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Cost-effectiveness of longer-term versus shorter-term provision of antibiotics in patients with persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme disease.

ABSTRACT: The treatment of persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme disease remains controversial. Recently, the PLEASE study did not demonstrate any additional clinical benefit of longer-term versus shorter-term antibiotic treatment. However, the economic impact of the antibiotic strategies has not been investigated.This prospective economic evaluation, adhering a societal perspective, was performed alongside the PLEASE study, a multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind 1:1:1 randomized clinical trial in which all patients received open-label intravenous ceftriaxone for two weeks before the 12-week randomized blinded oral antibiotic regimen (doxycycline, clarithromycin plus hydroxychloroquine, or placebo). Between 2010 and 2013, patients (n = 271) with borreliosis-attributed persistent symptoms were enrolled and followed for one year. Main outcomes were costs, quality-adjusted life years, and incremental net monetary benefit of longer-term versus shorter-term antibiotic therapy.Mean quality-adjusted life years (95% CI) were not significantly different (p = 0.96): 0.82 (0.77-0.88) for ceftriaxone/doxycycline (n = 82), 0.81 (0.76-0.88) for ceftriaxone/clarithromycin-hydroxychloroquine (n = 93), and 0.81 (0.76-0.86) for ceftriaxone/placebo (n = 96). Total societal costs per patient (95% CI) were not significantly different either (p = 0.35): €11,995 (€8,823-€15,670) for ceftriaxone/doxycycline, €12,202 (€9,572-€15,253) for ceftriaxone/clarithromycin-hydroxychloroquine, and €15,249 (€11,294-€19,781) for ceftriaxone/placebo. Incremental net monetary benefit (95% CI) for ceftriaxone/doxycycline compared to ceftriaxone/placebo varied from €3,317 (-€2,199-€8,998) to €4,285 (-€6,085-€14,524) over the willingness-to-pay range, and that of ceftriaxone/clarithromycin-hydroxychloroquine compared to ceftriaxone/placebo from €3,098 (-€888-€7,172) to €3,710 (-€4,254-€11,651). For every willingness-to-pay threshold, the incremental net monetary benefits did not significantly differ from zero.The longer-term treatments were similar with regard to costs, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness compared to shorter-term treatment in patients with borreliosis-attributed persistent symptoms after one year of follow-up. Given the results of this study, and taking into account the external costs associated with antibiotic resistance, the shorter-term treatment is the antibiotic regimen of first choice.

SUBMITTER: Berende A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5880374 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Cost-effectiveness of longer-term versus shorter-term provision of antibiotics in patients with persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme disease.

Berende Anneleen A Nieuwenhuis Lisette L Ter Hofstede Hadewych J M HJM Vos Fidel J FJ Vogelaar Michiel L ML Tromp Mirjam M van Middendorp Henriët H Donders A Rogier T ART Evers Andrea W M AWM Kullberg Bart Jan BJ Adang Eddy M M EMM

PloS one 20180402 4

<h4>Background</h4>The treatment of persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme disease remains controversial. Recently, the PLEASE study did not demonstrate any additional clinical benefit of longer-term versus shorter-term antibiotic treatment. However, the economic impact of the antibiotic strategies has not been investigated.<h4>Methods</h4>This prospective economic evaluation, adhering a societal perspective, was performed alongside the PLEASE study, a multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-bli ...[more]

PMID: 29608590

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Project description:BackgroundPersistent symptoms attributed to Lyme borreliosis often include self-reported cognitive impairment. However, it remains unclear whether these symptoms can be substantiated by objective cognitive testing.MethodsFor this observational study, cognitive performance was assessed in 280 adults with persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme borreliosis (as part of baseline data collected for the Dutch PLEASE study). Cognitive testing covered the five major domains: episodic memory, working memory / attention, verbal fluency, information-processing speed and executive function. Patients' profiles of test scores were compared to a large age-, education- and sex-adjusted normative sample using multivariate normative comparison. Performance validity was assessed to detect suboptimal effort, and questionnaires were administered to measure self-reported cognitive complaints, fatigue, anxiety, depressive symptoms and several other psychological factors.ResultsOf 280 patients, one was excluded as the test battery could not be completed. Of the remaining 279 patients, 239 (85.4%) displayed sufficient performance validity. Patients with insufficient performance validity felt significantly more helpless and physically fatigued, and less orientated. Furthermore, they had a lower education level and less often paid work. Of the total study cohort 5.7% (n = 16) performed in the impaired range. Among the 239 patients who displayed sufficient performance validity, 2.9% (n = 7) were classified as cognitively impaired. No association between subjective cognitive symptoms and objective impairment was found.ConclusionsOnly a small percentage of patients with borreliosis-attributed persistent symptoms have objective cognitive impairment. Performance validity should be taken into account in neuropsychological examinations of these patients. Self-report questionnaires are insufficiently valid to diagnose cognitive impairment.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT01207739 . Registered 23 September 2010.

