Dataset Information

Willingness of patients with ankylosing spondylitis to pay for inpatient treatment is influenced by the treatment environment and expectations of improvement.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To assess the willingness to pay (WTP) for treatment in a spa resort of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to assess if the experience of a spa influences the WTP.

Methods

120 patients participating in a randomised trial comparing 3 weeks' treatment in a spa resort in Austria or in the Netherlands with a control group completed a WTP questionnaire before and after spa treatment. Patients indicated on a payment card the maximal co-payment they wanted to contribute for three scenarios that included (a) two levels of improvement in pain and stiffness and (b) two treatment environments: a rehabilitation hospital and a spa resort.

Results

At baseline, patients wanted to contribute more for the same improvement after treatment in a spa resort compared with a rehabilitation hospital (p<0.003), and were prepared to pay more when expected effects were higher (p<0.001). No differences were found between men and women, pain, or income. After the trial none of the treatment groups showed a change in their WTP.

Conclusion

The WTP of patients with AS for inpatient treatment is influenced by the treatment environment and the expected improvement. Experiencing treatment in a spa resort does not influence the co-payment.

SUBMITTER: Boonen A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1755276 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Willingness of patients with ankylosing spondylitis to pay for inpatient treatment is influenced by the treatment environment and expectations of improvement.

Boonen A A Severens J L JL van Tubergen A A Landewé R R Bonsel G G van der Heijde D D van der Linden Sj S

Annals of the rheumatic diseases 20051101 11

<h4>Objective</h4>To assess the willingness to pay (WTP) for treatment in a spa resort of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to assess if the experience of a spa influences the WTP.<h4>Methods</h4>120 patients participating in a randomised trial comparing 3 weeks' treatment in a spa resort in Austria or in the Netherlands with a control group completed a WTP questionnaire before and after spa treatment. Patients indicated on a payment card the maximal co-payment they wanted to contrib ...[more]

PMID: 16227417

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Project description:We have compared synovial biopsies from ankylosing spondylitis and undifferentiated spondylitis patients with healthy controls and osteoarthritis patients Objective: In spondylarthropies, whole-genome gene expression profiling studies have been limited to peripheral blood to date. By undertaking a study in knee synovial biopsies from spondylarthropy (SpA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients we aimed to identified joint-specific candidate genes and pathways. These pathways may mediate systemic inflammation driven joint damaging processes and more specifically, the osteoproliferation that is characteristic of these conditions. Methods: RNA was extracted from six seronegative SpA, two AS, three osteoarthritis (OA) and four normal control knee synovial biopsies. Whole genome expression profiling was undertaken using the Illumina DASL system, which assays 24000 cDNA probes. Differentially expressed candidate genes were then validated using quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry. Results: 416 differentially expressed genes were identified that clearly delineated between AS/SpA and control groups. Pathway analysis showed altered gene-expression in oxidoreductase activity, osteoblast activity, B-cell associated, matrix catabolic, and metabolic pathways. The inflammatory mediator, MMP3, was strongly upregulated in AS/SpA samples and the Wnt pathway inhibitors DKK3 and Kremen1 were downregulated. Conclusion: Pathways mediating both systemic inflammation as well as local tissue changes were identified. This suggests initial systemic inflammation in spondylarthropies transfers to and persists in the local joint environment, subsequently mediating changes in genes directly involved in the destructive tissue remodelling. Fifteen knee synovial biopsy tissue samples consisting of six seronegative spondyloarthropy (SpA), two ankylosing spondylitis (AS), three osteoarthritis (OA) and four normal control biopsies were obtained from the Synovial Tissue Bank at the Repatriation General Hospital in Adelaide, South Australia with the appropriate ethical approval (Supplementary Table 1). All patients provided informed written consent.

Project description:IntroductionWhile adalimumab is licensed for ankylosing spondylitis (AS), open uncontrolled studies suggest therapeutic efficacy of TNF-inhibitors in juvenile onset AS (JoAS).MethodsA total of 32 patients aged 12 to 17 years with severe, active and refractory JoAS were enrolled in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel study of 12 weeks, followed by open-label adalimumab until week 24 for all patients. ASAS40 was used as the primary, and ASAS20, PedACR and single items were used as the secondary outcome measures for the intention to treat population.ResultsA total of 17 patients were randomized to receive adalimumab 40 mg/2 weeks and 15 patients received placebo. Two patients (one of each group) discontinued prematurely due to insufficient efficacy and were labeled as non-responders. In the double-blind part, more patients on adalimumab achieved an ASAS40 at week 4 (41%), week 8 (53%) and week 12 (53%) than on placebo (20%, 33%, 33%), while differences at week 8 only reached borderline significance (P = 0.05). Also, at 4, 8 and 12 weeks ASAS20/PedACR30/70 response rates were higher in the adalimumab group (53%/53%/29%; 59%/76%/41%; 53%/65%/53%) compared to placebo (27%/27%/7%; 27%/33%/13%; 33%/40%/27%). In the adalimumab group a significant decrease of all disease activity parameters was noted at week 12 and was even more pronounced at week 24. At week 12 the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease activity spinal inflammation score decreased by 65% (P <0.001), the back pain score decreased by 50% (P <0.005), the Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI) score decreased by 47% (P <0.02), while the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (CHAQ-DI) score improved by 65% (P <0.005). ANCOVA analysis demonstrated superiority of adalimumab over placebo for the physician global assessment of disease activity, parents' global assessment of subject's overall well-being, active joint count (all P <0.05) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (P <0.01).ConclusionsAdalimumab was well tolerated and highly effective in a double-blind randomized trial in patients with JoAS. Treatment effects rapidly occurred and persisted for at least 24 weeks of treatment.Trial registrationEudraCT 2007-003358-27.

Dataset Information

Willingness of patients with ankylosing spondylitis to pay for inpatient treatment is influenced by the treatment environment and expectations of improvement.

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Willingness of patients with ankylosing spondylitis to pay for inpatient treatment is influenced by the treatment environment and expectations of improvement.

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