Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29298322›Full record

ArticlePloS one2018

Economic evaluation of interventions designed to reduce Clostridium difficile infection.

David Brain, Laith Yakob, Adrian Barnett, Thomas Riley, Archie Clements, Kate Halton, Nicholas Graves

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 29% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

David BrainQueensland University of Technology, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-6612-348X
Laith YakobLondon School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London, United Kingdom.
Adrian BarnettQueensland University of Technology, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Thomas RileyUniversity of Western Australia, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Archie ClementsAustralian National University, Research School of Population Health, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
Kate HaltonQueensland University of Technology, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Nicholas GravesQueensland University of Technology, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Queensland University of Technology · AUAustralian National University · AULondon School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine · GBThe University of Western Australia · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionHealthcare decision-makers are increasingly expected to balance increasing demand for health services with a finite budget. The role of economic evaluation in healthcare is increasing and this research provides decision-makers with new information about the management of Clostridium difficile infection, from an economic perspective.

methodsA model-based economic evaluation was undertaken to identify the most cost-effective healthcare intervention relating to the reduction of Clostridium difficile transmission. Efficacy evidence was synthesised from the literature and was used to inform the effectiveness of both bundled approaches and stand-alone interventions, where appropriate intervention combinations were coupled together. Changes in health outcomes were estimated by combining information about intervention effectiveness and its subsequent impact on quality of life.

resultsA bundled approach of improving hand hygiene and environmental cleaning produces the best combination of increased health benefits and cost-savings. It has the highest mean net monetary benefit when compared to all other interventions. This intervention remains the optimal decision under different clinical circumstances, such as when mortality rate and patient length of stay are increased. Bundled interventions offered the best opportunity for health improvements.

conclusionThese findings provide healthcare decision-makers with novel information about the allocation of scarce resources relating to Clostridium difficile. If investments are not made in interventions that clearly yield gains in health outcomes, the allocation and use of scarce healthcare resources is inappropriate and improvements in health outcomes will be forgone.

Indexed as

Cost-Benefit AnalysisClostridioides difficileClostridium InfectionsHumansProbability

Identifiers

PMID29298322
PMCPMC5752026
OpenAlexW2781474999

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.