Validation of the PECUNIA reference unit costs templates in Spain: a useful tool for multi-national economic evaluations of health technologies.

Background: The PECUNIA Project was funded by the H2020 programme in which 10 partners from six countries participated. The aim was to develop standardized, harmonized and validated methods and tools to calculate costs in different sectors (such as health and social care, education among others), with the purpose of facilitating comparability of economic evaluations of health technologies across European countries. In this paper we report the first validation of the developed reference unit cost templates in Spain.

How to present economic evaluations to non-technical audiences? Randomized trials with professionals and the general population.

Background: Cost-effectiveness analyses of health technologies have become a part of the decision-making process in healthcare policies. Nevertheless, economic results are not always presented in comprehensible formats for non-technical audiences, such as the general population, healthcare professionals or decision-makers. The purpose of this study was to observe which formats best convey the key message of an economic evaluation, and which are best received by two different audiences.

Updating and Refining of Economic Evaluation of Rotavirus Vaccination in Spain: A Cost-Utility and Budget Impact Analysis.

Two vaccines against rotavirus diseases, Rotarix and RotaTeq, are being marketed in Spain; but rotavirus is not presently among the diseases covered by universal vaccination in Spain. The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of extending Spain's current targeted rotavirus vaccination strategy including only preterm babies, to a policy of universal vaccination. A de novo cohort-based Markov model was built to evaluate the efficiency of three compared rotavirus vaccination strategies in Spain: targeted, universal, and no vaccination.

Percutaneous ethanol injection in thyroid nodular pathology and metastatic cervical adenopathies: A systematic review, meta-analysis and economic evaluation.

Background: Percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) has been shown to be a valuable treatment for thyroid nodular pathology and metastatic cervical adenopathies.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness, safety, and cost-effectiveness of PEI in thyroid nodular pathology and metastatic cervical adenopathies.

Methods: A systematic review (SR) using meta-analysis was conducted on the effectiveness and safety of PEI.

Cost-effectiveness and epidemiological impact of gender-neutral HPV vaccination in Spain.

All EU countries have introduced Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination for adolescent girls and many countries are expanding the strategy to include adolescent boys. There is uncertainty about the cost-effectiveness and epidemiological impact of a gender-neutral HPV vaccination strategy. Here we present the results of an economic model adapted for Spain.

Health-Related Quality of Life and Perceived Burden of Informal Caregivers of Patients with Rare Diseases in Selected European Countries.

Most of rare disease (RD) patients are assisted in their homes by their family as informal caregivers, causing a substantial burden among family members devoted to care. The role of informal caregivers has been associated with increased levels of stress, poor physical/mental health and impaired HRQOL. The present study assessed the impact on HRQOL and perceived burden of long-term informal caregiving, as well as the inter-relationships of individuals affected by different RD in six European countries, taking advantage of the data provided by the BURQOL-RD project (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and UK).

Determinants of satisfaction with the detection process of autism in Europe: Results from the ASDEU study.

Professional guidance and support in response to first concerns appears to be an important predictor of the level of satisfaction with the detection process of autism in young children. In this study, we analyzed the views of 1342 family members, including 1278 parents, who completed an online survey form collecting information about their experience and satisfaction with the early detection of autism in their child. Specifically, we were interested in how specific experiences with the detection process relate to the satisfaction with it and whether we could identify important predictors of satisfaction.

Are Estimates of the Health Opportunity Cost Being Used to Draw Conclusions in Published Cost-Effectiveness Analyses? A Scoping Review in Four Countries.

Background: When healthcare budgets are exogenous, cost-effectiveness thresholds (CETs) used to inform funding decisions should represent the health opportunity cost (HOC) of such funding decisions, but HOC-based CET estimates have not been available until recently. In recent years, empirical HOC-based CETs for multiple countries have been published, but the use of these CETs in the cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) literature has not been investigated. Analysis of the use of HOC-based CETs by researchers undertaking CEAs in countries with different decision-making contexts will provide valuable insights to further understand barriers and facilitators to the acceptance and use of HOC-based CETs.

Stepped care for the treatment of depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The Stepped Care Model (SCM) proposes a sequential approach in the treatment of depression, applying interventions of increasing intensity according to the level of severity of the individual.

Methods: A systematic review was carried out until January 2020 in eight electronic databases. We included randomized (RCT) and non-randomized controlled trials comparing the SCM to usual non-sequential care.

Cost-effectiveness of extending the HPV vaccination to boys: a systematic review.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection can have severe consequences both in women and men. Preadolescent girls are vaccinated against HPV worldwide but a gender-neutral vaccination is being adopted only little by little. This systematic review offers an overview of cost-effectiveness of the gender-neutral HPV vaccination.

Ozone therapy versus surgery for lumbar disc herniation: A randomized double-blind controlled trial.

Objectives: Surgery is the treatment of choice for symptomatic disc herniation after conservative management. Several studies have suggested the potential utility of intradiscal ozone infiltration in this pathology. The aim of this trial was to compare intradiscal ozone infiltration vs.

Cost-of-illness studies in rare diseases: a scoping review.

Objective: The aim of this scoping review was to overview the cost-of-illness studies conducted in rare diseases.

