scholarly journals A Method to Assess the Potential Effects of Air Pollution Mitigation on Healthcare Costs

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bjørn Sætterstrøm ◽  
Marie Kruse ◽  
Henrik Brønnum-Hansen ◽  
Jakob Hjort Bønløkke ◽  
Esben Meulengracht Flachs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Healthcare Costs ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Potential Cost Saving ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Epidemiological Analysis ◽  
Pollution Mitigation ◽  
Particle Matter

Objective. The aim of this study was to develop a method to assess the potential effects of air pollution mitigation on healthcare costs and to apply this method to assess the potential savings related to a reduction in fine particle matter in Denmark.Methods. The effects of air pollution on health were used to identify “exposed” individuals (i.e., cases). Coronary heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer were considered to be associated with air pollution. We used propensity score matching, two-part estimation, and Lin’s method to estimate healthcare costs. Subsequently, we multiplied the number of saved cases due to mitigation with the healthcare costs to arrive to an expression for healthcare cost savings.Results. The potential cost saving in the healthcare system arising from a modelled reduction in air pollution was estimated at €0.1–2.6 million per 100,000 inhabitants for the four diseases.Conclusion. We have illustrated an application of a method to assess the potential changes in healthcare costs due to a reduction in air pollution. The method relies on a large volume of administrative data and combines a number of established methods for epidemiological analysis.

Cost-minimization analysis of drugs used in the treatment of Asthma and COPD diseases in India

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Billu Payal ◽  
Anoop Kumar ◽  
Harsh Saxena
Keyword(s):  
Generic Drugs ◽  
Cost Minimization ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Pulmonary Medicine ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Maximum Cost ◽  
Cost Minimization Analysis ◽  
Cost Variation ◽  
The Cost

Background: Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) are well known respiratory diseases affecting millions of peoples in India. In the market, various branded generics, as well as generic drugs, are available for their treatment and how much cost will be saved by utilizing generic medicine is still unclear among physicians. Thus, the main aim of the current investigation was to perform cost-minimization analysis of generic versus branded generic (high and low expensive) drugs and branded generic (high expensive) versus branded generic (least expensive) used in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine of Era Medical University, Lucknow for the treatment of asthma and COPD. Methodology: The current index of medical stores (CIMS) was referred for the cost of branded drugs whereas the cost of generic drugs was taken from Jan Aushadi scheme of India 2016. The percentage of cost variation particularly to Asthma and COPD regimens on substituting available generic drugs was calculated using standard formula and costs were presented in Indian Rupees (as of 2019). Results: The maximum cost variation was found between the respules budesonide high expensive branded generic versus least expensive branded generic drugs and generic versus high expensive branded generic. In combination, the maximum cost variation was observed in the montelukast and levocetirizine combination. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study inferred that substituting generic antiasthmatics and COPD drugs can bring potential cost savings in patients.

scholarly journals Enhanced Transcriptomic Resilience following Increased Alternative Splicing and Differential Isoform Production between Air Pollution Conurbations

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 959
Author(s):  
Shengkai Pan ◽  
Xiaokai Feng ◽  
Daniel Pass ◽  
Rachel A. Adams ◽  
Yusong Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Alternative Splicing ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Translational Efficiency ◽  
Ambient Particulate Matter ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Adverse Health Outcomes ◽  
Membrane Bound ◽  
Migration Capacity

Adverse health outcomes caused by ambient particulate matter (PM) pollution occur in a progressive process, with neutrophils eliciting inflammation or pathogenesis. We investigated the toxico-transcriptomic mechanisms of PM in real-life settings by comparing healthy residents living in Beijing and Chengde, the opposing ends of a well-recognised air pollution (AP) corridor in China. Beijing recruits (BRs) uniquely expressed ~12,000 alternative splicing (AS)-derived transcripts, largely elevating the proportion of transcripts significantly correlated with PM concentration. BRs expressed PM-associated isoforms (PMAIs) of PFKFB3 and LDHA, encoding enzymes responsible for stimulating and maintaining glycolysis. PMAIs of PFKFB3 featured different COOH-terminals, targeting PFKFB3 to different sub-cellular functional compartments and stimulating glycolysis. PMAIs of LDHA have longer 3′UTRs relative to those expressed in Chengde recruits (CRs), allowing glycolysis maintenance by enhancing LDHA mRNA stability and translational efficiency. PMAIs were directly regulated by different HIF-1A and HIF-1B isoforms. BRs expressed more non-functional Fas isoforms, and a resultant reduction of intact Fas proportion is expected to inhibit the transmission of apoptotic signals and prolong neutrophil lifespan. BRs expressed both membrane-bound and soluble IL-6R isoforms instead of only one in CRs. The presence of both IL-6R isoforms suggested a higher migration capacity of neutrophils in BRs. PMAIs of HIF-1A and PFKFB3 were downregulated in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease patients compared with BRs, implying HIF-1 mediated defective glycolysis may mediate neutrophil dysfunction. PMAIs could explain large variances of different phenotypes, highlighting their potential application as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in PM-induced diseases, which remain poorly elucidated.

