Prior cost-effectiveness analyses on osseointegrated prosthesis for transfemoral unilateral amputees have analyzed outcomes in non-USA countries using generic quality of life instruments, which may not be appropriate when evaluating disease-specific quality of life. These prior analyses have also focused only on patients who had failed a socket-based prosthesis. The aim of the current study is to use a disease-specific quality of life instrument, which can more accurately reflect a patient’s quality of life with this condition in order to evaluate cost-effectiveness, examining both treatment-naïve and socket refractory patients. Lifetime Markov models were developed evaluating active healthy middle-aged male amputees. Costs of the prostheses, associated complications, use/non-use, and annual costs of arthroplasty parts and service for both a socket and osseointegrated (OPRA) prosthesis were included. Effectiveness was evaluated using the questionnaire for persons with a transfemoral amputation (Q-TFA) until death. All costs and Q-TFA were discounted at 3% annually. Sensitivity analyses on those cost variables which affected a change in treatment (OPRA to socket, or socket to OPRA) were evaluated to determine threshold values. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated.Aims
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Despite evidence-based recommendations opioids and benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed to treat osteoarthritis. This study aims to quantify the prevalence of opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions given for the primary diagnosis of osteoarthritis across a large healthcare system. Additionally, we aim to characterize risk factors for drug misuse, abuse, and diversion. We conducted a descriptive analysis of adult patient encounters with a primary diagnosis of osteoarthritis during a one-year time period from Jan –Dec 2016 at a large, healthcare system. Demographic data, prescription data, patient-specific prescription drug use risk criteria were collected. Descriptive analysis was conducted to characterize the population of arthritis patients who received prescription opioids. The rate of controlled substance prescribing was calculated for the population as a whole and among subgroups (age, facility type, and patient risk profile).Introduction
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