A costing and health-related quality of life study of high intensity focused ultrasound in primary treatment of localized low or intermediate risk prostate cancer in Ontario.

Introduction: Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of death from cancer among Canadian men. High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a novel approach for primary treatment of localized prostate cancer. Little is known, however, about its costs.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Cancer.

Objective: Prostate cancer is the second- leading cause of cancer death among men. We aimed to evaluate high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), open radical prostatectomy (ORP), robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), and external beam radiation therapy (RT) in the treatment of localized low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer.

Methods: We searched bibliographic databases for case-control, cohort, and randomized controlled studies.

The burden of illness of rheumatoid arthritis in Latin America-A systematic literature review.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease which, when left untreated, may result in the destruction of multiple joints and damage a wide variety of body systems, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of disease burden for RA in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela. PubMed/Medline, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for publications in English, Spanish, or Portuguese from 2008 through June 2018.

Burden of Disease for Psoriasis in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.

Objectives: Psoriasis (PsO) is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem disease with predominantly skin and joint manifestations. The disease is also associated with lower quality of life, lower work productivity, and higher healthcare costs. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic literature review of the disease burden for PsO in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.

Effects of Diabetes Prevention Education Program for Overweight and Obese Subjects with a Family History of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Pilot Study from the United Arab Emirates.

Objectives: The association of obesity and family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) provides an opportunity for risk stratification and prevention, as these two conditions are the most well-known risk factors for T2DM. We aimed to test the feasibility and effects of a diabetes mellitus prevention education program designed for overweight and obese Emirati people with at least one parent with T2DM.

Methods: We conducted a pilot study using a pre-post design without a control arm at the Diabetes Center at Tawam Hospital in Al Ain, UAE.

Stated Preferences for Attributes of a Pharmacogenetic Test Among the General Population Presented with a Hypothetical Acute Coronary Syndrome Scenario.

Background: Pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing identifies pharmacotherapeutic risks to permit personalized therapy. Identifying the genetic profile of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who are considered for therapy with clopidogrel (P2Y receptor blockers) and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) contributes to the treatment paradigm. Patient preferences would inform a collaborative framework and by extension inform healthcare policy formulation.

Clinical and economic burden of infections in hospitalized solid organ transplant recipients compared with the general population in Canada - a retrospective cohort study.

Infections continue to be a major cause of post-transplant morbidity and mortality, requiring increased health services utilization. Estimates on the magnitude of this impact are relatively unknown. Using national administrative databases, we compared mortality, acute care health services utilization, and costs in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients to nontransplant patients using a retrospective cohort of hospitalizations in Canada (excluding Manitoba/Quebec) between April-2009 and March-2014, with a diagnosis of pneumonia, urinary tract infection (UTI), or sepsis.

The effect of religion on the perception of health states among adults in the United Arab Emirates: a qualitative study.

Objectives: Investigate how religion may affect the perception of health states among adults in the United Arab Emirates and the implications for research on self-reported health and quality of life and the use of values in cost-effectiveness analysis.

Design: Qualitative analysis of short-structured interviews with adult Emiratis carried out by a market research agency.The COREQ criteria have been used where appropriate to guide the reporting of our findings.

Systematic review and network meta-analysis on the relative efficacy of osteoporotic medications: men with prostate cancer on continuous androgen-deprivation therapy to reduce risk of fragility fractures.

Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) is an effective treatment for men with advanced prostate cancer, but loss of bone mineral density (BMD) is a major risk factor for fractures. This review compared the efficacy of available treatments to provide prescribing guidance to healthcare professionals. This is the first review to compare the effectiveness of different osteoporotic treatments (bisphosphonates, denosumab, toremifene, and raloxifene) on BMD in patients with non-metastatic prostate cancer on ADT using network meta-analysis.

Antithrombotic Therapy and Direct Medical Costs in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome in Shanghai, China.

Background: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide.

Objectives: To describe patient profile, treatment patterns, and disease burden for patients with ACS.

Methods: A retrospective descriptive cohort study was conducted.

Clinical and microbiological epidemiology of early and late infectious complications among solid-organ transplant recipients requiring hospitalization.

There is limited literature describing the clinical and microbiological characteristics of solid-organ transplant recipients requiring hospitalization for infectious complications. This study reports on the rate and timing of these syndromes and describes the associated microbiological epidemiology. This prevalence cohort study evaluated solid-organ transplant recipients requiring hospitalization during 2007-2011.

An Investigation of the Feasibility and Cultural Appropriateness of Stated Preference Methods to Generate Health State Values in the United Arab Emirates.

Background: No five-level EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) value sets are currently available in the Middle East to inform decision making in the region's health care systems.

Objectives: To test the feasibility of eliciting EQ-5D-5L values from a general public sample in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) using the EuroQol Group's standardized valuation protocol.

