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Performance of a rapid whole blood test for Helicobacter pylori in primary care: a German multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Serological rapid whole-blood tests for the detection of H. pylori are presently being promoted for use in primary care. We conducted a multi-center study to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of the Boehringer Mannheim Helicobacter pylori test (BM test), which is identical with the Cortecs Helisal test. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A previous diagnosis of H. pylori, a history of peptic ulcer diseases, or proton-pump inhibitor, bismuth or antibiotic use during the preceding month were exclusion criteria. The BM test was performed prior to endoscopy by 7 primary care physicians, 5 practicing gastroenterologists, or a single physician in the university hospital outpatient service. During endoscopy, antral and corpus biopsies were obtained for histology and rapid urease testing (RUT). H. pylori positivity was defined by histology and/or RUT as reference methods. H. pylori IgG-ELISA was performed additionally. RESULTS: Of the 203 patients included, 151 were H. pylori-positive by reference methods (74.4%). The overall accuracy of the BM test was 77.3%. Eight BM tests were indeterminate, and in the other 195 patients the test performed as follows: sensitivity 80.3%, specificity 81.3%, positive predictive value 92.9%, negative predictive value 57.4%. Using IgG-ELISA as reference, the BM test performance was similar. It also did not differ substantially among the three groups of physicians involved. CONCLUSIONS: We found the performance of the BM test to be insufficiently accurate, as both over- and underdiagnosis of H. pylori infection were not infrequent. This test needs to be improved before its use in primary care can be recommended.

Adolescent↗

Cost-effectiveness of eplerenone compared with placebo in patients with myocardial infarction complicated by left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure.

BACKGROUND: In the Eplerenone Post-Acute Myocardial Infarction Heart Failure Efficacy and Survival Study (EPHESUS), aldosterone blockade with eplerenone decreased mortality in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and heart failure after acute myocardial infarction. The present study was performed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of eplerenone compared with placebo in these patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 6632 patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and heart failure after acute myocardial infarction were randomized to eplerenone or placebo and followed up for a mean of 16 months. The coprimary end points were all-cause mortality and the composite of cardiovascular mortality/cardiovascular hospitalization. The evaluation of resource use included hospitalizations, outpatient services, and medications. Eplerenone was priced at the average wholesale price, 3.60 dollars per day. Survival beyond the trial period was estimated from data from the Framingham Heart Study, the Saskatchewan Health database, and the Worcester Heart Attack Registry. The incremental cost-effectiveness of eplerenone in cost per life-year and quality-adjusted life-year gained compared with placebo was estimated. The number of life-years gained with eplerenone was 0.1014 based on Framingham (95% CI, 0.0306 to 0.1740), 0.0636 with Saskatchewan (95% CI, 0.0229 to 0.1038), and 0.1337 with Worcester (95% CI, 0.0438 to 0.2252) data. Cost was 1391 dollars higher over the trial period in the eplerenone arm (95% CI, 656 to 2165) because of drug cost. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was 13,718 dollars per life-year gained with Framingham (96.7% under 50,000 dollars per life-year gained), 21,876 dollars with Saskatchewan, and 10,402 dollars with Worcester. CONCLUSIONS: Eplerenone compared with placebo in the treatment of heart failure after acute myocardial infarction is effective in reducing mortality and is cost-effective in increasing years of life by commonly used criteria.

Aged↗

Medicaid case management: Kentucky's Patient Access and Care Program.

Since 1981, States have been experimenting with Medicaid managed care programs to improve access and continuity of care and to contain costs by reducing inappropriate and unnecessary utilization. To determine the impact of primary care case management (PCCM) on utilization, the authors examine data from the Kentucky Patient Access and Care program (KenPAC). Using monthly utilization data from 1984 to 1989 and an interrupted time-series research design, the authors find that PCCM reduces the use of independent laboratory, physician, emergency department, and outpatient hospital services. PCCM does not appear to affect utilization of inpatient hospital services or prescription drugs.

Health Services Accessibility↗

Medicare program; payment for outpatient surgery at eye specialty hospitals and eye and ear specialty hospitals--HCFA. Final rule.

In accordance with section 4068(a) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987, this final rule revises the payment provisions concerning outpatient hospital services furnished in connection with ambulatory surgical procedures for certain qualified eye specialty hospitals and eye and ear specialty hospitals. It establishes that, for cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 1988 and before October 1, 1990, the blended payment amount applicable to these hospitals remains at 75 percent of the hospital-specific amount and 25 percent of the ambulatory surgical center amount.

Ambulatory Surgical Procedures↗

Competitive bidding: they're singing the blues in Cleveland.

When Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Northern Ohio announced a selective contracting program based on competitive bidding, the greater Cleveland hospitals were shocked. This process required competitive bidding for all lines of Blue Cross business including inpatient and outpatient hospital services. A lawsuit against Blue Cross was filed by Lakewood Hospital. The program was declared illegal, but an appeal is pending that could set precedent for other Blue Cross plans that may try other forms of competitive bidding in the future.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance Plans↗

[Epidemiological aspects of ciprofloxacin-resistant Escherichia coli in a general hospital]

The susceptibility to ciprofloxacin of 7288 Escherichia coli clinical isolates from 5667 patients was determined over a 4-year period (1995-1998). Information about the patients' age, sex, specimen type, date, origin and susceptibility to Escherichia coli isolates was studied, and the c2 test was used for statistical comparison. Overall, 1003 (17.70%) patients out of the 5667 included in the study presented ciprofloxacin resistance. The annual resistance observed over this 4-year period was not considered statistically significant. The resistant isolates were more frequent among men, in urine specimens and in outpatients, and increased with different age groups. The average age of patients with resistant isolates was 61.29 years (SD 21.56) and that of pacients with susceptible isolates was 39.76 years (SD 27.41). A similar rate of resistance was observed among outpatients from health centers and those from hospital outpatient services. The higher resistance rates were found in outpatients from the urology department. The resistance to other fluoroquinolones remained the same and was not significant for norfloxacin; it increased starting from 1997 for pefloxacin at the expense of ciprofloxacin-sensitive isolates.

Journal Article↗