scholarly journals The Use of Vancomycin Powder for Surgical Prophylaxis Following Craniotomy

Neurosurgery ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 80 (5) ◽  
pp. 754-758 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinod Ravikumar ◽  
Allen L. Ho ◽  
Arjun V. Pendharkar ◽  
Eric S. Sussman ◽  
Kevin Kwong-hon Chow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Surgical Site Infections ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Infection Prophylaxis ◽  
Potential Cost Saving ◽  
Infection Rates ◽  
Surgical Prophylaxis ◽  
Potential Cost ◽  
Vancomycin Powder

Abstract BACKGROUND: Intrawound vancomycin powder has been studied extensively in spinal fusion surgeries and been found to reduce rates of surgical site infections (SSIs) significantly. Despite its success in spinal surgeries, topical vancomycin has not been extensively studied with respect to cranial neurosurgery. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of intrawound topical vancomycin for prevention of SSIs following open craniotomies. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a large series of 350 patients from 2011 to 2015 in a pre/postintervention study of use of topical vancomycin to reduce postoperative craniotomy infection rates. We had a preintervention control group of 225 patients and a postintervention group of 125 patients that received intrawound topical vancomycin. RESULTS: Our preintervention incidence of SSI was 2.2% and this was significantly reduced to 0% following introduction of topical vancomycin (P < .5). An ad hoc cost analysis suggested a cost savings of ${\$}$59 965 with the use of topical vancomycin for craniotomies. CONCLUSION: Our study found a significant reduction in SSI rates after introduction of topical vancomycin. Thus, this simple intervention should be considered in all open craniotomy patients as both infection prophylaxis and a potential cost saving intervention.

Assessment of Health Impacts of PM2.5 by AirQ+ Software in the City of Sanandaj, Iran (2018-2019)

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-56
Author(s):  
Ghorban Asgari ◽  
◽  
Ramin Khoshniyat ◽  
Farhad Karimi ◽  
Kamal Ebrahimi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Health Effect ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Hourly Data ◽  
Baseline Incidence ◽  
Brain Stroke ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Airq Software

Background: Particulate or particle mattes in term of air pollution are particles with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5). PM2.5 is a natural source of air pollution and has harmful effects on citizens in Sanandaj City, located in the west of Iran. Methods: In this study, the hourly data of concentration of PM2.5 were taken from the Kurdistan Environmental Protection Agency. During the study period (2018-2019), the 24-hour concentration of PM2.5 exceeded 339 times the average level. By AirQ+ software, the relationship between data and Relative Risk (RR), Baseline Incidence (BI), and Attributable Proportion (AP) were estimated. Then chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, ischemic heart disease, and brain stroke in the range of over 30 years were estimated. Results: The main target of this study was to survey the relationship between PM2.5 concentration and the death rate of citizens of this non-industrial city. The long-term health effect (more than 6 months) of PM2.5 caused 326 deaths on average (except for accidents and poisoning). Conclusion: Increase the concentration of PM2.5 is one factor that affects a high percentage of mortality rate.

Long-term air pollution and road traffic noise exposure and COPD: the Danish Nurse Cohort

2021 ◽  
pp. 2004594
Author(s):  
Shuo Liu ◽  
Youn-Hee Lim ◽  
Marie Pedersen ◽  
Jeanette T. Jørgensen ◽  
Heresh Amini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Traffic Noise ◽  
Potential Interaction ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Road Traffic Noise ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

BackgroundWhile air pollution has been linked to the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), evidence on the role of environmental noise is just emerging. We examined the associations of long-term exposure to air pollution and road traffic noise with COPD incidence.MethodsWe defined COPD incidence for 24 538 female nurses from the Danish Nurse Cohort (age>44 years) as the first hospital contact between baseline (1993 or 1999) and 2015. We estimated residential annual mean concentrations of particulate matter with diameter<2.5 µm (PM2.5) since 1990 and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) since 1970 by the Danish DEHM/UBM/AirGIS modeling system, and road traffic noise (Lden) since 1970 by the Nord2000 model. Time-varying Cox regression models were applied to assess the associations of air pollution and road traffic noise with COPD incidence.Results977 nurses developed COPD during 18.6 years’ mean follow-up. We observed associations with COPD for all three exposures with hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of 1.19 (1.01, 1.41) per 6.26 µg·m−3 for PM2.5, 1.13 (1.05, 1.20) per 8.19 µg·m−3 for NO2, and 1.15 (1.06, 1.25) per 10 dB for Lden. Associations with NO2 and Lden attenuated slightly after mutual adjustment, but were robust to adjustment for PM2.5. Associations with PM2.5 were attenuated to null after adjustment for either NO2 or Lden. No potential interaction effect was observed between air pollutants and noise.ConclusionsLong-term exposure to air pollution, especially traffic-related NO2, and road traffic noise were independently associated with COPD.

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