Forced treadmill running reduces systemic inflammation yet worsens upper limb discomfort in a rat model of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders can result from prolonged repetitive and/or forceful movements. Performance of an upper extremity high repetition high force task increases serum pro-inflammatory cytokines and upper extremity sensorimotor declines in a rat model of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Since one of the most efficacious treatments for musculoskeletal pain is exercise, this study investigated the effectiveness of treadmill running in preventing these responses.

Tools for Economic Analysis of Patient Management Interventions in Heart Failure Cost-Effectiveness Model: A Web-based program designed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of disease management programs in heart failure.

Background: Heart failure disease management programs can influence medical resource use and quality-adjusted survival. Because projecting long-term costs and survival is challenging, a consistent and valid approach to extrapolating short-term outcomes would be valuable.

Methods: We developed the Tools for Economic Analysis of Patient Management Interventions in Heart Failure Cost-Effectiveness Model, a Web-based simulation tool designed to integrate data on demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics; use of evidence-based medications; and costs to generate predicted outcomes.

Introduction of the Tools for Economic Analysis of Patient Management Interventions in Heart Failure Costing Tool: a user-friendly spreadsheet program to estimate costs of providing patient-centered interventions.

Background: Patient-centered health care interventions, such as heart failure disease management programs, are under increasing pressure to demonstrate good value. Variability in costing methods and assumptions in economic evaluations of such interventions limit the comparability of cost estimates across studies. Valid cost estimation is critical to conducting economic evaluations and for program budgeting and reimbursement negotiations.