Clinical and economic burden of first-line chemoimmunotherapy by risk status in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Objectives: To evaluate the trend in cytogenetic/molecular testing rate in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and assess the clinical and economic burden of first-line (1 L) treatment with chemoimmunotherapy (CIT) by risk status.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study identified patients with CLL from a U.S.

Cost-Effectiveness of a Proteomic Test for Preterm Birth Prediction.

Background: Preterm birth (PTB) carries increased risk of short- and long-term health problems as well as higher healthcare costs. Current strategies using clinically accepted maternal risk factors (prior PTB, short cervix) can only identify a minority of singleton PTBs.

Objective: We modeled the cost-effectiveness of a risk-screening-and-treat strategy versus usual care for commercially insured pregnant US women without clinically accepted PTB risk factors.

Association Between Work Absence and Health Services Utilization and Costs Among Employed Individuals With Arthritis.

Objective: To evaluate whether work absence is associated with increased health services utilization and health care costs among employed individuals with arthritis.

Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study using pooled data from the 2011 to 2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Employed individuals with arthritis were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9) codes and Clinical Classification code.

The Impact of Work Absences on Health Services Utilization and Costs Among Employed Individuals With Depression.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether work absences are associated with increased health services utilization, total health care costs, and depression-related costs among employed individuals, aged 18 to 64 years with depression.

Methods: This was a retrospective observational study using pooled data from the 2011 to 2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Employed individuals with depression were identified using ICD-9 codes and Clinical Classification code.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Initial Treatment Strategies for Nonembolic Acute Limb Ischemia Using Real-Word Data.

Background: Nonembolic acute limb ischemia (ALI) is a condition characterized by a sudden decrease in limb perfusion and requires immediate interventions. There are multiple treatment options available including surgery, catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT), endovascular procedures, and hybrid treatment (a combination of open and endovascular techniques). Randomized trials provide information only on clinical efficacy, but not on economic outcomes.

Trends in Smoking Status and Utilization of Smoking Cessation Agents Among Females with Cardiovascular Diseases.

Background: In the United States, cigarette smoking accounts for almost 20% of all deaths attributed to heart disease. More women than men die each year of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Women who smoke have shown to be at a higher risk of cardiac deaths.

Impact of cardiovascular complications among patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review.

Macrovascular and microvascular complications that accompany Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) add to the burden among patients. The purpose of this systematic review is to conduct a comprehensive search of the medical literature investigating the prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) complications and assess their impact on healthcare costs, quality of life and mortality among patients with T2DM in the context of microvascular complications. A total of 76 studies and reports were used in this systematic review.

Characteristics of prescription and nonprescription sleep medication users in the United States.

Sleep deprivation and disturbances can result in lowered productivity and increased errors/accidents. Little is known about population characteristics associated with the use of sleep medications. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of sociodemographic factors with the use of sleep medications in the US population.

Utilization of smoking-cessation pharmacotherapy among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer patients.

Objective: Smoking is one of the major risk factors causing morbidity and mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer patients. Use of smoking cessation pharmacotherapy is an effective way to help quit smoking. The purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence of smoking and the proportion of patients using smoking cessation agents, and to identify the socio-demographic factors that affect the use of these agents among COPD and lung cancer patients.