Intensive care unit-related fluconazole use in Spain and Germany: patient characteristics and outcomes of a prospective multicenter longitudinal observational study.

Background: Candida spp. are a frequent cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections worldwide.

Objective: To evaluate the use patterns and outcomes associated with intravenous (IV) fluconazole therapy in intensive care units in Spain and Germany.

Cost-effectiveness of raltegravir in HIV/AIDS.

Raltegravir is a first-in-class HIV-1 integrase inhibitor with established antiviral efficacy in treatment-naive and treatment-experienced patients with multidrug-resistant HIV-1 infection. In this article, we summarize pharmacoeconomic evaluations of raltegravir-based treatment regimens, compared with alternative therapies, in the treatment of patients with HIV infection and/or AIDS. Cost-effectiveness evaluations of raltegravir in treatment-experienced patients conducted using a continuous-time, state-transition Markov cohort model suggest that raltegravir, combined with optimized background therapy, falls within the range that would generally be considered cost effective compared with optimized therapy alone in Spanish, Swiss and UK health systems.

Comparative effectiveness of efavirenz, protease inhibitors, and raltegravir-based regimens as first-line treatment for HIV-infected adults: a mixed treatment comparison.

Objective: Compare the efficacy of 2 NRTIs combined with raltegravir (RAL), efavirenz (EFV), or protease inhibitors (PI) in the management of antiretroviral-naïve HIV adult patients.

Methods: By means of a systematic literature view, 7 randomized controlled trials were identified: 2 RAL vs EFV trials; 1 ritonavir-boosted lopinavir (LPV/RTV) vs EFV trial; 1 ritonavir-boosted atazanavir (ATV/RTV) vs LPV/RTV trial; 1 ritonavir-boosted darunavir (DRV/RTV) vs LPV/RTV trial; 1 ritonavir-boosted fosamprenavir (FPV/RTV) vs LPV/RTV trial; and 1 FPV/RTV vs ATV/RTV trial. Endpoints concerned virological suppression and immunologic efficacy.

Patient Characteristics and Treatment Outcome Associated with Protease Inhibitor (PI) use in the Asia-Pacific Region.

OBJECTIVES: Regimens containing protease inhibitors (PI) are less commonly used in developing countries due to high cost and less availability. We evaluated characteristics of patients initiating PI-based therapy according to previous antiretroviral (ARV) exposure; factors associated with initiating a PI-containing regimen using newer versus older PIs, and proportion of patients with detectable viral loads (VL) after initiating a PI-based regimen. METHODS: This analysis includes all patients who have initiated a PI-based regimen.

Retrospective evaluation of caspofungin therapy in invasive aspergillosis (RECAM-IA).

To evaluate caspofungin in high-risk invasive aspergillosis (IA) patient, a retrospective review of patient characteristics, antifungal therapies and clinical outcomes on hospitalised patients at sites in Russia, Canada, Germany, and Thailand was performed. Fifty-five patients were included, six with proven and 49 with probable aspergillosis; 76.4% had haematological diseases, 80% were on immunosuppressive drugs, 32.

Cost-effectiveness of raltegravir in antiretroviral treatment-experienced HIV-1-infected patients in Switzerland.

Objectives: Raltegravir, a novel integrase inhibitor, has shown great efficacy in reducing HIV viral load among treatment-experienced patients. A cohort state-transition model was used to assess the long-term effect of raltegravir treatment on costs and quality-adjusted life expectancy from a Swiss perspective.

Methods: Patients were stratified into health states according to opportunistic infection status, HIV RNA level, and CD4 count, with each group assigned a treatment cost and utility (quality of life) score.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of raltegravir in treatment-experienced HIV type 1-infected patients in Spain.

Raltegravir, a novel HIV-1 integrase inhibitor, has superior efficacy with optimized background treatment (OBT) vs. placebo + OBT in treatment-experienced HIV-1 patients. This study assessed the long-term cost effectiveness of raltegravir from a Spanish National Healthcare System perspective.

Comparative costs of ertapenem and cefotetan as prophylaxis for elective colorectal surgery.

Background And Purpose: The costs of treating surgical site infections can be considerable. There is a cost associated with the prophylactic use of antibiotics; however, the use of prophylactic agents may reduce infection rates and lengths of stay, thus offsetting the overall treatment cost and potentially generating cost savings to hospitals. This project was intended to determine the potential cost impact of using ertapenem 1 g vs.

Economic evaluation of caspofungin versus liposomal amphotericin B for empiric antifungal treatment in patients with neutropenic fever in Italy.

Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of caspofungin versus liposomal amphotericin B as empiric antifungal treatment in patients with neutropenic fever in Italy.

Methods: The cost-effectiveness of caspofungin versus liposomal amphotericin B was evaluated using a decision-tree model. Patients were stratified by presence or absence of baseline infection.

Consequences of inappropriate initial empiric parenteral antibiotic therapy among patients with community-acquired intra-abdominal infections in Spain.

To assess the association between inappropriate antibiotic therapy and clinical outcomes for complicated community-acquired intra-abdominal infections in Spain, patient records from October 1998 to August 2002 in 24 hospitals were reviewed. Initial empiric therapy was classified appropriate if all isolates were sensitive to at least 1 of the antibiotics administered. Multivariate analyses were performed to assess associations between appropriateness of therapy and patient outcomes.

The association of consumer expectations, experiences and satisfaction with newly prescribed medications.

Objective: To examine the association between medication expectations and subsequent experience on treatment satisfaction and intention to continue using the medication.

Methods: A longitudinal study with two surveys administered to each patient. Patients prescribed a new medication were recruited in pharmacies within Michigan.

A cost-effectiveness analysis of caspofungin vs. liposomal amphotericin B for treatment of suspected fungal infections in the UK.

Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of caspofungin vs. liposomal amphotericin B in the treatment of suspected fungal infections in the UK.

Methods: The cost-effectiveness of caspofungin vs.

Fluconazole for empiric antifungal therapy in cancer patients with fever and neutropenia.

Background: Several clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of fluconazole as empiric antifungal therapy in cancer patients with fever and neutropenia. Our objective was to assess the frequency and resource utilization associated with treatment failure in cancer patients given empiric fluconazole antifungal therapy in routine inpatient care.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of cancer patients treated with oral or intravenous fluconazole between 7/97 and 6/01 in a tertiary care hospital.

Treatment outcomes in patients receiving conventional amphotericin B therapy: a prospective multicentre study in Taiwan.

Objectives: To evaluate treatment outcomes and healthcare resource use with conventional amphotericin B therapy for invasive fungal infections (IFIs).

Patients And Methods: A prospective observational study in hospitalized adult patients receiving amphotericin B treatment was undertaken at four hospitals in Taiwan. Patients were observed from the start of therapy to hospital discharge.

Direct health care costs of 4 common skin ulcers in New Mexico Medicaid fee-for-service patients.

Objective: To determine health care costs associated with pressure ulcers, ulcers of the lower limbs, other chronic ulcers, and venous leg ulcers from the New Mexico Medicaid fee-for-service program perspective.

Design: Retrospective analysis of claims database

Main Outcome Measures: Physician visit, hospital, and prescription costs were determined for New Mexico Medicaid patients with a primary and/or secondary diagnosis of 1 of 4 identified categories of skin ulcers from January 1, 1994, through December 31, 1998. Costs were determined in terms of mean and median annual cost per patient and total costs per year.

Validation of a general measure of treatment satisfaction, the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM), using a national panel study of chronic disease.

Background: The objective of this study was to develop and psychometrically evaluate a general measure of patients' satisfaction with medication, the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM).

Methods: The content and format of 55 initial questions were based on a formal conceptual framework, an extensive literature review, and the input from three patient focus groups. Patient interviews were used to select the most relevant questions for further evaluation (n = 31).

Prescription drug use among elderly and nonelderly families.

Objective: This study augments existing literature by examining characteristics associated with prescription drug utilization and makes an in-depth assessment of family prescription drug economic burden within the United States. The objective of this study was to examine differences in prescription drug use and prescription drug characteristics among elderly and nonelderly families.

Methods: A measure of out-of-pocket prescription drug burden associated with family prescription drug utilization was constructed using data from the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).

Validation of the Health-Related Productivity Questionnaire Diary (HRPQ-D) on a sample of patients with infectious mononucleosis: results from a phase 1 multicenter clinical trial.

The objective of this work was to assess the performance of the newly developed Health-Related Productivity Questionniare-Diary (HRPQ-D). Patients completed the HRPQ-D daily for 1-week periods during weeks 1, 2, 4, and 8 of a clinical trial for infectious mononucleosis. Productivity data were collected on a daily basis in terms of absenteeism, presenteeism, and combined lost productivity for three work venues (work outside home, housework, and classes/homework).

Quality assessment of economic analyses of pharmacological and nutritional therapy for hyperlipidemia.

Our objective was to evaluate the quality of published pharmacoeconomic studies of lipid-lowering therapies. A 13-item evaluation checklist was used to assess the quality of articles. Two reviewers assessed each article.