Surgery for Pediatric Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction-Comparison of Outcomes in Relation to Surgical Technique and Operating Discipline in Germany.

INTRODUCTION: Surgery for ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) is performed by both pediatric surgeons (PS) and urologists (URO). The aim of this study was to analyze treatment modalities for UPJO and results in relation to the surgical technique and the operating discipline in Germany. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data of patients aged 0 to 18 years were extracted from a major public health insurance (covering ∼5.7 million clients) during 2009 to 2016 and were analyzed for sociodemographic variables, surgical technique, and treating discipline. Logistic regression analysis was performed for the risk of a complication within the first postoperative year. RESULTS: A total of 229 children (31.0% female) were included. Laparoscopic pyeloplasty (LP) was performed in 58 (25.3%) patients (8.6 ± 6.4 years), and open pyeloplasty (OP) was applied in 171 (74.7%; 4.6 ± 5.9 years). LP was the dominant technique in females (p < 0.02); males preferentially underwent OP (p < 0.02). Length of hospital stay was 4.3 days (p = 0.0005) shorter in LP compared with that in OP, especially in children ≤ 2 years (6.7 days, p = 0.007). PS operated on 162 children (70.7%), and URO performed surgery on 67 patients (29.3%). The mean age of children operated by PS (3.5 ± 4.7 years) was significantly younger compared with that operated by URO (10.8 ± 6.5 years, p < 0.0001). Complication rates were independent of surgical technique or treating specialty. CONCLUSION: In Germany, UPJO was treated by LP in 25.3% of patients, which was associated with a shorter length of stay, especially in children ≤ 2 years. Complication rates were independent of the operating specialty and surgical technique. Therefore, LP should be further promoted for the treatment of UPJO in small children.

[Age- and Gender-specific Costs as Well as Drug Therapies of ADHD Patients]. / Alters- und geschlechtsspezifische Kosten sowie die Versorgung mit medikamentösen Therapien von ADHS-Patienten.

UNLABELLED: Backround and Objectives: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders in children and adolescents. The rate of persistence into adulthood varies up to 60% and shows the importance of the disease. Here we present age-stratified cost information on adult patients, as well as data on occupational therapy, medication and multimodal treatment. Furthermore, we also investigated retrospectively if methylphenidate was prescribed for adults already before its approval in 2011. METHODS: Claims data of a major German insurance fund (Techniker Krankenkasse) was available. Inclusion criteria were patients with ADHD diagnosis, either hospitalized or treated on an outpatient basis in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and insured over this period. This enabled identifying this disease as chronic. The data were analyzed as part of a control group design (1:3). Cost differences were examined as also the odds ratios for the burden of comorbidities and use of atomoxetine and methylphenidate. RESULTS: 77.9% of the identified ADHD patients were male (mean age: 16.5 years ±11.1). The mean total costs of patient treatment were € 2,032 (±4,112). The odds ratio was highest for the indication developmental disorders of scholastic skills (15.4) and differed between the sexes (female: 24.0 vs. male: 14.2). Drug prescription was higher in male than in female patients (atomoxetine: 7.2 vs. 5.9% and methylphenidate 59.1 vs. 48.4%). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides important insights into the importance of the adult ADHD collective. There were increasing resource consumption identified in adult ADHD patients. In addition, methylphenidate was used off-label for treating adults already before 2011 and its approval in 2011 provided increased certainty for physicians regarding prescription of this drug.