Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to L Poole.
By collecting and analyzing information about Medicare payment errors, PEPP initiatives are making a contribution to healthcare quality efforts nationwide. Here's how one organization takes a collaborative approach to improving quality.
OBJECTIVE: A cost-effectiveness analysis of high and low doses of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor lisinopril in the treatment of chronic heart failure. METHODS: A cost-effectiveness analysis using data from a randomized controlled trial, ATLAS, where 3164 patients with chronic heart failure were allocated to a high-dose (daily target dose 32.5-35 mg) or low-dose strategy (daily target dose 2.5-5.0 mg) of lisinopril. Differential costs were based on resource use data collected in the trial costed using UK unit costs. Cost-effectiveness analysis related differential costs to differential life-years during a 4-year trial follow-up. RESULTS: The mean total number of hospital in-patient days per patient was 18. 5 in the high dose group and 22.5 in the low dose group. Over the whole duration of the trial, the mean (S.D.) daily dose of lisinopril in the high-dose group was 22.5 mg (15.7 mg) compared to 3.2 mg (2.5 mg) in the low-dose group. The mean difference in cost per patient was pound sterling 397 lower in the high-dose group [95% CI (high-dose-low-dose) - pound sterling 1263 to pound sterling 436]. Mean life-years per patient were 0.085 years higher in the high-dose group [95% CI (high-dose-low-dose) -0.0074 to 0.1706). Based on mean costs and life-years, high-dose therapy dominates low-dose (less costly and more effective). Allowing for uncertainty in mean costs and life-years, the probability of high-dose therapy being less costly than low dose was 82%. If a decision maker is willing to pay at least pound sterling 3600 per life-year gained, the probability of high-dose being more cost-effective was 92%. CONCLUSIONS: The ATLAS Study showed that the treatment of heart failure with high-doses of lisinopril has a high probability of being more cost-effective than low-dose therapy.
BACKGROUND: Despite the availability of potent antibiotics and intensive care, mortality rates from septic shock are 40-70%. We assessed the safety and efficacy of murine monoclonal antibody to human tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha MAb) in the treatment of septic shock. METHODS: In a randomised, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in 105 hospitals in the USA and Canada, we randomly assigned 1879 patients a single infusion of 7.5 mg/kg TNF alpha MAb (n=949) or placebo (0.25% human serum albumin n=930). Our main outcome measurement was the rate of all-cause mortality at 28 days. FINDINGS: 382 (40.3%) of 948 patients who received TNF alpha MAb and 398 (42.8%) of 930 who received placebo had died at 28 days (95% CI -0.02 to 0.07, p=0.27). We found no association between therapy with TNF alpha MAb and increased rapidity in reversal of initial shock or prevention of subsequent shock. Similarly, baseline plasma interleukin-6 concentrations of more than 1000 pg/mL or detectable circulating TNF concentrations were not associated with improvement in survival after TNF alpha MAb therapy. Coagulopathy but not other organ or system failures, was significantly decreased in the TNF alpha MAb group compared with placebo (day 7, p<0.001; day 28, p=0.005). Serious adverse events were reported in 55.2% of patients given placebo and 54.1% in the TNF alpha MAb group. INTERPRETATION: We did not find an improvement in survival after septic shock with TNF alpha MAb. Therapy not solely dependent on TNF alpha blockade may be required to improve survival.
In many companies it is not feasible to go to just-in-time (JIT) inventory management practices. In these instances, an aggressive inventory-monitoring program is a must. This article describes a program that resulted in a 75-percent reduction of inventory over a five-year interval. The topics covered will be applicable to those companies where JIT is not the answer.
We report on a case of subcutaneous infection of the arm caused by the coelomycetous fungus Nattrassia mangiferae (formerly Hendersonula toruloidea) in a steroid-dependent diabetic man with chronic obstructive lung disease. The man was a resident of Arizona, where the fungus is known to be endemic on Eucalyptus camaldulensis and on citrus trees. Diagnosis of fungal infection was made by observation of narrow hyphal filaments by histopathology of biopsy specimens and isolation of a fast-growing black mold which demonstrated hyphae and arthroconidia of varying widths typical of the Scytalidium synanamorph (S. dimidiatum). The formation of pycnidia, which at maturity expressed conidia with a central median dark band, allowed for the confirmation of the isolate as N. mangiferae. Remission of the lesions occurred following intravenous therapy with amphotericin B, followed by topical clotrimazole treatment. We use this patient's case report as an opportunity to review the literature on cases of deep infection caused by Scytalidium species, to evaluate the antifungal susceptibilities of a spectrum of Scytalidium isolates, and to review the taxonomy of Scytalidium species isolated from human infections.
The purpose of this study was to compare propofol-sufentanil with enflurane-sufentanil anaesthesia for patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery with respect to changes in (1) haemodynamic variables; (2) myocardial blood flow and metabolism; (3) serum cortisol, triglyceride, lipoprotein concentrations and liver function; and (4) recovery characteristics. Forty-seven patients with preserved ventricular function (ejection fraction greater than 40%, left ventricular end diastolic pressure less than or equal to 16 mmHg) were studied. Patients in Group A (n = 24) received sufentanil 0.2 microgram.kg-1 and propofol 1-2 mg.kg-1 for induction of anaesthesia which was maintained with a variable rate propofol (50-200 micrograms.kg-1.min-1) infusion and supplemental sufentanil (maximum total 5 micrograms.kg-1). Patients in Group B (n = 23) received sufentanil 5 micrograms.kg-1 for induction of anaesthesia which was maintained with enflurane and supplemental sufentanil (maximum total 7 micrograms.kg-1). Haemodynamic and myocardial metabolic profiles were determined at the awake-sedated, post-induction, post-intubation, first skin incision, post-sternotomy, and pre-cardiopulmonary bypass intervals. Induction of anaesthesia produced a larger reduction in systolic blood pressure in Group A (156 +/- 22 to 104 +/- 20 mmHg vs 152 +/- 26 to 124 +/- 24 mmHg; P less than 0.05). No statistical differences were detected at any other time or in any other variable including myocardial lactate production (n = 13 events in each group), time to tracheal extubation and time to discharge from the ICU. We concluded that, apart from hypotension on induction of anaesthesia, propofol-sufentanil anaesthesia produced anaesthetic conditions equivalent to enflurane-sufentanil anaesthesia for CABG surgery.
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In January 1983, blood banks encouraged the use of autologous blood for transfusion in elective surgical patients due to the advent of transfusion-associated AIDS. Since autologous blood does not transmit hepatitis and other viruses and does not cause alloimmunization, it should be utilized whenever possible. To determine whether patients eligible to predeposit autologous blood before elective operation were actually doing so, we studied patients at three hospitals between January 1 and June 30, 1985. Patients considered eligible for autologous predeposit blood donation were adults with preoperative hemoglobin levels of 11 g/dl or more who underwent elective surgical procedures for which blood transfusion was anticipated. Excluded were patients undergoing cardiovascular, intracranial, or renal transplant procedures. Of eligible patients, only 11 percent (32 of 278) predeposited blood; of these, 81 percent (26 of 32) were transfused with only autologous blood. Among eligible patients who did not predeposit blood, all could have benefited from predepositing because transfusion was likely for the procedure. Of those who did not predeposit, 33 percent (83 of 246) received homologous blood and therefore would have benefited from autologous donation. We conclude that autologous donations are underutilized for medically eligible patients undergoing elective operation.
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Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.