Methods: Values were elicited in face-to-face computer-assisted personal interviews.

Impact of infectious disease consultation on the clinical and economic outcomes of solid organ transplant recipients admitted for infectious complications.

Background: There has been a paucity of data on the healthcare resource utilization of infectious disease-related complications in solid organ transplant recipients. The aims of this study were to report the clinical and economic burden of infectious disease-related complications, along with the impact of infectious disease consultation.

Methods: This cohort study evaluated patients requiring admission to a tertiary-care center during 2007, 2008, and 2011.

Prospectively measured 10-year changes in health-related quality of life and comparison with cross-sectional estimates in a population-based cohort of adult women and men.

Purpose: To prospectively assess changes in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) over 10 years, by age and sex, and to compare measured within-person change to estimates of change based on cross-sectional data.

Methods: Participants in the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study completed the 36-item short form (SF-36) in 1995/1997 and 2005/2007. Mean within-person changes for domain and summary components were calculated for men and women separately, stratified by 10-year age groups.

The Health Technology Assessment Environment in Mainland China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan-Implications for the Evaluation of Diabetes Mellitus Therapies.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with a significant global economic and humanistic burden. The condition presents a real challenge in Asia, which accounts for more than 60% of individuals with DM globally. Health technology assessment (HTA) is a field of scientific research used to inform policy and clinical decision making relating to the introduction and diffusion of health technologies.

Longitudinal changes in calcium and vitamin D intakes and relationship to bone mineral density in a prospective population-based study: the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study (CaMos).

Objectives: Our objective was to study changes in calcium and vitamin D intakes over time, and their cross-sectional and longitudinal associations with bone mineral density (BMD).

Methods: We followed 9382 women and men aged ≥25 and 899 aged 16-24, for 10 and 2 years respectively.

Results: Calcium and vitamin D intakes increased over time in adults, but decreased in women aged 16-18.

The burden of osteoporotic fractures beyond acute care: the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study (CaMos).

Background: the burden associated with osteoporotic fractures has commonly been reported in terms of utilisation of acute care. However, individuals with fractures suffer lasting deficits in quality of life and the burden of care extends well beyond the initial acute care period. The burden of fractures related to post-acute heath care utilisation, and informal care giving, has not been sufficiently addressed.

Health-related quality of life in Canadian adolescents and young adults: normative data using the SF-36.

Objectives: Normative data for the SF-36 measure of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) exist for those over 25 years of age, based on data from the population-based Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study (CaMos). CaMos recently recruited a sample of young Canadians aged between 16 and 24 years. The purpose of this study was to develop normative SF-36 data for this age group.

Relation between fractures and mortality: results from the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study.

Background: Fractures have largely been assessed by their impact on quality of life or health care costs. We conducted this study to evaluate the relation between fractures and mortality.

Methods: A total of 7753 randomly selected people (2187 men and 5566 women) aged 50 years and older from across Canada participated in a 5-year observational cohort study.

Delay of adequate empiric antibiotic therapy is associated with increased mortality among solid-organ transplant patients.

Empiric antibiotic therapy is often prescribed prior to the availability of bacterial culture results. In some cases, the organism isolated may not be susceptible to initial empiric therapy (inadequate empiric therapy or IET). In solid-organ transplant recipients, the overall incidence and clinical importance of IET is unknown.

Vertebral fracture status and the World Health Organization risk factors for predicting osteoporotic fracture risk.

Vertebral fractures are the most common osteoporotic fracture, and patients with prevalent vertebral fractures have a greater risk of future fractures. However, radiographically determined vertebral fractures are not identified as a distinct risk factor in the World Health Organization (WHO) fracture risk assessment tool. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare potential risk factors including morphometric spine fracture status and the WHO risk factors for predicting 5-yr fracture risk.

Hip protectors decrease hip fracture risk in elderly nursing home residents: a Bayesian meta-analysis.

Objective: To design a Bayesian random effects model for pooling binary outcome data from cluster randomized trials (CRTs) with individually randomized trials (IRTs) and then use this model to determine if hip protectors decrease the risk of hip fracture in elderly nursing home residents.

Study Design And Setting: Eight electronic databases were searched; abstracts and papers were reviewed in duplicate. Randomized controlled trials of hip protectors in nursing homes were included.

Could a policy of provision of hip protectors to elderly nursing home residents result in cost savings in acute hip fracture care? The case of Ontario, Canada.

Unlabelled: Hip fractures are an important problem in nursing homes. Hip protectors are external devices that decrease the risk of hip fracture in elderly nursing home residents. We estimated the overall healthcare cost savings from a hypothetical strategy of provision of hip protectors to elderly nursing home residents in Ontario, Canada.