The Model of Mortality with Incident Cirrhosis (MoMIC) and the model of Long-term Outlook of Mortality in Cirrhosis (LOMiC).

The purpose of this study was to produce two statistical survival models in those with cirrhosis utilising only routine parameters, including non-liver-related clinical factors that influence survival. The first model identified and utilised factors impacting short-term survival to 90-days post incident diagnosis, and a further model characterised factors that impacted survival following this acute phase. Data were from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink linked with Hospital Episode Statistics.

Evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of rifaximin-α for the management of patients with hepatic encephalopathy in the United Kingdom.

Objective: Rifaximin-α 550 mg twice daily plus lactulose has demonstrated efficacy in reducing recurrence of episodes of overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE) and the risk of hepatic encephalopathy (HE)-related hospitalizations compared with lactulose alone. This analysis estimated the cost effectiveness of rifaximin-α 550 mg twice daily plus lactulose versus lactulose alone in United Kingdom (UK) cirrhotic patients with OHE.

Method: A Markov model was built to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER).

Cost-effectiveness of tapentadol prolonged release compared with oxycodone controlled release in the UK in patients with severe non-malignant chronic pain who failed 1st line treatment with morphine.

Objectives: The aim of this analysis was to assess the cost-effectiveness of tapentadol PR (prolonged release) compared with oxycodone CR (controlled release) in severe non-malignant chronic pain patients in whom controlled release morphine was ineffective or not tolerated.

Methods: A Markov model was developed to assess costs and benefits over a 1-year time horizon from the National Health Service perspective in the UK. Patients could either continue on 2nd line therapy or switch to 3rd line opioid due to lack of efficacy or poor tolerability.

The relationship between self-reported severe pain and measures of socio-economic disadvantage.

Aims: To determine the association of severe pain with socioeconomic characteristics.

Methods: Data was extracted from the Health Survey for England (HSE), 2005. The HSE is a series of annual cross-sectional surveys designed to describe the health of people living in private homes in England, from a random sample of 720 postcode sectors.

Descriptive epidemiology of hospitalisation for psoriasis.

Background: The epidemiology and outcome of people hospitalised with a primary diagnosis of psoriasis has never been characterised previously in the United Kingdom. The aim of the study was to characterise the epidemiology of people admitted to hospital with a primary diagnosis of psoriasis.

Methods: Routine hospital data from a large urban area of South Wales, UK (with a population of approximately 435,000) were record-linked using probability matching algorithms to mortality data from the Office of National Statistics (1991-2005).

The association between C-reactive protein and the likelihood of progression to joint replacement in people with rheumatoid arthritis: a retrospective observational study.

Background: This study sought to evaluate the association between systemic inflammation as measured by C-reactive protein and total joint replacement and the association between change in CRP status (low, < or = 10 mg/L and high, >10 mg/L) measured over one year and total joint replacement in patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: A cohort of patients was selected from The Health Improvement Network (THIN) dataset of anonymised patient-level data from UK general practice with a confirmed chronic rheumatic diagnosis. Surgery-free survival was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards regression models (CPHM).

An evaluation of the association between systemic inflammation--as measured by C-reactive protein--and hospital resource use.

Objective: To evaluate the association between inflammatory status, as measured by C-reactive protein (CRP), during inpatient admission and subsequent inpatient outcome and associated resource use.

Methods: Probabilistic record linkage was used to match hospital episode data, laboratory reports and mortality statistics in a large urban population of 424,000 people in South Wales, UK. Inpatient mortality, length of stay, emergency readmissions and subsequent 1-year hospital bed day occupancy were assessed as a function of CRP status.

Evaluation of the cost effectiveness of sirolimus versus tacrolimus for immunosuppression following renal transplantation in the UK.

Introduction: Immunosuppressive therapy is required to prevent graft rejection. Calcineurin inhibitors such as tacrolimus are paradoxically toxic to the kidney, whereas sirolimus (rapamycin; Rapamune) is not generally associated with the nephrotoxicity of CNIs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative cost utility of sirolimus versus tacrolimus for the primary prevention of graft rejection in renal transplant recipients in the UK.

Evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of sirolimus versus cyclosporin for immunosuppression after renal transplantation in the United Kingdom.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of sirolimus compared with cyclosporin for the postsurgical management of renal transplant recipients, from the perspective of the UK National Health Service and the Personal Social Service.

Methods: A discrete event stochastic simulation model was developed to evaluate both cost-effectiveness and cost utility over 10 and 20 years after transplant using historical data on 937 renal transplant recipients from the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, United Kingdom. The simulation was designed to forecast the incidence of acute rejection events, graft failure, retransplant, frequency of hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD), and death.

Patterns of graft and patient survival following renal transplantation and evaluation of serum creatinine as a predictor of survival: a review of data collected from one clinical centre over 34 years.

Background: The pattern of renal transplantation has never been described since the introduction of the technique. The purpose of this study was therefore to characterise the pattern of renal transplantation from 1967 to 2000, focusing on renal graft function as a predictor of survival.

Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of an electronic database.

Characterisation and comparison of health-related quality of life for patients with renal failure.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the health related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with kidney failure who had received renal transplants compared to those receiving haemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis or were waiting to start dialysis.

Research Design And Methods: The study was conducted at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff. HRQOL was measured using the EQ-5D, SF-36 and the Kidney Disease Quality of life questionnaire (KDQOL).

Cost effectiveness of representatives of three classes of antidepressants used in major depression in the UK.

Objective: To estimate the cost effectiveness of representatives of three different classes of antidepressants used in major depression in the UK NHS. DESIGN, PATIENTS AND INTERVENTIONS: A decision-tree model for the treatment of major depression was constructed by interviewing UK GPs and psychiatrists (as part of a Delphi panel). An important part of the tree was that patients in primary care were treated until remission (pre-morbid state).