This cost-effectiveness analysis demonstrated that since varenicline treatment was more effective, the result was increased healthcare cost savings in Belgium, Sweden and the UK. Our results suggest that funding varenicline as a smoking cessation aid is justifiable from a healthcare resource allocation perspective.

Many patients receiving prophylaxis with vitamin K antagonists in everyday community care have poorly controlled anticoagulation treatment with vitamin K antagonists. Their international normalized ratio is frequently outside the therapeutic range, and they are thus exposed to an unnecessary risk of stroke or bleeding complications.

The impact of ARMD on costs was considerable and a positive correlation was found between total costs and ARMD severity. Differences among countries were partly explained by differences in customary care delivery.

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ObjectivesBudesonide/formoterol (BF) Spiromax® is an inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting β2-agonist fixed-dose combination (FDC) inhaler, designed to minimise common inhaler errors and provide reliable and consistent dose delivery in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We evaluated non-inferiority of BF Spiromax after changing from another FDC inhaler, compared with continuing the original inhaler.MethodsPatients with asthma and/or COPD who switched to BF Spiromax were matched (1:3) with non-switchers. Data were obtained from the Optimum Patient Care Research Database and Clinical Practice Research Datalink in the UK. The primary end point was the proportion of patients achieving disease control (using the risk domain control (RDC) algorithm); secondary end points were: exacerbation rate, short-acting β2-agonist (SABA) use and treatment stability (achieved RDC; no maintenance treatment change). Non-inferiority was defined as having 95% CI lower bound above −10%, using conditional logistic regression and adjusted for relevant confounders.ResultsComparing 385 matched patients (asthma 253; COPD 132) who switched to BF Spiromax with 1091 (asthma 743; COPD 348) non-switchers, non-inferiority of BF Spiromax in RDC was demonstrated (adjusted difference: +6.6%; 95% CI –0.3 to 13.5). Among patients with asthma, switchers to BF Spiromax versus BF Turbuhaler® reported fewer exacerbations (adjusted rate ratio (RR) 0.76;95% CI 0.60 to 0.99; p=0.044); were less likely to use high daily doses of SABA (adjusted OR 0.71;95% CI 0.52 to 0.98; p=0.034); used fewer SABA inhalers (adjusted RR 0.92;95% CI 0.86 to 0.99; p=0.019); and were more likely to achieve treatment stability (adjusted OR 1.44;95% CI 1.02 to 2.04; p=0.037). No significant differences in these end points were seen among patients with COPD.ConclusionsAmong UK patients with asthma and COPD, real-world use of BF Spiromax was non-inferior to BF Turbuhaler in terms of disease control. Among patients with asthma, switching to BF Spiromax was associated with reduced exacerbations, reduced SABA use and improved treatment stability versus continuing on BF Turbuhaler.