Quality-adjusted life years and surgical waiting list:Systematic review of the literature

BACKGROUND The quality-adjusted life year(QALY)is a metric that is increasingly used today in the field of health economics to evaluate the value of different medical treatments and procedures.Surgical waiting lists(SWLs)represent a pressing problem in public healthcare.The QALY measure has rarely been used in the context of surgery.It would be interesting to know how many QALYs are lost by patients on SWLs.AIM To investigate the relationship between QALYs and SWLs in a systematic review of the scientific literature.METHODS The study was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Statement.An unlimited search was carried out in PubMed,updated on January 19,2024.Data on the following variables were investigated and analyzed:Specialty,country of study,procedure under study,scale used to measure QALYs,the use of a theoretical or real-life model,objectives of the study and items measured,the economic value assigned to the QALY in the country in question,and the results and conclusions published.RESULTS Forty-eight articles were selected for the study.No data were found regarding QALYs lost on SWLs.The specialties in which QALYs were studied the most in relation to the waiting list were urology and general surgery,with 15 articles each.The country in which the most studies of QALYs were carried out was the United States(n=21),followed by the United Kingdom(n=9)and Canada(n=7).The most studied procedure was organ transplantation(n=39),including 15 kidney,14 liver,5 heart,4 lung,and 1 intestinal.Arthroplasty(n=4),cataract surgery(n=2),bariatric surgery(n=1),mosaicplasty(n=1),and septoplasty(n=1)completed the surgical interventions included.Thirty-nine of the models used were theoretical(the most frequently applied being the Markov model,n=34),and nine were real-life.The survey used to measure quality of life in 11 articles was the European Quality of Life-5 dimensions,but in 32 articles the survey was not specified.The willingness-to-pay per QALY gained ranged from$100000 in the United States to€20000 in Spain.CONCLUSION The relationship between QALYs and SWLs has only rarely been studied in the literature.The rate of QALYs lost on SWLs has not been determined.Future research is warranted to address this issue.

基于辐照脆化的反应堆压力容器60年设计寿命改进分析

反应堆压力容器(RPV)结构材料的辐照脆化是限制其使用寿命的最关键因素。本文着重从RPV材料辐照脆化机理研究出发,通过对比和分析M310、CNP1000、AP1000和EPR等堆型RPV材料、结构设计和辐照监督设计要求,对实现RPV 60年设计寿命的影响因素进行探讨,提出可在国内自主研发与制造的二代改进型及三代核电上实施的满足RPV 60年设计寿命的几项优化措施。

Cost-utility of molecular adsorbent recirculating system treatment in acute liver failure

AIM:To determine the short-term cost-utility of mo-lecular adsorbent recirculating system(MARS) treatment in acute liver failure(ALF).METHODS:A controlled retrospective study was conducted with 90 ALF patients treated with MARS from 2001 to 2005.Comparisons were made with a historical control group of 17 ALF patients treated from 2000 to 2001 in the same intensive care unit(ICU) specializing in liver diseases.The 3-year outcomes and number of liver transplantations were recorded.All direct liver disease-related medical expenses from 6 mo before to 3 years after ICU treatment were determined for 31 MARS patients and 16 control patients.The health-related quality of life(HRQoL) before MARS treatment was estimated by a panel of ICU doctors and after MARS using a mailed 15D(15-dimensional generic healthrelated quality of life instrument) questionnaire.The HRQoL,cost,and survival data were combined and the incremental cost/quality-adjusted life years(QALYs) was calculated.RESULTS:In surviving ALF patients,the health-related quality of life after treatmeant was generally high and comparable to the age-and gender-matched general Finnish population.Compared to the controls,the average cost per QALY was considerably lower in the MARS group(64 732€ vs 133 858€) within a timeframe of 3.5 years.The incremental cost of standard medical treatment alone compared to MARS was 10 928€,and the incremental number of QALYs gained by MARS was 0.66.CONCLUSION:MARS treatment combined with standard medical treatment for ALF in an ICU setting is more cost-effective than standard medical treatment alone.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy with Zoledronic Acid for HER2-Negative Breast Cancer in Japan: The JONIE1 Study

Objective: Zoledronic acid (ZOL) is a nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate that induces osteoclast apoptosis and inhibits bone resorption. Adding ZOL to neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been shown to have potential anticancer benefits in women with HER2-negative breast cancer. The objective of the present study was to investigate ZOL’s cost-effectiveness from the perspective of health care payers in Japan. Methods: A Markov model was developed to evaluate the costs and effectiveness associated with ZOL + chemotherapy (CTZ) and chemotherapy (CT) alone over a 10-year time horizon. Monthly transition probabilities were estimated according to JONIE1 (Japan Organization of Neoadjuvant Innovative Expert) Study data and an extrapolated Weibull model. Health outcomes were measured in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Costs were calculated using year-2018 Japanese yen (JPY) (1.00 US dollars (USD) = 110.4 JPY). Model robustness was addressed through one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis. The costs and QALYs were discounted at a rate of 2% per year. Results: In the base case, the use of CTZ was associated with a gain of 3.94 QALYs. The incremental cost per QALY of the CTZ gain was 681,056.1 JPY (6168.99 USD) per QALY. Conclusion: It is convincing that neoadjuvant CTZ for patients with breast cancer would be expected to have statistically significant clinical efficacy. Addition of ZOL to CT might be a cost-effective option compared with CT alone.