Methods: We searched papers published in English in PubMed from January 2007 to December 2018. We selected cost-of-illness studies on rare diseases defined as those with prevalence lower than 5 per 10,000 cases.

[Cost-effectiveness methods of newborn screening assessment.].

Newborn screening programs are a fundamental tool for secondary prevention or pre-symptomatic detection of certain conditions. The implementation of a newborn screening program requires an evaluation of effectiveness, safety, cost-effectiveness, feasibility and budget impact. Economic evaluation aims to contribute to the sustainability and solvency of health systems, especially when it comes to informing about financing health interventions with public funds.

Interventions to improve medication adherence in mental health: the update of a systematic review of cost-effectiveness.

Objective: Medication non-adherence in mental health problems has social and economic costs. The objective of the study was to review the cost-effectiveness of interventions to enhance medication adherence in patients with mental health problems.

Methods: The update of a previous systematic review was performed.

Cost-effectiveness of Platelet-Rich Plasma for Diabetic Foot Ulcer in Spain.

This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) added to usual care versus usual care alone in elderly patients with chronic diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) from the Spanish health care system perpective. A 6-state Markov model with 3-month cycles was used to estimate costs and outcomes of wound healing and risk of recurrences, infections, and amputations over 5 years. Three treatment strategies were compared: () usual care plus PRP obtained with a commercial kit, () usual care plus PRP obtained manually, and () usual care.

Correction to: Early Detection, Diagnosis and Intervention Services for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the European Union (ASDEU): Family and Professional Perspectives.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake in one of the co-author's family name. The correct name should be María Victoria Martín-Cilleros instead of María Victoria Cilleros-Martín.

Early Detection, Diagnosis and Intervention Services for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the European Union (ASDEU): Family and Professional Perspectives.

Early services for ASD need to canvas the opinions of both parents and professionals. These opinions are seldom compared in the same research study. This study aims to ascertain the views of families and professionals on early detection, diagnosis and intervention services for young children with ASD.

[Cost-effectiveness of vaccines for the prevention of seasonal influenza in different age groups: a systematic review].

Background: Given the economic burden of seasonal influenza for the healthcare system, we performed a systematic review aiming to update available evidence on the cost-effectiveness of vaccination of seasonal influenza in different age groups, including children.

Methods: A systematic review of the literature on economic evaluations of seasonal influenza vaccination programs in children and adults was carried out. The following databases were searched (January 2013 - April 2018): Medline and PREMEDLINE, EMBASE, EconLit and databases of the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (DARE, HTA, NHS EED).

Cost-effectiveness of cell-free DNA in maternal blood testing for prenatal detection of trisomy 21, 18 and 13: a systematic review.

The aim of this paper was to conduct a systematic review of the cost-effectiveness of the analysis of cell-free DNA in maternal blood, often called the non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT), in the prenatal screening of trisomy in chromosomes 21, 18 and 13. MEDLINE, MEDLINE in process, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched in April 2017. We selected: (1) economic evaluations that estimated the costs and detected cases of trisomy 21, 18 or 13; (2) comparisons of prenatal screening with NIPT (universal or contingent strategies) and the usual screening without NIPT, (3) in pregnant women with any risk of foetal anomalies.

Cost-of-Illness in Rare Diseases.

Cost-of-illness (COI) studies quantify the economic burden of a disease, including direct healthcare and non-healthcare costs and productivity losses. Different approaches can be adopted to evaluate the resources associated to a disease and to calculate the total costs. Prevalence-based studies estimate the total costs of a disease during a given period, while incidence-based studies measure lifetime costs from onset until death.

Validation of the Spanish version of the Oxford knee score and assessment of its utility to characterize quality of life of patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis: a multicentric study.

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) represents a heavy burden for patients and the society as a whole. The Oxford Knee Score (OKS) is a well known tool to assess the quality of life in patients with Knee OA. The purpose of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the OKS, including its reliability, validity, and responsiveness.

METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY OF ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS ALONGSIDE TRIALS OF KNEE PHYSIOTHERAPY.

Objectives: The methodological quality of an economic evaluation performed alongside a clinical trial can be underestimated if the paper does not report key methodological features. This study discusses methodological assessment issues on the example of a systematic review on cost-effectiveness of physiotherapy for knee osteoarthritis.

Methods: Six economic evaluation studies included in the systematic review and related clinical trials were assessed using the 10-question check-list by Drummond and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale.

On the Estimation of the Cost-Effectiveness Threshold: Why, What, How?

Background: Many health care systems claim to incorporate the cost-effectiveness criterion in their investment decisions. Information on the system's willingness to pay per effectiveness unit, normally measured as quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), however, is not available in most countries. This is partly because of the controversy that remains around the use of a cost-effectiveness threshold, about what the threshold ought to represent, and about the appropriate methodology to arrive at a threshold value.

Socioeconomic costs and health-related quality of life in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a cost-of-illness study in the United Kingdom.

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) refers to a number of rare chronic inflammatory diseases. Although JIA imposes a significant societal burden, limited data are available on the cost of JIA. The study's objective is to quantify the socioeconomic burden of JIA patients in the United Kingdom (UK), along with their health-related quality of life (HRQoL).