Project description:Introduction/objectiveExpectancies about symptom improvement or deterioration are reliable predictors of symptom progression and treatment outcomes (symptom resolution or symptomatic improvement) in many (non-)pharmacological studies and treatments. This study examined predictors of symptom improvement after antimicrobial therapy for persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme disease, hypothesizing particularly pre-treatment expectancies regarding symptom improvement to be predictive.MethodsA predictive study was performed on pre-treatment and post-treatment individual characteristics, including expectancies, and physical and mental health-related quality of life (HRQoL) from the PLEASE-trial comparing randomized 12-weeks of doxycycline, clarithromycin-hydroxychloroquine, or placebo following 2 weeks of intravenous ceftriaxone. At end-of-treatment (14 weeks after trial start) and follow-up (52 weeks), complete data of 231 and 170 (of initial 280) patients with persistent symptoms temporally related to a history of erythema migrans or otherwise confirmed symptomatic Lyme disease, or accompanied by B. burgdorferi IgG or IgM antibodies, were examined through hierarchical regression analyses.ResultsIn addition to pre-treatment HRQoL, pre-treatment expectancies regarding symptom improvement were consistently associated with stronger physical and mental HRQoL improvements at both end-of-treatment and follow-up (95% CI range: .09;.54, p < .01 to .27;.92, p < .001). Post-treatment expectancies regarding having received antibiotics vs. placebo was associated with more HRQoL improvement at end-of-treatment, but not at follow-up (95% CI-range 1.00;4.75, p = .003 to -7.34; -2.22, p < .001).ConclusionsThe present study shows that, next to pre-treatment functioning, patients' pre-treatment and post-treatment expectancies regarding improvement of persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme disease relate to a more beneficial symptom course. Expectancies of patients may be relevant to explain and potentially improve patient outcomes (e.g., by optimized communication about treatment success).Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01207739 (Registration date: 23-09-2010) Key Points • As there is currently no sufficient symptom resolution or symptomatic improvement for many patients with persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme disease, it is relevant to know which factors determine symptom progression and predict heterogeneity in treatment response. • Next to pre-treatment functioning, expectancies regarding symptom improvement and having received antimicrobial study medication are associated with a more beneficial symptom course after both shorter-term and longer-term antimicrobial treatment. • Expectancies are relevant to consider in treatment studies and may be useful in clinical settings to improve symptom course and treatment outcome (e.g., by optimized communication about treatment success).

Project description:It has long been observed in clinical practice that a subset of patients with Lyme disease report a constellation of symptoms such as fatigue, cognitive difficulties, and musculoskeletal pain, which may last for a significant period of time. These symptoms, which can range from mild to severe, have been reported throughout the literature in both prospective and population-based studies in Lyme disease endemic regions. The etiology of these symptoms is unknown, however several illness-causing mechanisms have been hypothesized, including microbial persistence, host immune dysregulation through inflammatory or secondary autoimmune pathways, or altered neural networks, as in central sensitization. Evaluation and characterization of persistent symptoms in Lyme disease is complicated by potential independent, repeat exposures to B. burgdorferi, as well as the potential for co-morbid diseases with overlapping symptom profiles. Antibody testing for B. burgdorferi is an insensitive measure after treatment, and no other FDA-approved tests currently exist. As such, diagnosis presents a complex challenge for physicians, while the lived experience for patients is one marked by uncertainty and often illness invalidation. Currently, there are no FDA-approved pharmaceutical therapies, and the safety and efficacy of off-label and/or complementary therapies have not been well studied and are not agreed-upon within the medical community. Post-treatment Lyme disease represents a narrow, defined, mechanistically-neutral subset of this larger, more heterogeneous group of patients, and is a useful definition in research settings as an initial subgroup of study. The aim of this paper is to review the current literature on the diagnosis, etiology, risk factors, and treatment of patients with persistent symptoms in the context of Lyme disease. The meaning and relevance of existing patient subgroups will be discussed, as will future research priorities, including the need to develop illness biomarkers, elucidate the biologic mechanisms of disease, and drive improvements in therapeutic options.

