Research highlights

BISTRO

More than 54,000 people in the UK are treated with some kidney replacement therapies, most commonly centre-based haemodialysis. A key objective of such therapies is to regulate the body’s hydration or ‘volume’ status. Getting this wrong leads to either over- or under-hydration, which can be very harmful. Bioimpedance (BI) devices have been developed to help clinicians judge a patient’s body composition, including hydration status, over and above that obtained from standard clinical assessment. While BI is promising, we do not know whether using this technology is effective (particularly in preserving the residual kidney function) and cost-effective. To determine this, a team of researchers at Keele University led by Prof Simon Davies are running the large, NIHR-funded BISTRO randomised controlled trial. Embedded in this project is an economic evaluation aiming to determine the costs, benefits and overall cost-effectiveness of BI-led haemodialysis compared to standard practice. Work on this all-important aspect of BISTRO is being led and carried out by Dr Lazaros Andronis and Dr Mandana Zanganeh at CHEW.

Health economics lead: Dr Lazaros Andronis, Health economics researcher: Dr Mandana Zanganeh; PI: Professor Simon Davies (Keele University)

PAD optimization

NHS Ambulance Services treat around 30,000 people who have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year. Despite ambulance services’ best efforts less than one in ten (10%) survive. Electric shock treatment, known as defibrillation, is one of the most effective treatments. If an electric shock is given within a few minutes of the heart stopping, over half the people treated (50%) survive. The more time that passes before the electric shock is given the less effective it is. It is now possible for members of the public to use an automatic machine (defibrillator) to safely give an electric shock to the heart. In order for the public to make best use of these machines, they need to be in the right places. This project aims to work out where the best places are to put electric shock machines (defibrillators) in our communities, and assess whether this ‘optimised’ placement of defibrillators represents ‘value for money’, in terms of its cost and benefits. This NIHR HS&DR funded programme is led by Professor Gavin Perkins of Warwick Clinical Unit and benefits from the involvement of CHEW researchers Dr Lazaros Andronis (lead health economists) and Dr Asmaa El-Banna (health economics researcher), who are responsible for designing and completing the project’s economic evaluation.

Health economics lead: Dr Lazaros Andronis, Health economics researcher: Dr Asmaa El-Banna; PI: Professor Gavin Perkins (Warwick CTU, Warwick)

CAPACITY

Development of a UK evidence based pathway for the management of chronic constipation in adults. CapaCiTY includes a programme of multicentre randomised controlled trials trial evaluating types of investigation, specialist nurse-led bowel retraining, anal irrigation and surgery, in patients with chronic constipation. Findings will help to develop national guidance for appropriate care.

CeeComp

This study describes a new methodological framework for assessing agreement between cost-effectiveness endpoints generated using alternative sources of data on treatment costs and effects for trial-based economic evaluations. Please find the package that is described in the paper here.

Find more projects here.

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