The cost effectiveness of personalized dietary advice to increase protein intake in older adults with lower habitual protein intake : a randomized controlled trial

Purpose To examine the cost effectiveness of dietary advice to increase protein intake on 6-month change in physical functioning among older adults. Methods In this multicenter randomized controlled trial, 276 community-dwelling older adults with a habitual protein intake = 1.2 g/kg aBW/d (PROT, n = 96), Intervention 2; similar advice and in addition advice to consume protein (en)rich(ed) foods within half an hour after usual physical activity (PROT + TIMING, n = 89), or continue the habitual diet with no advice (CON, n = 91). Primary outcome was 6-month change in 400-m walk time. Secondary outcomes were 6-month change in physical performance, leg extension strength, grip strength, body composition, self-reported mobility limitations and quality of life. We evaluated cost effectiveness from a societal perspective. Results Compared to CON, a positive effect on walk time was observed for PROT; - 12.4 s (95%CI, - 21.8 to - 2.9), and for PROT + TIMING; - 4.9 s (95%CI, - 14.5 to 4.7). Leg extension strength significantly increased in PROT (+ 32.6 N (95%CI, 10.6-54.5)) and PROT + TIMING (+ 24.3 N (95%CI, 0.2-48.5)) compared to CON. No significant intervention effects were observed for the other secondary outcomes. From a societal perspective, PROT was cost effective compared to CON. Conclusion Dietary advice to increase protein intake to >= 1.2 g/kg aBW/d improved 400-m walk time and leg strength among older adults with a lower habitual protein intake. From a societal perspective, PROT was considered cost-effective compared to CON. These findings support the need for re-evaluating the protein RDA of 0.8 g/kg BW/d for older adults.Peer reviewe

Health-Related Quality of Life and Statistical Challenges in Trial-Based Economic Evaluations

Healthcare decision-makers around the world are facing tough decisions regarding the allocation of healthcare resources in the context of restrained supplies and escalated costs. To inform such allocation decisions, researchers are called upon to demonstrate not only the effectiveness of healthcare interventions but also their cost-effectiveness. Trial-based economic evaluations seek to provide this information by relating the difference in costs between healthcare interventions to the difference in effects. In this type of study, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is often used as a metric of health effects. A prerequisite for using results of trial-based economic evaluations in decision-making is that they are valid and reliable, i.e., “scrupulous”. Using less-than-optimal methods for estimating HRQoL and the statistical analysis of cost-effectiveness data can lead to biased conclusions and thus potentially a waste of healthcare resources. Despite this knowledge, the literature indicates that the methodological quality of published trial-based economic evaluations is generally suboptimal. This PhD project aimed, therefore, to address some of the gaps in the validity of HRQoL measures and statistical challenges in applied economic evaluations. This was done by answering methodological research questions that emerged from the analysis of trial-based economic evaluation data and by providing step-by-step guidance on how to conduct and interpret trial-based economic evaluations based on statistically sound methods available in the literature. The following methodological research questions are addressed in this thesis: Health-related quality of life scoring methods: 1a. Does the use of crosswalks instead of EQ-5D value sets impact trial-based economic evaluation results and decision-making? (Chapters 2 and 3) 1b. Does the use of different country-specific EQ-5D value sets impact trial-based economic evaluation results and decision-making? (Chapter 4) Predicting health-related quality of life from condition-specific patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs): 2. Is it valid to predict EQ-5D utility values from a condition-specific PROM for patients with LBP using mapping approaches for use in economic evaluations? (Chapters 5 and 6) Handling missing data in trial-based economic evaluations: 3. Is multiple imputation necessary when using longitudinal linear mixed-models to estimate cost-utility outcomes and what is the impact on trial-based economic evaluation results and decision-making? (Chapter 7) Addressing these methodological research questions alone will not improve the conduct of trial-based economic evaluations. To achieve this, clear guidelines are needed for researchers on how to optimize the methodological quality of their trial-based economic evaluations. Therefore, Chapters 8 and 9 include tutorial papers that provide step-by-step guidance for fellow researchers on how to conduct, analyse, and interpret trial-based economic evaluations