Burden of epilepsy in China and its provinces,1990 to 2019:findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background: Epilepsy accounts for a significant portion of the global disease burden. However, little is known about the disease burden of epilepsy in China and its provinces. Methods: We assessed the burden of epilepsy in China and its provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions from 1990 to 2019. Burden was measured as incidence, prevalence, deaths, years lived with disability, years of life lost, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), by age, sex, year, and province. We used the Socio-Demographic Index (SDI) to determine the association between the provincial development level and age-standardized DALY rates of epilepsy from 1990 to 2019. Results: In 2019, epilepsy caused 1367.51 thousand (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 979.92–1837.61 thousand) DALYs, and the age-standardized DALY rate was 99.77 (95% UI: 71.33–133.52)/100,000. The age-standardized incidence and prevalence rates for epilepsy in China were 24.65/100,000 and 219.69/100,000, increased by 45.00% (95% UI: 8.03–98.74%) and 35.72% (95% UI: 0.47–86.19%) compared with that in 1990, respectively. From 1990 to 2019, the proportion of DALY caused by epilepsy in the age group under 25 years steadily decreased. The proportion of DALYs caused by epilepsy in people aged 50 years and over increased from 9.45% and 10.22% in 1990 to 29.01% and 32.72% for male and female individuals in 2019, respectively. The highest age-standardized mortality rates were seen in Tibet (4.26 [95% UI: 1.43–5.66]/100,000), Qinghai (1.80 [95% UI: 1.15–2.36]/100,000), and Yunnan (1.30 [95% UI: 0.88–1.62]/100,000), and the lowest mortality rates were in Guangdong (0.48 [95% UI: 0.39–0.64]/100,000), Zhejiang (0.56 [95% UI: 0.44–0.70]/100,000), and Shanghai (0.57 [95% UI: 0.41–0.73]/100,000). The age-standardized DALY rates across the country and in provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions generally decreased as their SDI increased. Conclusions: The disease burden of epilepsy is still heavy in China, especially in the western provinces. The incidence and prevalence of epilepsy increased between 1990 and 2019, and the burden of epilepsy in the elderly increases gradually. This study provides evidence on epilepsy prevention and care of different regions in China.

Burden of multiple myeloma in China:an analysis of the Global Burden of Disease,Injuries,and Risk Factors Study 2019

Background:There is limited data to comprehensively evaluate the epidemiological characteristics of multiple myeloma(MM)in China;therefore,this study determined the characteristics of the disease burden of MM at national and provincial levels in China.Methods:The burden of MM,including incidence,mortality,prevalence,and disability-adjusted life years(DALYs),with a 95%uncertainty interval(UI),was determined in China following the general analytical strategy used in the Global Burden of Disease,Injuries,and Risk Factors Study 2019.The trends in the burden of MM from 1990 to 2019 were also evaluated.Results:There were an estimated 347.45 thousand DALYs with an age-standardized DALY rate of 17.05(95%UI,12.31-20.77)per 100,000 in 2019.The estimated number of incident case and deaths of MM were 18,793 and 13,421,with age-standardized incidence and mortality rates of 0.93(95%UI,0.67-1.15)and 0.67(95%UI,0.50-0.82)per 100,000,respectively.The age-specific DALY rates per 100,000 increased to more than 10.00 in the 40 to 44 years age group reaching a peak(93.82)in the 70 to 74 years age group.Males had a higher burden than females,with approximately 1.5-to 2.0-fold sex difference in age-specific DALY rates in all age groups.From 1990 to 2019,the DALYs of MM increased 134%,from 148,479 in 1990 to 347,453 in 2019.Conclusion:The burden of MM has doubled over the last three decades,which highlights the need to establish effective disease prevention and control strategies at both the national and provincial levels.

改良的质量调整生命年在评价外科择期手术患者贮存式自身输血的应用

目的:本研究拟通过改良的质量调整生命年来评估外科择期手术患者实施贮存式自身输血(PABD)的临床疗效和实用性,研究制定科学合理的PABD实施方案,有效节约血液资源,为临床贮存式自身输血治疗提供科学指导。方法:选取符合纳入/排除标准并自愿进行PABD的外科择期手术患者200例为研究对象,经过PABD适合度的评估,以评估级别,采用随机法,随机分配成试验组和对照组,每组100例,试验组为PABD组,对照组为异体输血组。用改良的质量调整生命年(IQALY)来分析2组住院时间、不良反应、术后感染及预后情况。评估PABD的临床疗效和实用性,为临床开展贮存式自身输血治疗提供科学可靠有效的依据。结果:在IQALY的分析应用中,我们将较小的值定义为较为优良的生活质量;用IQALY计算得出值:IQALY试验组=16.67;IQALY对照组=34.00。结论:进行PABD的患者,预后情况较好、平均住院天数更少,在手术后输血不良反应和感染少,临床医生在对择期手术患者进行输血治疗时,建议考虑这些后续的效应和作用。