Contributions of cost-effectiveness analyses (CEA) to influenza vaccination policy for older adults in Europe.

This review describes the importance of economic evaluations and real-world evidence (RWE) for the assessment of enhanced influenza vaccines for older adults in Europe. Individuals ≥65 years of age are at increased risk of severe influenza outcomes and many countries in Europe recommend enhanced vaccines for this population to mitigate immunosenescence. Some National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs) may preferentially recommend a specific enhanced vaccine, necessitating comparative economic evaluation and estimation of relative vaccine effectiveness between enhanced vaccine options in the absence of direct head-to-head efficacy data.

Real-World Evidence in Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Enhanced Influenza Vaccines in Adults ≥ 65 Years of Age: Literature Review and Expert Opinion.

Influenza vaccination can benefit most populations, including adults ≥ 65 years of age, who are at greater risk of influenza-related complications. In many countries, enhanced vaccines, such as adjuvanted, high-dose, and recombinant trivalent/quadrivalent influenza vaccines (aTIV/aQIV, HD-TIV/HD-QIV, and QIVr, respectively), are recommended in older populations to provide higher immunogenicity and increased relative vaccine efficacy/effectiveness (rVE) than standard-dose vaccines. This review explores how efficacy and effectiveness data from randomized controlled trials and real-world evidence (RWE) are used in economic evaluations.

An Economic Comparison in the Elderly of Adjuvanted Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine with Recombinant Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine in Spain.

Influenza infections impose a high burden of morbidity and mortality among older adults, at great cost to individuals and society. Enhanced influenza vaccines, which contain either an immune adjuvant or higher than normal doses of influenza virus antigens, are recommended for older adults. We used a health economics model to evaluate the cost effectiveness in Spain of a recently licensed recombinant quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIVr), which contains three times the standard dose of influenza virus hemagglutinin but no neuraminidase, compared with an MF59-adjuvanted quadrivalent influenza vaccine (aQIV).

An Economic Evaluation of the Adjuvanted Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine Compared with Standard-Dose Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine in the Spanish Older Adult Population.

Standard-dose quadrivalent influenza vaccines (QIV) are designed to provide protection against all four influenza strains. Adjuvanted QIV (aQIV), indicated for individuals aged 65+ years, combines MF59 adjuvant (an oil-in-water emulsion of squalene oil) with a standard dose of antigen, and is designed to produce stronger and longer immune response, especially in the elderly where immunosenescence reduces vaccine effectiveness. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of aQIV vs.

Cost-Effectiveness and Burden of Disease for Adjuvanted Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccines Compared to High-Dose Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccines in Elderly Patients in Spain.

Influenza is a contagious respiratory disease that causes severe illness and death, particularly in elderly populations. Two enhanced formulations of quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) are available in Spain. Adjuvanted QIV (aQIV) is available for those aged 65+ and high-dose QIV (HD-QIV) for those aged 60+.

An alternative model in the provision of CPAP in sleep apnea: a comparative cost analysis.

Background: To conduct a pilot study on an alternative model for the provision of respiratory therapies in sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) by internalizing the service with the purchase, monitoring and control of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) equipment by the hospital.

Methods: An observational, prospective pilot study of comparative cost analysis by internalizing the service to include all patients up to a budget limit of 5000 euros. The cost of internalizing the service included the acquisition of CPAP equipment and all the necessary accessories in addition to the nursing days necessary to track the patients.

[Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of tigecycline for treatment of respiratory tract infections: systematic review of literature].

Background: Tigecycline is indicated for the treatment of complicated skin infections, soft tissue and intraabdominal infections. Its use could be extended to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and hospital pneumonia (HN). The objective was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tigecycline in the treatment of respiratory infections.

[Outpatient management of patients with deep vein thrombosis and cancer: a study of safety, cost and budget impact].

Background And Objective: This is a safety and cost comparison study with an analysis of budgetary impact of ambulatory management of patients with cancer and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) compared with hospital management.

Material And Methods: Prospective observational study of patients with known malignancy and diagnosed with DVT from 2003 to 2007. The outcome variables were mortality, relapse and bleeding in one month.

[Assessment of nucleic acid testing (NAT) for screening hepatitis B in blood donors. Systematic review].

The new techniques of molecular biology called "nucleic acid testing" (NAT), enable the detection of particles of viral DNA in hepatitis B, regardless of the disease stage. These NAT techniques increase the sensitivity of screening, so the risk of infection through transfusion could be reduced. The aim of the study was to assess NAT techniques for screening hepatitis B in blood donors.