The impact of recombinant human erythropoietin on medical care costs for hemodialysis patients in Canada.

Recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO) is an established and effective therapy for anemia related to end stage renal disease. In addition to its clinical effects, it has been associated with significant improvements in quality of life for anemic hemodialysis patients. The therapy's impact on overall medical care expenditures for these patients remains uncertain, however.

The cost-effectiveness of routine post myocardial infarction exercise stress testing.

The cost-effectiveness of the strategy of a routine pre-discharge exercise test (followed by coronary angiography and coronary artery bypass surgery if indicated) in patients with an uncomplicated myocardial infarction was compared with a policy of no routine exercise testing. Using data from the literature, a decision tree was developed to estimate the number of lives saved by the routine exercise test strategy (12 lives saved per 1000 tests), as well as the number of angiograms and coronary artery bypass procedures that would be performed. It was assumed that surgery decreases one year mortality by 25%.