- Boxed warning added to Plavix label regarding possible reduced efficacy in certain patients
- FDA approves five-day dosing regimen of Eisai's Dacogen for MDS
- FDA approves Watson's six-month Trelstar formulation for palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer
- Abbott submits sNDA for new formulation of Lupron Depot in advanced prostate cancer
- FDA grants 510(k) clearance to Fenwal to market Amicus blood cell separator for platelet-related use
- Private FFS MA plans may be linked with higher costs for beneficiaries, GAO report shows
- Pediatric subspecialty telephone consultations may be cost-saving for Medicaid, research reveals
- Use of mental health services greater in health plans with parity in cost sharing, data find
- Public opinions appear split on health care affordability, satisfaction, survey finds
- In Brief: California Supreme Court
Rotavirus vaccine efficacy in routine practice similar to that observed in clinical trials, study shows
What's This?
The pentavalent rotavirus vaccine is highly effective in preventing rotavirus gastroenteritis (RGE) and all-cause acute gastroenteritis (AGE), and its use has been associated with reductions in health care resource use and associated costs, study findings suggest. The study researchers noted that the vaccine was approved in February 2006 for the prevention of RGE caused by serotypes G1 through G4, which combined account for approximately 90% of all RGE in the United States. The vaccine is...
The pentavalent rotavirus vaccine is highly effective in preventing rotavirus gastroenteritis (RGE) and all-cause acute gastroenteritis (AGE), and its use has been associated with reductions in health care resource use and associated costs, study findings suggest.
The study researchers noted that the vaccine was approved in February 2006 for the prevention of RGE caused by serotypes G1 through G4, which combined account for approximately 90% of all RGE in the United States. The vaccine is administered to infants in 3 oral doses, with the first dose given at age 6 to 12 weeks and the third dose by age 32 weeks.
Prior to the vaccine's approval, they added, rotavirus was associated with approximately 410,000 physician visits, 70,000 hospitalizations, and 272,000 emergency department (ED) visits each year, with an estimated annual societal cost of almost $1 billion.
To evaluate the vaccine's postapproval efficacy, the investigators conducted a retrospective analysis of a large, national health insurance claims database. They compared RGE- and AGE-related hospitalizations, ED visits, and physician visits during the 2007 and 2008 rotavirus seasons in 2 cohorts of infants: 33,140 infants who received all 3 doses of the rotavirus vaccine and 26,167 infants who received 3 doses of diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine (but not the rotavirus vaccine).
The rotavirus vaccine's effectiveness against RGE-related hospitalizations and ED visits combined was 100% (95% CI, 87%-100%). In the outpatient setting, the effectiveness against RGE was 96% (95% CI, 76%-100%).
The rotavirus vaccine's effectiveness against AGE-related hospitalizations and ED visits combined was 59% (95% CI, 46%-69%); its effectiveness against AGE in the outpatient setting was 27% (95% CI, 22%-33%).
In addition, the rotavirus vaccine was associated with a 100% reduction (95% CI, 96%-100%) in rotavirus-related hospitalization and ED visit days and a 100% reduction (95% CI, 100%-100%) in RGE-related hospitalization and ED costs. The vaccine was also associated with a 66% reduction (95% CI, 59%-73%) in AGE-related hospitalization and ED visit days and a 74% reduction (95% CI, 74%-74%) in AGE-related costs.
These estimates of vaccine effectiveness are similar to those reported in prelicensure efficacy trials, the study authors noted.
However, they remarked that more research is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of the vaccine in patients who do not receive the full 3-dose regimen. (Wang FT, et al. Pediatrics 2010;125:e208-e213.)
Time spent with primary care physicians during adult office visits increased from 1997 to 2005, visit duration generally unrelated to quality indicators, data show 
What's This?
Office-based primary care physicians appear to spend at least as much time with their adult patients as they did approximately a decade ago, and the length of the actual office visit is only modestly associated with certain quality-of-care indicators, according to the results of a new study.Researchers noted little is known regarding how much time primary care physicians spend with their patients during office visits and how the duration of the visit affects whether...
Primary prevention of certain cardiovascular risk factors in older subjects yields improved health at low relative cost, analysis suggests
What's This?
Focusing on primary prevention of cardiovascular risk factors could lead to notable improvements in the health of older Americans at a relatively low cost, even though longevity would increase, researchers concluded after conducting a cost-benefit analysis.The dynamic simulation model tracked individuals aged 51 or 52 years to determine the health benefits and medical cost savings resulting from successful treatment of 4 cardiovascular risk factors--obesity, diabetes,...
Low sleep efficiency, shorter sleep duration associated with greater cold susceptibility, findings suggest
What's This?
Among healthy adults, shorter sleep duration and lower sleep efficiency are both associated with an increased risk of developing a cold following exposure to a rhinovirus, according to findings from a prospective study.Researchers recruited 153 adults aged 21 to 55 years to participate in the study. For 14 consecutive days, the participants reported the previous night's sleep duration and sleep efficiency, as well as how rested they felt following sleep. Subsequently, they...
Automated blood pressure measurement may reduce impact of white coat effect on hypertension diagnosis, study finds
What's This?
The white coat effect on blood pressure (BP) may be a conditioned response that could potentially be addressed through the use of automated BP devices in office settings, according to findings from a recent study."The white coat effect (defined as the difference between BP measurements taken at the physician's office and those taken outside the office) is an important determinant of misdiagnosis of hypertension, but little is known about the mechanisms underlying this...
- Metabolic syndrome risk rises with increased testosterone levels during menopause, new data suggest
- CDC committee releases 2008 flu recommendations; Tamiflu, Relenza remain recommended antivirals
- Experts make first comprehensive treatment recommendations for patients with prediabetes
- Dizziness, vertigo common, warrant attention in primary care, research suggests
- OSA identified as novel risk factor for sudden cardiac death
- Experts make first comprehensive treatment recommendations for patients with prediabetes
- Metabolic syndrome risk rises with increased testosterone levels during menopause, new data suggest
- Substantial proportion of food-related anaphylactic reactions among children require multiple doses of epinephrine, study concludes
- Food allergies among U.S. children increasingly common, report indicates
- Behavioral intervention associated with modest improvement in daytime continence for nursing home residents, systematic review shows
