Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Treatments for Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency: A Systematic Literature Review.

Introduction: Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is caused by multiple clinical conditions such as cystic fibrosis and chronic pancreatitis (CP). Standard management of EPI includes pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) along with consultation with a dietitian. While PERTs have been on the market for several decades, newer publications on their clinical efficacy and safety raised the need for a comprehensive review of the literature.

The clinical, economic, and humanistic burden of treatments for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and cost-effectiveness of treatments: A systematic literature review.

Background: To examine the burden of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), specifically the clinical impact of EPI on patients, their quality of life (QoL) and the cost-effectiveness of existing treatments.

Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using key search terms for the clinical, economic, and humanistic burden. Databases were searched from 2010 to 2022, with articles screened independently by 2 reviewers at abstract and full-text stage against pre-defined eligibility criteria.

Matching-adjusted indirect comparison: entrectinib versus crizotinib in fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer.

To perform indirect treatment comparisons of entrectinib versus alternative fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer treatments. Relevant studies with crizotinib and chemotherapy as comparators of interest identified by systematic literature review were selected for matching-adjusted indirect comparison by feasibility assessment. Matching was based on known prognostic/predictive factors and scenario analyses were used for unreported confounders in comparator trials.

Systematic review of neurotrophic tropomyosin-related kinase inhibition as a tumor-agnostic management strategy.

To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis feasibility of clinical, quality of life and economic evidence for neurotrophic tropomyosin-related receptor tyrosine kinases () inhibitors in patients with gene fusion-positive tumors. Databases were searched for studies on inhibitors in adult and pediatric patients. 27 publications reported clinical data for seven interventions.

Comparative Efficacy of Second- and Subsequent-line Treatments for Metastatic NSCLC: A Fractional Polynomials Network Meta-analysis of Cancer Immunotherapies.

Background: Extended onset of treatment effect and longer-term survival with anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)/programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) immunotherapies, atezolizumab, nivolumab, and pembrolizumab, have changed the landscape of second- or subsequent-line (2L+) treatments for adults with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This systematic literature review included phase I to IV randomized, controlled trials of 2L+ NSCLC therapies from MEDLINE, Embase, and secondary sources.

Materials And Methods: Studies of treatments approved in the European Union or United States had to be in English with ≥ 10 patients per arm.

Cost-effectiveness of second-line atezolizumab in Canada for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

To assess the cost-effectiveness in Canada of atezolizumab compared with docetaxel or nivolumab for the treatment of advanced NSCLC after first-line platinum-doublet chemotherapy. A three-state partitioned-survival model was developed. Clinical inputs were obtained from the phase III OAK trial comparing atezolizumab with docetaxel in patients with advanced NSCLC who progressed after first-line platinum-doublet chemotherapy.

Comparative Effectiveness of Personalized Lifestyle Management Strategies for Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction.

Background: Evidence shows that healthy diet, exercise, smoking interventions, and stress reduction reduce cardiovascular disease risk. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of these lifestyle interventions for individual risk profiles and determine their rank order in reducing 10-year cardiovascular disease risk.

Methods And Results: We computed risks using the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Pooled Cohort Equations for a variety of individual profiles.

Standardised mindfulness-based interventions in healthcare: an overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of RCTs.

Background: Mindfulness-based therapies are being used in a wide range of common chronic conditions in both treatment and prevention despite lack of consensus about their effectiveness in different patient categories.

Objective: To systematically review the evidence of effectiveness MBSR and MBCT in different patient categories.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of systematic reviews of RCTs, using the standardized MBSR or MBCT programs.

The effectiveness of yoga in modifying risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Yoga, a popular mind-body practice, may produce changes in cardiovascular disease (CVD) and metabolic syndrome risk factors.

Design: This was a systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods: Electronic searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were performed for systematic reviews and RCTs through December 2013.

Potential bias of instrumental variable analyses for observational comparative effectiveness research.

Instrumental variable analysis is an increasingly popular method in comparative effectiveness research (CER). In theory, the instrument controls for unobserved and observed patient characteristics that affect the outcome. However, the results of instrumental variable analyses in observational settings may be biased if the instrument and outcome are related through an unadjusted third variable: an "instrument-outcome confounder.

Cost-effectiveness of intensive lipid lowering therapy with 80 mg of atorvastatin, versus 10 mg of atorvastatin, for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in Canada.

Background: The TNT study compared high dose atorvastatin (80 mg) versus moderate atorvastatin (10 mg) treatment in 10,001 patients with stable coronary heart disease (CHD), over 4.9 years. Intensive lipid-lowering with atorvastatin (80 mg) reduced major cardiovascular events by 22%.

Cost-effectiveness of magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound for the treatment of uterine fibroids.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Magnetic Resonance Guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) compared with alternative treatments for uterine fibroids in the United States.

Methods: We used techniques of decision analysis and data from secondary sources to develop and estimate an economic model of the management of uterine fibroids among premenopausal women. Patients in the model receive treatment with MRgFUS, uterine artery embolization (UAE), abdominal myomectomy, hysterectomy, or pharmacotherapy.

Cost-effectiveness of intensive atorvastatin therapy in secondary cardiovascular prevention in the United Kingdom, Spain, and Germany, based on the Treating to New Targets study.

The Treating to New Targets (TNT) clinical trial found that intensive 80 mg atorvastatin (A80) treatment reduced cardiovascular events by 22% when compared to 10 mg atorvastatin (A10) treatment. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of intensive A80 vs A10 treatment in the United Kingdom (UK), Spain, and Germany. A lifetime Markov model was developed to predict cardiovascular disease-related events, costs, survival, and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs).

Budgetary impact of varenicline in smoking cessation in the United Kingdom.

Objectives: To estimate the budgetary impact of varenicline in the United Kingdom (UK) in the first 5 years after its introduction to the smoking-cessation aid market, from the National Health Service (NHS) pharmacy perspective.

Methods: The economic impact of varenicline to the national health budget is estimated in a population of current, former, and new smokers. The analyses are based on data from a variety of secondary sources including national health data, clinical trials, and meta-analyses of smoking-cessation aids.