Background and Objectives: The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular UltrasoundGuided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea. Methods: A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).The lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated from the healthcare system perspective. Transition probabilities were mainly referred from the FLAVOUR trial, and healthcare costs were mainly obtained through analysis of Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Health utilities were mainly obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire responses of FLAVOUR trial participants mapped to EQ-5D. Results: From the Korean healthcare system perspective, the base-case analysis showed that FFR-guided PCI was 2,451 U.S. dollar lower in lifetime healthcare costs and 0.178 higher in QALYs compared to IVUS-guided PCI. FFR-guided PCI remained more likely to be cost-effective over a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Based on the results from the FLAVOUR trial, FFR-guided PCI is projected to decrease lifetime healthcare costs and increase QALYs compared with IVUS-guided PCI in intermediate coronary lesion, and it is a dominant strategy in Korea.

Background and Objectives: The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular UltrasoundGuided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea. Methods: A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).The lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated from the healthcare system perspective. Transition probabilities were mainly referred from the FLAVOUR trial, and healthcare costs were mainly obtained through analysis of Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Health utilities were mainly obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire responses of FLAVOUR trial participants mapped to EQ-5D. Results: From the Korean healthcare system perspective, the base-case analysis showed that FFR-guided PCI was 2,451 U.S. dollar lower in lifetime healthcare costs and 0.178 higher in QALYs compared to IVUS-guided PCI. FFR-guided PCI remained more likely to be cost-effective over a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Based on the results from the FLAVOUR trial, FFR-guided PCI is projected to decrease lifetime healthcare costs and increase QALYs compared with IVUS-guided PCI in intermediate coronary lesion, and it is a dominant strategy in Korea.

Background and Objectives: The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular UltrasoundGuided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea. Methods: A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).The lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated from the healthcare system perspective. Transition probabilities were mainly referred from the FLAVOUR trial, and healthcare costs were mainly obtained through analysis of Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Health utilities were mainly obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire responses of FLAVOUR trial participants mapped to EQ-5D. Results: From the Korean healthcare system perspective, the base-case analysis showed that FFR-guided PCI was 2,451 U.S. dollar lower in lifetime healthcare costs and 0.178 higher in QALYs compared to IVUS-guided PCI. FFR-guided PCI remained more likely to be cost-effective over a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Based on the results from the FLAVOUR trial, FFR-guided PCI is projected to decrease lifetime healthcare costs and increase QALYs compared with IVUS-guided PCI in intermediate coronary lesion, and it is a dominant strategy in Korea.

Background and Objectives: The Fractional Flow Reserve and Intravascular UltrasoundGuided Intervention Strategy for Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Intermediate Stenosis (FLAVOUR) trial demonstrated non-inferiority of fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) compared with intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided PCI. We sought to investigate the cost-effectiveness of FFR-guided PCI compared to IVUS-guided PCI in Korea. Methods: A 2-part cost-effectiveness model, composed of a short-term decision tree model and a long-term Markov model, was developed for patients who underwent PCI to treat intermediate stenosis (40% to 70% stenosis by visual estimation on coronary angiography).The lifetime healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were estimated from the healthcare system perspective. Transition probabilities were mainly referred from the FLAVOUR trial, and healthcare costs were mainly obtained through analysis of Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Health utilities were mainly obtained from the Seattle Angina Questionnaire responses of FLAVOUR trial participants mapped to EQ-5D. Results: From the Korean healthcare system perspective, the base-case analysis showed that FFR-guided PCI was 2,451 U.S. dollar lower in lifetime healthcare costs and 0.178 higher in QALYs compared to IVUS-guided PCI. FFR-guided PCI remained more likely to be cost-effective over a wide range of willingness-to-pay thresholds in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Conclusions Based on the results from the FLAVOUR trial, FFR-guided PCI is projected to decrease lifetime healthcare costs and increase QALYs compared with IVUS-guided PCI in intermediate coronary lesion, and it is a dominant strategy in Korea.

