed using interrupted time series analysis, with EMA drug warnings for thiazolidinediones (TZDs) in 2007 and 2011 as the intervention. Monthly drug utilisation data per substance in defined daily dosages (DDD) consumed per 1000 insurees were retrieved from the Danish national drug prescriptions register and one large statutory sickness fund in Germany.

The impact of recent chemotherapy innovation on the longevity of myeloma patients: US and international evidence.

The longevity of multiple myeloma patients increased sharply since the late 1990s. This increase coincided with the introduction of several important innovations in chemotherapy for myeloma. In this study, we aim to quantify the impact of recent chemotherapy innovation on the longevity of myeloma patients using both time-series US data and longitudinal data on 38 countries.

Do follow-on therapeutic substitutes induce price competition between hospital medicines? Evidence from the Danish hospital sector.

Objective: The pricing of follow-on drugs, that offer only limited health benefits over existing therapeutic alternatives, is a recurring health policy debate. This study investigates whether follow-on therapeutic substitutes create price competition between branded hospital medicines.

Methods: New follow-on drugs and their incumbent therapeutic competitors were identified from Danish sales and product registration data on hospital pharmaceuticals using medically relevant criteria.

Direct comparison of treatment responses, remission rates, and drug adherence in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with adalimumab, etanercept, or infliximab: results from eight years of surveillance of clinical practice in the nationwide Danish DANBIO registry.

Objective: To compare tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitors directly regarding the rates of treatment response, remission, and the drug survival rate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to identify clinical prognostic factors for response.

Methods: The nationwide DANBIO registry collects data on rheumatology patients receiving routine care. For the present study, we included patients from DANBIO who had RA (n = 2,326) in whom the first biologic treatment was initiated (29% received adalimumab, 22% received etanercept, and 49% received infliximab).

Are fish eaters healthier and do they consume less health-care resources?

Objective: Regular dietary intake of fish is associated with reduced risk of developing cardiovascular and other chronic diseases, and may improve general well-being. If fish eaters are healthier, they may use fewer health-care resources. The present study aimed to describe the reported intake of fish and fish products in a Danish general population, and to investigate whether fish consumption is associated with generic measures of self-reported health and consumption of health-care resources.