Cost-effectiveness of follow-up algorithms for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in pulmonary embolism survivors.

Introduction: Achieving an early diagnosis of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) in pulmonary embolism (PE) survivors results in better quality of life and survival. Importantly, dedicated follow-up strategies to achieve an earlier CTEPH diagnosis involve costs that were not explicitly incorporated in the models assessing their cost-effectiveness. We performed an economic evaluation of 11 distinct PE follow-up algorithms to determine which should be preferred.

How many people in the Netherlands live with a hip, knee, or shoulder replacement?

Aims: We estimated the prevalence of people living with at least one hip, knee, or shoulder arthroplasty in the Netherlands.

Methods: We included the first hip (n = 416,333), knee (n = 314,569), or shoulder (n = 23,751) arthroplasty of each patient aged ≥ 40 years between 2007 and 2022 (hip/knee) or 2014 and 2022 (shoulder) from the Dutch Arthroplasty Register (LROI). Data on the size of the Dutch population were obtained from Statistics Netherlands.

Cost-effectiveness of a nurse-led sexual rehabilitation intervention for women treated with radiotherapy for gynaecological cancer in a randomized trial.

Purpose: To compare the cost-effectiveness of a nurse-led sexual rehabilitation intervention with standard care in women treated with external beam radiotherapy, with or without brachytherapy, for gynaecological cancers.

Methods: Eligible women were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 112) or standard care (n = 117). Primary endpoint was sexual functioning at 12-months post-radiotherapy, assessed by the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI).

Efficacy of an erector spinae plane block for renal colic: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Aim: The passage of kidney stones through the ureter creates renal colic, a severe visceral abdominal pain. Renal colic is typically managed with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids. Yet, these treatments often fail to provide adequate pain relief.

DOSAGE study: protocol for a phase III non-inferiority randomised trial investigating dose-reduced chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer in older patients.

Introduction: Treating older adults with chemotherapy remains a challenge, given their under-representation in clinical trials and the lack of robust treatment guidelines for this population. Moreover, older patients, especially those with frailty, have an increased risk of developing chemotherapy-related toxicity, resulting in a decreased quality of life (QoL), increased hospitalisations and high healthcare costs. Phase II trials have suggested that upfront dose reduction of chemotherapy can reduce toxicity rates while maintaining efficacy, leading to fewer treatment discontinuations and an improved QoL.

Allocation and value of curative oncological treatment in frail and fit older patients with esophageal cancer: An observational cohort study.

Introduction: The Value-Based Health Care (VBHC) model of care provides insights into patient characteristics, outcomes, and costs of care delivery that help clinicians counsel patients. This study compares the allocation and value of curative oncological treatment in frail and fit older patients with esophageal cancer in a dedicated VBHC pathway.

Materials And Methods: Data was collected from patients with primary esophageal cancer without distant metastases, aged 70 years or older, and treated at a Dutch tertiary care hospital between 2015 and 2019.

Efficacy of a nurse-led sexual rehabilitation intervention for women with gynaecological cancers receiving radiotherapy: results of a randomised trial.

Background: The multicentre randomised SPARC trial evaluated the efficacy of a nurse-led sexual rehabilitation intervention on sexual functioning, distress, dilator use, and vaginal symptoms after radiotherapy for gynaecological cancers.

Methods: Eligible women were randomised to the rehabilitation intervention or care-as-usual. Four intervention sessions were scheduled over 12 months, with concurrent validated questionnaires and clinical assessments.

One-year effectiveness of long-term exercise therapy in people with axial spondyloarthritis and severe functional limitations.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of long-term, personalized, supervised exercise therapy on functional ability compared with usual care in people with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and severe functional limitations.

Methods: Participants were randomly 1:1 assigned to the intervention(maximal 64 sessions, with 14 additional optional sessions of supervised active exercise therapy(e.g.

Practice variation in surgical treatment for lumbar degenerative disc disease: exploring regional and hospital factors influencing surgical rates.

The presence of significant, unwarranted variation in treatment suggests that clinical decision making also depends on where patients live instead of what they need and prefer. Historically, high practice variation in surgical treatment for lumbar degenerative disc disease (LDDD) has been documented. This study aimed to investigate current regional variation in surgical treatment for sciatica resulting from LDDD.

Impact of evidence-based guidelines on healthcare utilisation and costs for disc related sciatica in the Netherlands: a population-based, cross-sectional study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of high-quality evidence supporting surgical treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH) on healthcare practice in the Netherlands by examining changes in healthcare utilisation, including the timing of surgery, and the healthcare costs for patients with LDH.

Design: A retrospective, cross-sectional study was performed using population-based, longitudinal data obtained from the Dutch Healthcare Authority (2007-2020) and NIVEL's primary care (2012-2020) administrative databases.

Setting: The study was conducted within the healthcare system of the Netherlands.

Tacrolimus versus mycophenolate for AutoImmune hepatitis patients with incompLete response On first-line therapy (TAILOR study): a study protocol for a phase III, open-label, multicentre, randomised controlled trial.

Background: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a rare, chronic inflammatory disease of the liver. The treatment goal is reaching complete biochemical response (CR), defined as the normalisation of aspartate and alanine aminotransferases and immunoglobulin gamma. Ongoing AIH activity can lead to fibrosis and (decompensated) cirrhosis.

How to Use Costs in Value-Based Healthcare: Learning from Real-life Examples.

Background: Healthcare organizations measure costs for business operations but do not routinely incorporate costs in decision-making on the value of care.

Aim: Provide guidance on how to use costs in value-based healthcare (VBHC) delivery at different levels of the healthcare system.

