Economic impact of use of chlorhexidine-impregnated sponge dressing for prevention of central line-associated infections in the United States.

Background: The economic impact of adding chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG)-impregnated sponge dressing to standard care (ie, chg-impregnated sponge dressing + skin preparation and transparent film dressing vs skin preparation and transparent film dressing) for the prevention of central-line infections was evaluated.

Methods: Clinical and economic data were obtained from peer-reviewed published studies to populate the decision model. The efficacy of reducing catheter-related bloodstream infection (CR-BSI) incidence with CHG-impregnated sponge dressing came from 2 recent randomized controlled trials.

Analysing uncertainty around costs of innovative medical technologies: the case of fibrin sealant (QUIXIL) for total knee replacement.

This paper presents a relatively simple cost model comparing the costs of using a commercial fibrin sealant (QUIXIL) in addition to conventional haemostatic treatment vs. conventional treatment alone in total knee replacement (TKR) surgery, and demonstrates and discusses how one- and two-way sensitivity analyses can inform decisions regarding an innovative medical technology, for which there is limited evidence on economic parameters. The model synthesises data from various sources and assesses the proportion of individuals likely to need blood transfusion, the resource use after TKR and transfusion-related adverse events.

Assessment of the value of doubled haploids as progenitors in cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) breeding.

In order to evaluate twelve doubled haploids (DHs) of Theobroma cacao L. used as parents, a trial was set up in Côte d'Ivoire. Several traits were observed, such as yield, vigour, yield/vigour ratios, resistance to the black pod disease caused by Phytophthora, percentage of flat beans and mean weight of 100 cocoa beans.