Real-World Outcomes of Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty in the United Kingdom.

Purpose: Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) is a common treatment option for managing glaucoma and ocular hypertension. We assessed the real-world effectiveness of SLT and baseline factors associated with treatment success in the United Kingdom.

Design: Retrospective observational study of de-identified electronic medical records (Medisoft Glaucoma module [Medisoft Ltd, Leeds, UK]) from 5 UK ophthalmology teaching centers.

Comorbidity and health care visit burden in working-age commercially insured patients with diabetic macular edema.

Purpose: To examine the comorbidity profile and update estimates of health care resource utilization for commercially insured, working-age adults with diabetic macular edema (DME) relative to a matched comparison group of diabetic adults without DME. Additional comparisons were made in the subgroup of pseudophakic patients.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective matched-cohort study of commercially insured diabetic adults aged 18-63 years was conducted using medical and outpatient pharmacy claims (July 1, 2008-June 30, 2013).

Predictors of Nonadherence to Topical Intraocular Pressure Reduction Medications Among Medicare Members: A Claims-Based Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Reported adherence rates with ocular hypotensive medications typically range from 51% to 56% over the first year of therapy. As intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction slows the progression of vision loss from glaucoma, early identification of nonadherent members is crucial to effective disease management.

Objectives: To (a) identify member characteristics and other factors related to nonadherence with topical IOP-lowering medications available in administrative claims data and (b) create a predictive model incorporating these variables.

Estimates of charges associated with emergency department and hospital inpatient care for opioid abuse-related events.

The economic burden of prescription opioid abuse is substantial; however, no study has estimated the monetary burden of hospital services (emergency department [ED] and inpatient) using a single, nationally representative database. We sought to estimate total and average (adjusted for demographic and clinical factors) charges billed for opioid abuse-related events, and magnitude of difference in charges between ED visits resulting in inpatient admission to the same hospital and treat-and-release ED visits in the United States. We used the 2006, 2007, and 2008 files of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide Emergency Departments Sample (HCUP-NEDS) to identify events and charges assigned opioid abuse, dependence, or poisoning ICD-9-CM (International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification) diagnosis codes (304.

Assessing the quality of pharmacoeconomic studies in India: a systematic review.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the quality of pharmacoeconomic studies based in India.

Methods: A literature search was conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, EconLit, PsycInfo and Google Scholar to identify published work on pharmacoeconomics studies based in India. Articles were included if they were original studies that evaluated pharmaceuticals, were based in India and were conducted between 1990 and 2010.