Teste de Morisky-Green e Brief Medication Questionnaire para avaliar adesão a medicamentos

OBJETIVO: Analisar a confiabilidade e o desempenho da versão em português de instrumentos de avaliação da adesão ao tratamento anti-hipertensivo. MÉTODOS: Pacientes hipertensos atendidos de janeiro a setembro de 2010 em uma unidade de atenção primária em Porto Alegre, RS, foram selecionados aleatoriamente (n = 206). Na avaliação da adesão foram utilizadas versões em português do Teste de Morisky-Green (TMG) e do Brief Medication Questionnaire (BMQ). Foram analisados consistência interna, estabilidade temporal e desempenho com relação a três padrões-ouro: controle inadequado da pressão arterial (&gt; 140/90 mmHg); taxa insuficiente de retirada de medicação na farmácia da Unidade Básica de Saúde (< 80%); e a combinação de ambos. RESULTADOS: Dos pacientes avaliados, 97 utilizavam medicamentos dispensados somente pela farmácia da Unidade Básica de Saúde. Os testes apresentaram boa consistência interna: BMQ &#945; de Cronbach de 0,66 (IC95% 0,60;0,73) e o TMG 0,73 (IC95% 0,67;0,79). O desempenho do BMQ no domínio regime apresentou sensibilidade de 77%, especificidade de 58% e área sob a curva ROC de 0,70 (IC95% 0,55;0,86), e o TMG sensibilidade de 61%, especificidade de 36% e área sob a curva ROC de 0,46 (IC95% 0,30;0,62). A correlação entre o BMQ e o TMG foi de r = 0,28, p &gt; 0,001. A baixa adesão ao BMQ está associada a maiores níveis tensionais quando comparada com pacientes aderentes (148,4 [dp 20,1] vs 128,8 [dp 17,8], p < 0,001), mas não para o TMG. CONCLUSÕES: O BMQ apresentou melhor desempenho que o TMG, com maiores sensibilidade e especificidade. A avaliação da adesão pode auxiliar o clinico na discriminação entre uso inadequado da medicação e esquema terapêutico insuficiente

Teste de Morisky-Green e Brief Medication Questionnaire para avaliar adesão a medicamentos Prueba Morisky-Green y Brief Medication Questionnaire para evaluar adherencia a los medicamentos The Brief Medication Questionnaire and Morisky-Green Test to evaluate medication adherence

