Objective: The choice of evidence used in decision modelling of healthcare interventions divides analysts into 2 groups: 1. those who favour randomised clinical trial (RCT) data; and 2. those who prefer `real world' data. This preference may have serious consequences if the end result is to...

A hand-held interactive electronic lung function device and tele-health monitoring system (AirWatch(TM) Airway Monitoring System, ENACT Health Management Systems, Inc., Mountain View, California, USA) has been developed that measures, records and reports airway status via a remote computer to...

Background: Hyperphosphatemia is very common in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Recently, a new phosphate binder, sevelamer, has become available in the US to treat this condition. The high cost of sevelamer has significantly impacted on third-party payors such as Florida Medicaid....

Objective: The main objective of this study was to evaluate treatment patterns and to assess the relationship between diabetes mellitus-related vascular complications and the total medical/prescription drug costs in the elderly population using a large, national, self-insured employer database....

The National Kidney Foundation's (NKF) Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP) is a public service program that addresses the gaps in chronic kidney disease (CKD) awareness and care. This free, voluntary, community-based program is designed to screen people at risk of CKD and promote CKD...

Objective: To develop incidence-based estimates of the cost of several diabetes-related complications. Design and setting: This was a retrospective cohort study in a large health maintenance organisation. A total of 8905 patients with type 1 (insulin-dependent) and type 2 (non-insulin-dependent)...

Heart failure is a clinical syndrome usually caused by structural changes in the heart. These changes result in varying degrees of symptomatic functional limitation, typically shortness of breath and fatigue. Heart failure is common, with a lifetime risk for its occurrence in a healthy...

Background: Costs of inpatient days in hospitals are frequently the main drivers of total treatment costs, and their unit cost can markedly affect the outcomes of an economic evaluation. In many countries, the availability of unit cost data is limited and unit costs are often based on data from...