Project description:BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance is a serious global health concern that emphasizes completing treatment course. Recently, the effectiveness of short versus longer antibiotic courses has been questioned. This study investigated the duration of prescribed antibiotics, their effectiveness, and associated risk of infection-related complications.MethodsClinical Practice Research Datalink identified 4 million acute infection episodes prescribed an antibiotic in primary care between January 2014-June 2014, England. Prescriptions were categorized by duration. Risk of infection-related hospitalizations within 30 days was modelled overall and by infection type. Risk was assessed immediately after or within 30 days follow-up to measure confounders given similar and varying exposure, respectively. An interaction term with follow-up time assessed whether hazard ratios (HRs) remained parallel with different antibiotic durations.ResultsThe duration of antibiotic courses increased over the study period (5.2-19.1%); 6-7 days were most common (66.9%). Most infection-related hospitalizations occurred with prescriptions of 8-15 days (0.21%), accompanied by greater risk of infection-related complications compared to patients who received a short prescription (HR: 1.75 [95% CI: 1.54-2.00]). Comparing HRs in the first 5 days versus remaining follow-up showed longer antibiotic courses were no more effective than shorter courses (1.02 [95% CI: 0.90-1.16] and 0.92 [95% CI: 0.75-1.12]). No variation by infection-type was observed.ConclusionsEqual effectiveness was found between shorter and longer antibiotic courses and the reduction of infection-related hospitalizations. Stewardship programs should recommend shorter courses of antibiotics for acute infections. Further research is required for treating patients with a complex medical history.SummaryPrescribing of longer courses increased over the study period. The majority of hospitalizations occurred for patients receiving longer courses. Risk of developing a complication (immediate vs remaining follow-up) found longer courses were no more effective than shorter courses.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Stimulant use and sexual behaviors have been linked in behavioral and epidemiological studies. Although methamphetamine-related neurofunctional differences have been investigated, few studies have examined neural responses to drug and sexual cues with respect to shorter or longer term methamphetamine abstinence in individuals with methamphetamine dependence. METHODS:Forty-nine men with shorter term methamphetamine abstinence, 50 men with longer term methamphetamine abstinence, and 47 non-drug-using healthy comparison men completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging cue-reactivity task consisting of methamphetamine, sexual, and neutral visual cues. RESULTS:Region-of-interest analyses revealed greater methamphetamine cue-related activation in shorter term methamphetamine abstinence and longer term methamphetamine abstinence individuals relative to healthy comparison men in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. A significant interaction of group and condition in the anterior insula was found. Relative to healthy comparison participants, both shorter term methamphetamine abstinence and longer term methamphetamine abstinence groups displayed greater sexual cue-related anterior insula activation relative to methamphetamine cues and neutral cues, but there were no differences between shorter term methamphetamine abstinence and longer term methamphetamine abstinence groups in anterior insula responses. Subsequent whole-brain analyses indicated a group-by-condition interaction with longer term methamphetamine abstinence participants showing greater sexual-related activation in the left superior frontal cortex relative to healthy comparison men. Shorter term methamphetamine abstinence participants showed greater superior frontal cortex activation to sexual relative to neutral cues, and longer term methamphetamine abstinence participants showed greater superior frontal cortex activation to sexual relative to neutral and methamphetamine cues. CONCLUSIONS:The findings suggest that abstinence from methamphetamine may alter how individuals respond to drug and sexual cues and thus may influence drug use and sexual behaviors. Given the use of methamphetamine for sexual purposes and responses to natural vs drug rewards for addiction recovery, the findings may have particular clinical relevance.

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Cost-effectiveness of longer-term versus shorter-term provision of antibiotics in patients with persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme disease.

Publications

Cost-effectiveness of longer-term versus shorter-term provision of antibiotics in patients with persistent symptoms attributed to Lyme disease.

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