Setting And Participants: Integrated practice units (IPUs) for diabetes mellitus (DM) and for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) at the Leiden University Medical Center and a collaboration of seven breast cancer IPUs of the Santeon group, all in the Netherlands.

Cost-Effectiveness of Performing Reference Ultrasonography in Patients with Deep Vein Thrombosis.

Background:  The diagnosis of recurrent ipsilateral deep vein thrombosis (DVT) with compression ultrasonography (CUS) may be hindered by residual intravascular obstruction after previous DVT. A reference CUS, an additional ultrasound performed at anticoagulant discontinuation, may improve the diagnostic work-up of suspected recurrent ipsilateral DVT by providing baseline images for future comparison.

Objectives:  To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of routinely performing reference CUS in DVT patients.

Exposure-based treatments for childhood abuse-related post-traumatic stress disorder in adults: a health-economic evaluation.

Prolonged exposure (PE) is an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study aimed to analyse the cost-effectiveness of three exposure-based treatments in patients with childhood abuse-related PTSD. A net-benefit analysis was conducted alongside a pragmatic randomized controlled trial with participants (= 149) randomized to three conditions: PE (48), intensified PE (i-PE, = 51), and phase-based PE [Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (STAIR) + PE, = 50].

The Effect and Cost-Effectiveness of Offering a Combined Lifestyle Intervention for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Primary Care: Results of the Healthy Heart Stepped-Wedge Trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of offering the combined lifestyle programme "Healthy Heart", addressing overweight, diet, physical activity, smoking and alcohol, to improve lifestyle behaviour and reduce cardiovascular risk.

Design: A practice-based non-randomised stepped-wedge cluster trial with two-year follow-up. Outcomes were obtained via questionnaires and routine care data.

Feasibility of Community Pharmacist-Initiated and Point-of-Care Genotype-Guided De-Escalation of Oral P2Y12 Inhibitors.

Tailoring antiplatelet therapy based on pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing can improve cardiovascular outcomes and potentially reduce healthcare costs in patients on a P2Y-inhibitor regime with prasugrel or ticagrelor. However, ubiquitous adoption-particularly in an outpatient setting-remains limited. We conducted a proof-of-concept study to evaluate the feasibility of -guided de-escalation of prasugrel/ticagrelor to clopidogrel through point-of-care (POC) PGx testing in the community pharmacy.

Cost-effectiveness of pancreas surveillance: The CDKN2A-p16-Leiden cohort.

Background: CDKN2A-p16-Leiden mutation carriers have a high lifetime risk of developing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), with very poor survival. Surveillance may improve prognosis.

Objective: To assess the cost-effectiveness of surveillance, as compared to no surveillance.

No time to waste; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hip, knee, and shoulder arthroplasty surgeries in the Netherlands and Denmark.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the estimated change in primary and revision arthroplasty rate in the Netherlands and Denmark for hips, knees, and shoulders during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 (COVID-period). Additional points of focus included the comparison of patient characteristics and hospital type (2019 vs COVID-period), and the estimated loss of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and impact on waiting lists.

Methods: All hip, knee, and shoulder arthroplasties (2014 to 2020) from the Dutch Arthroplasty Register, and hip and knee arthroplasties from the Danish Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Registries, were included.

[Regulated market failure in healthcare; quality comparisons can improve competition in the Dutch healthcare market].

Competition in healthcare markets is controversial, as financial interests may negatively influence patient interests. In The Netherlands, public healthcare quality indicators are published annually, but no comparisons are made between hospitals and private healthcare facilities (PHF) operating in the Dutch healthcare market. Just nine such indicators could be compared, demonstrating an overall equivalence of success and complication rates.

Replacing performance status with a simple patient-reported outcome in palliative radiotherapy prognostic modelling.

Background And Purpose: Prognostication is key to determining care in advanced incurable cancer. Although performance status (PS) has been shown to be a strong prognostic predictor, inter-rater reliability is limited, restricting models to specialist settings. This study assessed the extent to which a simple patient-reported outcome measure (PROM), the EQ-5D, may replace PS for prognosis of patients with bone metastases.

Prevention of vasoplegia with CytoSorb in heart failure patients undergoing cardiac surgery (CytoSorb-HF trial): protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Vasoplegia is a common complication after cardiac surgery and is associated with poor prognosis. It is characterised by refractory hypotension despite normal or even increased cardiac output. The pathophysiology is complex and includes the systemic inflammatory response caused by cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and surgical trauma.

Cost-Effectiveness of Pharmacogenomics-Guided Prescribing to Prevent Gene-Drug-Related Deaths: A Decision-Analytic Model.

Prospective studies support the clinical impact of pharmacogenomics (PGx)-guided prescribing to reduce severe and potentially fatal adverse effects. Drug-gene interactions (DGIs) preventing potential drug-related deaths have been categorized as "essential" by the Dutch Pharmacogenetics Working Group (DPWG). The collective clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of this sub-set is yet undetermined.

Cost-effectiveness of dementia training for caregivers in caregiver-patient dyads: A randomized controlled study.

Introduction: We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of the "More at Home with Dementia" intervention, a multicomponent training program for co-residing caregivers of people with dementia (PwDs).

Methods: We performed a two-armed randomized controlled trial with an intervention and a control group. Participants were community-dwelling caregivers living with a person with dementia (59 randomized to intervention and 50 to control arm).

The outcomes of a vocational rehabilitation and mentorship program in unemployed young adults with acquired brain injury.

Background: Persons with disabilities are at risk for unemployment with negative long-term consequences.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the process and outcomes of a novel vocational rehabilitation (VR) program based on the concept of mentorship.

Methods: Observational, retrospective study including unemployed young adults with acquired brain injury (ABI) taking part in a VR program including assessment, training, individual counselling and mentor support from volunteering professionals.