Benefits of MR-proADM-guided decision-making in the emergency department: clinical and economic evaluation in Italy, Germany, Spain, and the UK.

AIM: In a randomized control trial mid-regional proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM)-guided decision-making has been proven to safely reduce hospital admissions based on an accurate assessment of disease severity in the Emergency Department (ED). This study aimed to assess the impact of a MR-proADM-Guided Triage (MR-GT) versus standard Hospital Triage (HT) on clinical and economic outcomes in ED patients with suspected infection in Spain, Italy, Germany, and the UK, using Patient-Level Data (PLD) from two observational studies. METHODS: PLD was collected from patients enrolled at a Spanish hospital during two observational studies. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of hospitalization. A patient-level simulation model was subsequently developed to evaluate the clinical and economic impact of MR-GT versus HT using results from the statistical analysis and country-specific cost data from the published literature. Probabilistic and deterministic sensitivity analyses were carried out. RESULTS: Four hundred seventy-three patients were enrolled in this study. MR-proADM had the strongest association with hospital admission, followed by age and National Early Warning Score (NEWS). In the simulation model, MR-GT was associated with an overall reduction in hospitalization relative to HT, equal to 22.6 percentage points (40.9 vs. 63.5%). In addition, the use of MR-GT would reduce the total hospital cost per patient presenting to the ED with suspected infection by roughly 30%, with a mean cost saving per patient of €626, €1,484, €1,154, and £1,113 in Spain, Italy, Germany, and the UK, respectively. The robustness of these findings was confirmed by sensitivity analyses. LIMITATIONS: The statistical analyses were not performed on the same population simulated in the model. Clinical input parameters were assumed to be the same for all countries. CONCLUSIONS: MR-proADM showed to be the main predictor of hospitalization. An MR-proADM decision algorithm provides cost savings in Spain, Italy, Germany, and the UK.

Cost-Impact Analysis of a Novel Diagnostic Test to Assess Community-Acquired Pneumonia Etiology in the Emergency Department Setting: A Multi-Country European Study.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to estimate the economic and clinical impacts of a novel diagnostic test called LIAISON® MeMed BV® (LMMBV), which can differentiate bacterial from viral infections, in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in emergency departments. METHODS: A cost-impact simulation model was developed to investigate the financial consequences of the introduction of LMMBV into the standard of care (SOC) diagnostic process in Italy, Germany, and Spain. Clinical outcomes were expressed as antibiotic patients and days saved, reduced hospital admissions, and shortened hospital length of stay (LOS). Cost savings were evaluated from the perspectives of third-party payers and hospitals. A deterministic sensitivity analysis (DSA) was carried out. RESULTS: LMMBV was associated with a reduction in antibiotic prescriptions, treatment duration, and LOS. Furthermore, the adoption of LMMBV would allow savings per patient up to EUR 364 and EUR 328 for hospitals and EUR 91 and EUR 59 for payers in Italy and Germany, respectively. In Spain, average savings per patient could reach up to EUR 165 for both payers and hospitals. Savings were most sensitive to test accuracy, with DSA confirming the robustness of the results. CONCLUSIONS: Combining LMMBV with the current SOC diagnostic process is expected to provide clinical and economic benefits in Italy, Germany, and Spain.

Comparative Cost and Effectiveness of a New Algorithm for Early Lyme Disease Diagnosis: Evaluation in US, Germany, and Italy.

PURPOSE: This Lyme disease early detection economic model, for patients with suspected Lyme disease without erythema migrans (EM), compares outcomes of standard two-tier testing (sTTT), modified two-tier testing (mTTT) and the DiaSorin Lyme Detection Algorithm (LDA), a combination of both serology tests and Interferon-ɤ Release Assay. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A patient-level simulation model was built to incorporate effectiveness estimation from a structured focused literature review, and health-care cost inputs for the United States, Germany, and Italy. Simulated clinical outcomes were 1) percent of patients with timely and correct diagnosis, 2) patients appropriately treated and exposed to antibiotics therapy, and 3) patients with late Lyme disease manifestations. Expected health outcomes were expressed in terms of differences in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) due to disseminated Lyme disease and persisting symptoms, and economic outcomes were analyzed from a third-party payer perspective. RESULTS: The DiaSorin LDA resulted in a better sensitivity compared to sTTT and mTTT, 84% vs 49% and 45%, respectively, in the base case (13% of infected patients in the tested population). Due to the improved diagnostic performance, the LDA-based strategy is expected to be more effective, providing mean incremental 0.024 QALYs per tested patient, or 0.19 per infected patient. Furthermore, from a third-party payer perspective, the adoption of the LDA-based strategy would reduce the expected health-care cost for suspected and confirmed Lyme disease by roughly 40%, ie about $410, €130, and €170 per tested patient in the United States, Germany, and Italy, respectively, compared to sTTT. The results are most sensitive to the infection rate in the tested population, with LDA maintaining a cost advantage for Lyme disease active infection rates ≥0.8-2.5%. CONCLUSION: LDA early diagnostic testing and subsequent treatment of subjects with early Lyme disease without EM are expected to outperform traditional management strategies both clinically and economically in the US, Germany, and Italy.