OBJETIVO: Analisar a confiabilidade e o desempenho da versão em português de instrumentos de avaliação da adesão ao tratamento anti-hipertensivo. MÉTODOS: Pacientes hipertensos atendidos de janeiro a setembro de 2010 em uma unidade de atenção primária em Porto Alegre, RS, foram selecionados aleatoriamente (n = 206). Na avaliação da adesão foram utilizadas versões em português do Teste de Morisky-Green (TMG) e do Brief Medication Questionnaire (BMQ). Foram analisados consistência interna, estabilidade temporal e desempenho com relação a três padrões-ouro: controle inadequado da pressão arterial (> 140/90 mmHg); taxa insuficiente de retirada de medicação na farmácia da Unidade Básica de Saúde (< 80%); e a combinação de ambos. RESULTADOS: Dos pacientes avaliados, 97 utilizavam medicamentos dispensados somente pela farmácia da Unidade Básica de Saúde. Os testes apresentaram boa consistência interna: BMQ &#945; de Cronbach de 0,66 (IC95% 0,60;0,73) e o TMG 0,73 (IC95% 0,67;0,79). O desempenho do BMQ no domínio regime apresentou sensibilidade de 77%, especificidade de 58% e área sob a curva ROC de 0,70 (IC95% 0,55;0,86), e o TMG sensibilidade de 61%, especificidade de 36% e área sob a curva ROC de 0,46 (IC95% 0,30;0,62). A correlação entre o BMQ e o TMG foi de r = 0,28, p > 0,001. A baixa adesão ao BMQ está associada a maiores níveis tensionais quando comparada com pacientes aderentes (148,4 [dp 20,1] vs 128,8 [dp 17,8], p < 0,001), mas não para o TMG. CONCLUSÕES: O BMQ apresentou melhor desempenho que o TMG, com maiores sensibilidade e especificidade. A avaliação da adesão pode auxiliar o clinico na discriminação entre uso inadequado da medicação e esquema terapêutico insuficiente.<br>OBJETIVO: Analizar la confiabilidad y el desempeño de la versión en portugués de instrumentos de evaluación de la adherencia al tratamiento antihipertensivo. MÉTODOS: Pacientes hipertensos atendidos de enero a septiembre de 2010 en una unidad de atención primaria en Porto Alegre, Sur de Brasil, fueron seleccionados aleatoriamente (n=206). En la evaluación de la adherencia fueron utilizadas versiones en portugués de la Prueba de Morisky-Green (TMG) y del Brief Medication Questionnarie (BMQ). Se analizaron consistencia interna, estabilidad temporal y desempeño con relación a tres patrones-oro: control inadecuado de la presión arterial (> 140/90 mmHg); tasa insuficiente de retirada de medicación en la farmacia de la Unidad Básica de Salud (< 80%) y la combinación de ambos. RESULTADOS: De los pacientes evaluados, 97 utilizaban medicamentos dispensados solamente por la farmacia de la Unidad Básica de Salud. Las pruebas presentaron buena consistencia interna: BMQ &#945; de Cronbach de 0,66 (IC95% 0,60;0,73) y el TMG 0,73 (IC95% 0,67;0,79). El desempeño del BMQ en el dominio régimen presentó sensibilidad de 77%, especificidad de 58%, y área bajo la curva ROC de 0,70 (IC95% 0,55;0,86) y el TMG sensibilidad de 61%, especificidad de 36% y área bajo la curva ROC de 0,46 (IC95% 0,30;0,62). La correlación entre el BMQ y el TMG fue de r=0,28, p>0,001. La baja adherencia al BMQ está asociada a mayores niveles tensionales al compararlo con pacientes adherentes 148,4 [de 0,1] vs 128,8 [de 17,8], p<0,001), pero no para el TMG. CONCLUSIONES: El BMQ presentó mejor desempeño que el TMG, con mayor sensibilidad y especificidad. La evaluación de la adherencia puede auxiliar al clínico en la discriminación entre el uso inadecuado de la medicación y esquema terapéutico insuficiente.<br>OBJECTIVE: To analyze the reliability and performance of the Portuguese version of questionnaires used to evaluate adherence to hypertensive treatment. METHODS: Hypertensive patients attending a primary healthcare unit in Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil, from January to September 2010, were randomly selected (n = 206). To evaluate adherence, Portuguese versions of the Morisky-Green test (MGT) and the Brief Medication Questionnaire (BMQ) were used. The analysis considered internal consistency, temporal stability and performance compared to three gold standards, which are: inadequate control of blood pressure (BP > 140/90 mmHg); insufficient rate of medication acquisition at the institution's pharmacy (<80%) and a combination of both factors. RESULTS: Of the patients studied, 97 only used medications dispensed by the Basic Health Unit. The tests showed good internal consistency by Cronbach's &#945;: BMQ 0.66 (95%CI 0.60 to 0.73) and the MGT 0.73 (95%CI 0.67 to 0.79). The BMQ Regimen Screen had a sensitivity of 77%, specificity of 58%, and an area under the ROC curve of 0.70 (95%CI 0.55 to 0.86); for MGT sensitivity was 61%, specificity 36% and area under the ROC curve 0.46 (95%CI 0.30 to 0.62). The correlation between the BMQ and the MGT was r=0.28, p> 0.001. Low adherence per the BMQ is associated with higher blood pressure levels when compared to adherent patients (148.4 [SD 20.1] vs 128.8 [SD 17.8]; p <0.001), but not for the MGT. CONCLUSIONS: The BMQ showed better performance than the MGT, with greater sensitivity and specificity. Evaluation of adherence may help clinicians discriminate between inadequate use of medication and insufficient treatment regimen

