Matching-adjusted comparison of oral corticosteroid reduction in asthma: Systematic review of biologics.

Background: Oral corticosteroid (OCS) treatment for severe asthma is associated with substantial disease burden. Thus, OCS dosage reduction is desirable. Relative efficacy of biologics in reducing OCS treatment for severe, uncontrolled asthma is not fully characterized.

Matching-adjusted indirect comparison of benralizumab interleukin-5 inhibitors for the treatment of severe asthma: a systematic review.

Benralizumab is an interleukin-5 receptor α-directed cytolytic monoclonal antibody that directly depletes eosinophils. Its relative efficacy other IL-5-targeted treatments for patients with severe, uncontrolled asthma is not yet fully characterised.We performed a matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC) of benralizumab mepolizumab and reslizumab.

Symptomatic burden of COPD for patients receiving dual or triple therapy.

Background: COPD is associated with a large disease burden. The use of dual (two maintenance treatments) and triple (combination of any three treatments) therapy has shown efficacy for symptom relief; however, some patients with COPD remain symptomatic despite these therapies. This study assessed the scope and magnitude of the symptomatic burden for patients with COPD receiving dual or triple therapy.

Cost-Effectiveness of Fixed-Dose Combinations Therapies for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Treatment.

Background And Objective: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a progressive lung disorder associated with decline of respiratory function, affects 10.2% of Spanish adults (40-80 years of age). This study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of two fixed-dose combinations of long-acting muscarinic antagonist and long-acting β2-agonist therapies for COPD, with Spanish National Health System perspective.

Cost-effectiveness of linaclotide compared to antidepressants in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation in Scotland.

Presently, linaclotide is the only EMA-approved therapy indicated for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C). This study sought to determine the cost-effectiveness of linaclotide compared to antidepressants for the treatment of adults with moderate to severe IBS-C who have previously received antispasmodics and/or laxatives. A Markov model was created to estimate costs and QALYs over a 5-year time horizon from the perspective of NHS Scotland.

Cost versus utility of aclidinium bromide 400 µg plus formoterol fumarate dihydrate 12 µg compared to aclidinium bromide 400 µg alone in the management of moderate-to-severe COPD.

Purpose: Aclidinium-formoterol 400/12 µg is a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) and a long-acting β2-agonist in a fixed-dose combination used in the management of patients with COPD. This study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of aclidinium-formoterol 400/12 µg against the long-acting muscarinic antagonist aclidinium bromide 400 µg.

Materials And Methods: A five-health-state Markov transition model with monthly cycles was developed using MS Excel to simulate patients with moderate-to-severe COPD and their initial lung-function improvement following treatment with aclidinium-formoterol 400/12 µg or aclidinium 400 µg.

Efficacy and Safety of Aclidinium/Formoterol versus Tiotropium in COPD: Results of an Indirect Treatment Comparison.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to estimate the relative efficacy and safety of fixed-dose combination aclidinium/formoterol 400/12 μg twice daily compared to tiotropium 18 μg once daily in adult patients with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: A systematic literature review performed in March 2014, using a predefined search strategy in MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Library, identified 17 randomized placebo-controlled trials, (tiotropium n = 15; aclidinium/formoterol n = 2). Outcomes of interest were: bronchodilation (peak and trough forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)), COPD symptoms [Transition Dyspnea Index (TDI) focal score and % of responders (>1 unit improvement)] and Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) [St.

Comparative efficacy of aclidinium versus glycopyrronium and tiotropium, as maintenance treatment of moderate to severe COPD patients: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: Aclidinium bromide is a new long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) indicated for maintenance bronchodilator treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The efficacy of aclidinium was compared with tiotropium and glycopyrronium, using a network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in moderate-to-severe COPD patients.

Methods: A systematic review was performed to identify RCTs evaluating aclidinium 400 μg twice daily (BID), glycopyrronium 50 μg once daily (OD), tiotropium 18 μg OD, or tiotropium 5 μg OD in adults with moderate-to-severe COPD.

The economic costs of malaria in children in three sub-Saharan countries: Ghana, Tanzania and Kenya.

Background: Malaria causes significant mortality and morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), especially among children less than five years of age (U5 children). Although the economic burden of malaria in this region has been assessed previously, the extent and variation of this burden remains unclear. This study aimed to estimate the economic costs of malaria in U5 children in three countries (Ghana, Tanzania and Kenya).

Economic evaluation of antipsychotic drugs for schizophrenia treatment within the Brazilian Healthcare System.

Objective: To assess the cost-utility of first and second-generation antipsychotics for treatment of schizophrenia.

Methods: A five-year Markov model was constructed based on a survey of the records of patients seen in 2006 at a psychosocial care center in the municipality of Florianopolis, Southern Brazil. Costs were evaluated from the perspective of the Sistema Unico de Saúde (SUS - Unified Healthcare System).