AIM:To evaluate the most cost-effectiveness strategy for preventing variceal growth and bleeding in patients with cirrhosis and small esophageal varices.METHODS:A stochastic analysis based on decision trees was perfor...AIM:To evaluate the most cost-effectiveness strategy for preventing variceal growth and bleeding in patients with cirrhosis and small esophageal varices.METHODS:A stochastic analysis based on decision trees was performed to compare the cost-effectiveness of beta-blockers therapy starting from a diagnosis of small varices(Strategy 1)with that of endoscopic surveillance followed by beta-blockers treatment when large varices are demonstrated(Strategy 2),for preventing variceal growth,bleeding and death in patients with cirrhosis and small esophageal varices.The basic nodes of the tree were gastrointestinal endoscopy,inpatient admission and treatment for bleeding,as required.All estimates were performed using a Monte Carlo microsimulation technique,consisting in simulating observations from known probability distributions depicted in the model.Eight-hundred-thousand simulations were performed to obtain the final estimates.All estimates were then subjected to Monte Carlo Probabilistic sensitivity analysis,to assess the impact of the variability of such estimates on the outcome distributions.RESULTS:The event rate(considered as progression of varices or bleeding or death)in Strategy 1[24.09%(95%CI:14.89%-33.29%)]was significantly lower than in Strategy 2[60.00%(95%CI:48.91%-71.08%)].The mean cost(up to the first event)associated with Strategy 1[823£(95%CI:106£-2036£)]was not significantly different from that of Strategy 2[799£(95%CI:0£-3498£)].The cost-effectiveness ratio with respect to this endpoint was equal to 50.26£(95%CI:-504.37£-604.89£)per event avoided over the four-year follow-up.When bleeding episodes/deaths in subjects whose varices had grown were included,the mean cost associated with Strategy 1 was 1028£(95%CI:122£-2581£),while 1699£(95%CI:171£-4674£)in Strategy 2.CONCLUSION:Beta-blocker therapy turn out to be more effective and less expensive than endoscopic surveillance for primary prophylaxis of bleeding in patients with cirrhosis and small varices.展开更多
In the field of tissue regeneration,the lack of a stable endothelial lining may affect the hemocompatibility of both synthetic and biological replacements.These drawbacks might be prevented by specific biomaterial fun...In the field of tissue regeneration,the lack of a stable endothelial lining may affect the hemocompatibility of both synthetic and biological replacements.These drawbacks might be prevented by specific biomaterial functionalization to induce selective endothelial cell(EC)adhesion.Decellularized bovine pericardia and porcine aortas were selectively functionalized with a REDV tetrapeptide at 10^(-5)M and 10^(-6)M working concentrations.The scaffold-bound peptide was quantified and REDV potential EC adhesion enhancement was evaluated in vitro by static seeding of human umbilical vein ECs.The viable cells and MTS production were statistically higher in functionalized tissues than in control.Scaffold histoarchitecture,geometrical features,and mechanical properties were unaffected by peptide anchoring.The selective immobilization of REDV was effective in accelerating ECs adhesion while promoting proliferation in functionalized decellularized tissues intended for blood-contacting applications.展开更多
文摘AIM:To evaluate the most cost-effectiveness strategy for preventing variceal growth and bleeding in patients with cirrhosis and small esophageal varices.METHODS:A stochastic analysis based on decision trees was performed to compare the cost-effectiveness of beta-blockers therapy starting from a diagnosis of small varices(Strategy 1)with that of endoscopic surveillance followed by beta-blockers treatment when large varices are demonstrated(Strategy 2),for preventing variceal growth,bleeding and death in patients with cirrhosis and small esophageal varices.The basic nodes of the tree were gastrointestinal endoscopy,inpatient admission and treatment for bleeding,as required.All estimates were performed using a Monte Carlo microsimulation technique,consisting in simulating observations from known probability distributions depicted in the model.Eight-hundred-thousand simulations were performed to obtain the final estimates.All estimates were then subjected to Monte Carlo Probabilistic sensitivity analysis,to assess the impact of the variability of such estimates on the outcome distributions.RESULTS:The event rate(considered as progression of varices or bleeding or death)in Strategy 1[24.09%(95%CI:14.89%-33.29%)]was significantly lower than in Strategy 2[60.00%(95%CI:48.91%-71.08%)].The mean cost(up to the first event)associated with Strategy 1[823£(95%CI:106£-2036£)]was not significantly different from that of Strategy 2[799£(95%CI:0£-3498£)].The cost-effectiveness ratio with respect to this endpoint was equal to 50.26£(95%CI:-504.37£-604.89£)per event avoided over the four-year follow-up.When bleeding episodes/deaths in subjects whose varices had grown were included,the mean cost associated with Strategy 1 was 1028£(95%CI:122£-2581£),while 1699£(95%CI:171£-4674£)in Strategy 2.CONCLUSION:Beta-blocker therapy turn out to be more effective and less expensive than endoscopic surveillance for primary prophylaxis of bleeding in patients with cirrhosis and small varices.
基金Padua Heart Program(CA.RI.PA.RO.Foundation)LIFELAB Program,Consorzio per la Ricerca Sanitaria-CORIS,Veneto Region,Via Giustiniani,2-Padova+1 种基金JLGR acknowledges financial support from the Spanish State Research Agency(AEI)through the PID2019-106099RB-C41/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 projectCIBER-BBN is an initiative funded by the VI National R&D&I Plan 2008-2011,Iniciativa Ingenio 2010,Consolider Program.CIBER Actions are financed by the Instituto de Salud CarlosⅢwith assistance from the European Regional Development Fund.
文摘In the field of tissue regeneration,the lack of a stable endothelial lining may affect the hemocompatibility of both synthetic and biological replacements.These drawbacks might be prevented by specific biomaterial functionalization to induce selective endothelial cell(EC)adhesion.Decellularized bovine pericardia and porcine aortas were selectively functionalized with a REDV tetrapeptide at 10^(-5)M and 10^(-6)M working concentrations.The scaffold-bound peptide was quantified and REDV potential EC adhesion enhancement was evaluated in vitro by static seeding of human umbilical vein ECs.The viable cells and MTS production were statistically higher in functionalized tissues than in control.Scaffold histoarchitecture,geometrical features,and mechanical properties were unaffected by peptide anchoring.The selective immobilization of REDV was effective in accelerating ECs adhesion while promoting proliferation in functionalized decellularized tissues intended for blood-contacting applications.