Teste de Morisky-Green e Brief Medication Questionnaire para avaliar adesão a medicamentos

OBJETIVO: Analisar a confiabilidade e o desempenho da versão em português de instrumentos de avaliação da adesão ao tratamento anti-hipertensivo. MÉTODOS: Pacientes hipertensos atendidos de janeiro a setembro de 2010 em uma unidade de atenção primária em Porto Alegre, RS, foram selecionados aleatoriamente (n = 206). Na avaliação da adesão foram utilizadas versões em português do Teste de Morisky-Green (TMG) e do Brief Medication Questionnaire (BMQ). Foram analisados consistência interna, estabilidade temporal e desempenho com relação a três padrões-ouro: controle inadequado da pressão arterial (> 140/90 mmHg); taxa insuficiente de retirada de medicação na farmácia da Unidade Básica de Saúde ( 0,001. A baixa adesão ao BMQ está associada a maiores níveis tensionais quando comparada com pacientes aderentes (148,4 [dp 20,1] vs 128,8 [dp 17,8], p < 0,001), mas não para o TMG. CONCLUSÕES: O BMQ apresentou melhor desempenho que o TMG, com maiores sensibilidade e especificidade. A avaliação da adesão pode auxiliar o clinico na discriminação entre uso inadequado da medicação e esquema terapêutico insuficiente

Effectiveness and Cost-effectiveness of Minimal Ovarian Stimulation in-vitro Fertilization versus Conventional Ovarian Stimulation in Poor Responders: Economic Evaluation Alongside a Propensity Score Adjusted Prospective Observational Study

OBJECTIVE: Information on the pregnancy rate after successive in-vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles and their associated costs is relevant for couples undergoing assisted reproduction treatments (ARTs). This study, therefore, sought to investigate the effectiveness and the cost-effectiveness of two ARTs, the minimal ovarian stimulation IVF (MS-IVF) compared to the conventional ovarian stimulation IVF (C-IVF) from the payer's perspective. METHODS: A 10-months follow-up prospective observational study was conducted in a sample of couples who sought ARTs in a private clinic in Southern Brazil. Women had to satisfy the Bologna Criteria and be older than 35 years. The effect outcome was pregnancy rate per initiated cycle. Medication costs were based on medical records. Costs and effect differences were estimated using seemingly unrelated regressions adjusted for the propensity score estimated based on women's characteristics. RESULTS: All 84 eligible women who agreed to participate received a total of 92 IVF cycles (MS-IVF, n=27[35 cycles]; C-IVF n=57[57 cycles]. The effect difference between MS-IVF and C-IVF was -5.1% (95%CI, -13.2 to 5.2). Medication costs of MS-IVF were significantly lower than C-IVF by €-1260 (95%CI, -1401 to -1118). The probabilities of MS-IVF being cost-effective compared to C-IVF ranged from 1 to 0.76 for willingness-to-pay of €0 to €15,000 per established pregnancy, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Even though there were no positive effect differences between groups, MS-IVF might be cost-effective compared to C-IVF from the payer's perspective due to its relatively large cost savings compared to C-IVF. However, further investigation is needed to confirm these findings in a larger sample

Towards competency-based education: building the Family Medicine clerkship blueprint

Objective: To elaborate a blueprint of the competencies to be developed during three months of Family Medicine Clerkship at the Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre (UFCSPA). Methods: A literature review was carried out on competency-based education, medical schools using this approach and national and international guidelines on medical education. Therefore, the applicability of the recommendations in the context of UFCSPA Clerkship was discussed. Results: Eighteen competencies were established and divided into four axes: General, Individual Approach, Family Approach, and Community Approach. Each competency was depicted in one or more components. For each component, we have identified the teaching and students’ assessment methods currently applied in Family Medicine Clerkship. Conclusions: Clerkship competencies, which were previously developed in an intuitive way, were organized in a blueprint that enables the review and adequacy of teaching methods and students’ assessment