Budget impact of applying appropriateness criteria for myocardial perfusion scintigraphy: The perspective of a developing country.

Myocardial perfusion imaging is widely used for the risk stratification of coronary artery disease. In view of its cost, besides radiation issues, judicious evaluation of the appropriateness of its indications is essential to prevent an unnecessary economic burden on the health system. We evaluated, at a tertiary-care, public Brazilian hospital, the appropriateness of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy indications, and estimated the budget impact of applying appropriateness criteria. An observational, cross-sectional study of 190 patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease referred for myocardial perfusion imaging was conducted. The appropriateness of myocardial perfusion imaging indications was evaluated with the Appropriate Use Criteria for Cardiac Radionuclide Imaging published in 2009. Budget impact analysis was performed with a deterministic model. The prevalence of appropriate requests was 78%; of inappropriate indications, 12%; and of uncertain indications, 10%. Budget impact analysis showed that the use of appropriateness criteria, applied to the population referred to myocardial perfusion scintigraphy within 1 year, could generate savings of $ 64,252.04 dollars. The 12% inappropriate requests for myocardial perfusion scintigraphy at a tertiary-care hospital suggest that a reappraisal of MPI indications is needed. Budget impact analysis estimated resource savings of 18.6% with the establishment of appropriateness criteria for MPI.

Análise de custo-efetividade do reúso de cateteres de cinecoronariografia sob a perspectiva de uma instituição pública no Município do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil / Cost-effectiveness analysis on the reutilization of coronary artery catheters in a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil / Análisis del coste-efectividad en la reutilización de catéteres bajo la perspectiva de una institución pública en la ciudad de Río de Janeiro, Brasil

O objetivo foi comparar a relação de custo-efetividade entre o uso de cateteres cardíacos novos com cateteres reprocessados sob a perspectiva de uma instituição pública federal. Foi elaborado um modelo analítico de decisão elaborado para estimar a razão de custo-efetividade entre duas estratégias de utilização de materiais para cateterismo cardíaco utilizando, como desfecho clínico, a ocorrência de reação pirogênica. Os custos foram estimados por coleta direta nos setores envolvidos e valorados em Real (R$) para o ano de 2012. A árvore de decisão foi construída com as probabilidades de pirogenia descritas em estudo clínico. O custo para o reúso foi de R$ 109,84, e, para cateteres novos, de R$ 283,43. A estratégia de reúso demonstrou ser custo-efetiva, e a razão de custo-efetividade incremental indicou que, para evitar um caso de pirogenia, serão gastos R$ 13.561,75. O estudo aponta o reúso de cateteres como uma estratégia de menor custo comparada ao uso exclusivo de cateteres novos e pode contribuir para a tomada de decisão dos gestores.

The aim of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness ratio of new versus reprocessed coronary artery catheters in a Federal public hospital. This was an analytical decision-making model prepared to estimate the cost-effectiveness ratio between two strategies in the use of materials in coronary artery catheterization, with pyrogenic reaction as the clinical outcome. Costs were estimated using direct data collection in the respective catheterization services and expressed in Brazilian Reais (R$), with 2012 as the reference year. The decision-making tree was constructed with the probabilities of pyrogenic reaction as described in a clinical trial. The cost per catheter for reuse was R$ 109.84, as compared to R$ 283.43 for a new catheter. The reutilization strategy proved to be cost cost-effective, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio indicated that R$ 13,561.75 would be spent to avoid one case of pyrogenic reaction. The study identified reuse of coronary artery catheters as a lower cost strategy compared to the exclusive use of new catheters, thus potentially assisting decision-making by health administrators.

El objetivo fue comparar la relación coste-eficacia en la reutilización de catéteres cardíacos respecto a los nuevos, bajo la perspectiva de un servicio público. Se utilizó un modelo analítico con el objeto de estimar la relación coste-efectividad entre las dos estrategias para el uso de materiales en el cateterismo cardíaco, utilizando la ocurrencia de reacción pirogénica como resultados clínicos. Los costes fueron estimados por la recogida directa en los sectores implicados y se expresan en reales (R$) para el año 2012. Un diagrama de decisiones se construyó con las probabilidades pirogénicas descritas en el estudio clínico. El coste de la reutilización era de R$ 109,84 y de R$ 283,43 por catéteres nuevos. La estrategia de reutilización ha demostrado ser coste-efectiva y la tasa de coste-efectividad incremental indicó que para prevenir un caso pirogénico se gastarían R$ 13,561.75. El estudio demuestra que la reutilización de catéteres es una estrategia de menor coste, en comparación con el uso exclusivo de los nuevos catéteres, y puede contribuir a la toma de decisiones.

Bartonella and Coxiella infective endocarditis in Brazil: molecular evidence from excised valves from a cardiac surgery referral center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1998 to 2009.

PCR was used to detect Coxiella burnetii and Bartonella spp in heart valves obtained during the period 1998-2009 from patients operated on for blood culture-negative endocarditis in a cardiac surgery hospital in Brazil. Of the 51 valves tested, 10 were PCR-positive; two were positive for Bartonella and one for C. burnetii.

[Cost-effectiveness analysis on the reutilization of coronary artery catheters in a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil]. / Análise de custo-efetividade do reúso de cateteres de cinecoronariografia sob a perspectiva de uma instituição pública no Município do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

The aim of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness ratio of new versus reprocessed coronary artery catheters in a Federal public hospital. This was an analytical decision-making model prepared to estimate the cost-effectiveness ratio between two strategies in the use of materials in coronary artery catheterization, with pyrogenic reaction as the clinical outcome. Costs were estimated using direct data collection in the respective catheterization services and expressed in Brazilian Reais (R$), with 2012 as the reference year. The decision-making tree was constructed with the probabilities of pyrogenic reaction as described in a clinical trial. The cost per catheter for reuse was R$ 109.84, as compared to R$ 283.43 for a new catheter. The reutilization strategy proved to be cost cost-effective, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio indicated that R$ 13,561.75 would be spent to avoid one case of pyrogenic reaction. The study identified reuse of coronary artery catheters as a lower cost strategy compared to the exclusive use of new catheters, thus potentially assisting decision-making by health administrators.