Direct cost and predictive factors for treatment in patients with ocular hypertension or early, moderate and advanced primary open-angle glaucoma: the CoGIS study in Germany.

Background: The main objectives of this analysis were to assess the treatment costs and to identify major cost drivers and factors predicting direct costs in German patients with ocular hypertension (OHT) or primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

Methods: This non-interventional cross-sectional study was conducted in two university hospitals and 13 ophthalmology practices in Germany regions (Bavaria, Rhineland-Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia, Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania) between May 2009 and January 2010 to assess resource utilisation in patients with OHT (ICD-10: 40.0) or POAG (ICD-10: 40.

Health- and vision-related quality of life in patients with ocular hypertension or primary open-angle glaucoma.

Background: The main objective of this analysis was to assess the impact of severity of disease on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with ocular hypertension (OHT) and early, moderate, or advanced primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

Methods: This multicenter study was conducted at 2 university hospitals and 13 ophthalmology practices in Germany. QoL data were assessed by the Health Utility Index (HUI3) and the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25).

The role of topical moxifloxacin, a new antibacterial in Europe, in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis.

This article discusses current practice in the treatment of conjunctivitis and how the use of topical moxifloxacin can increase therapeutic effectiveness, reduce treatment failures and, consequently, be cost effective and reduce the societal burden of the disorder. Current practice and effectiveness data were derived from the literature. Data on healthcare utilization as a result of treatment failure were collected by survey and the cost of treatment was defined using national costings.

Lifetime cost-effectiveness of prophylactic implantation of a cardioverter defibrillator in patients with reduced left ventricular systolic function: results of Markov modelling in a European population.

Aims: Current European guidelines recommend prophylactic implantation of cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) in patients with a reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) who are not in NYHA class IV and have reasonable life expectancy. Cost and benefit implications of this recommendation have not been reported from a European perspective.

Methods And Results: Markov modelling estimated lifetime costs and effects [life years (LY) and quality-adjusted LY (QALY) gained] of prophylactic ICD implantation vs.

Effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy on long-term quality of life: an analysis from the CArdiac Resynchronisation-Heart Failure (CARE-HF) study.

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves quality of life (QoL) when measured 3 to 6 months after implantation, but whether these effects are sustained is unknown. The CArdiac Resynchronisation-Heart Failure study is the only long-term randomized trial of CRT with repeated measures of QoL.

Methods: Quality of life was measured at baseline and 3 months using generic European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions and disease-specific (Minnesota Living with Heart Failure) questionnaires and at 18 months and study-end using the latter instrument.

Predicting the long-term effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy on mortality from baseline variables and the early response a report from the CARE-HF (Cardiac Resynchronization in Heart Failure) Trial.

Objectives: This study was designed to investigate whether selected baseline variables and early response markers predict the effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on long-term mortality.

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy reduces long-term morbidity and mortality in patients with moderate or severe heart failure and markers of cardiac dyssynchrony, but not all patients respond to a similar extent.

Methods: In the CARE-HF (Cardiac Resynchronization in Heart Failure) study, 813 patients with heart failure and markers of cardiac dyssynchrony were randomly assigned to receive or not receive CRT in addition to pharmacological treatment and were followed for a median of 37.