Background and Objectives: Angiographic assessment of coronary stenosis severity using quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) is often inconsistent with that based on fractional flow reserve (FFR) or intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). We investigated the incidence of discrepancies between QCA and FFR or IVUS, and the outcomes of FFR- and IVUS-guided strategies in discordant coronary lesions. Methods: This study was a post-hoc analysis of the FLAVOUR study. We used a QCA-derived diameter stenosis (DS) of 60% or greater, the highest tertile, to classify coronary lesions as concordant or discordant with FFR or IVUS criteria for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The patient-oriented composite outcome (POCO) was defined as a composite of death, myocardial infarction, or revascularization at 24 months. Results: The discordance rate between QCA and FFR or IVUS was 30.2% (n=551). The QCAFFR discordance rate was numerically lower than the QCA-IVUS discordance rate (28.2% vs. 32.4%, p=0.050). In 200 patients with ≥60% DS, PCI was deferred according to negative FFR (n=141) and negative IVUS (n=59) (15.3% vs. 6.5%, p<0.001). The POCO incidence was comparable between the FFR- and IVUS-guided deferral strategies (5.9% vs. 3.4%, p=0.479).Conversely, 351 patients with DS <60% underwent PCI according to positive FFR (n=118) and positive IVUS (n=233) (12.8% vs. 25.9%, p<0.001). FFR- and IVUS-guided PCI did not differ in the incidence of POCO (9.5% vs. 6.5%, p=0.294). Conclusions The proportion of QCA-FFR or IVUS discordance was approximately one third for intermediate coronary lesions. FFR- or IVUS-guided strategies for these lesions were comparable with respect to POCO at 24 months.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the seasonal impact of diurnal temperature range (DTR) on hospitalization rates for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in middle-aged and elderly adults. METHODS: We collected data on the DTR and hospitalization records of ≥45-year-old patients with ICH in 2019 in Hunan Province, central China. Time-series analyses were performed using a distributed lag non-linear model. RESULTS: Overall, 54,690 hospitalizations for ICH were recorded. DTR showed a non-linear relationship with ICH hospitalization in both middle-aged and elderly populations (45-59 and ≥60 years, respectively). During spring, a low DTR coupled with persistently low temperatures increased ICH risk in both age groups, while a high DTR was associated with an increased risk in the middle-aged group only (relative risk [RR], 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21 to 1.27). In the summer, a low DTR combined with persistently high temperatures was linked to a higher risk exclusively in the middle-aged group. A high DTR in the autumn was correlated with increased risk in both age groups. In winter, either a low DTR with a continuously low temperature or a high DTR elevated the risk solely in the elderly population (RR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.69). In the elderly group, the impact of DTR on hospitalization risk manifested within a 5-day period. CONCLUSIONS The impact of DTR on ICH hospitalization risk differed significantly across seasons and between age groups. Elderly individuals demonstrated greater sensitivity to the impact of DTR. Weather forecasting services should emphasize DTR values, and interventions targeting sensitive populations are needed.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the seasonal impact of diurnal temperature range (DTR) on hospitalization rates for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in middle-aged and elderly adults. METHODS: We collected data on the DTR and hospitalization records of ≥45-year-old patients with ICH in 2019 in Hunan Province, central China. Time-series analyses were performed using a distributed lag non-linear model. RESULTS: Overall, 54,690 hospitalizations for ICH were recorded. DTR showed a non-linear relationship with ICH hospitalization in both middle-aged and elderly populations (45-59 and ≥60 years, respectively). During spring, a low DTR coupled with persistently low temperatures increased ICH risk in both age groups, while a high DTR was associated with an increased risk in the middle-aged group only (relative risk [RR], 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21 to 1.27). In the summer, a low DTR combined with persistently high temperatures was linked to a higher risk exclusively in the middle-aged group. A high DTR in the autumn was correlated with increased risk in both age groups. In winter, either a low DTR with a continuously low temperature or a high DTR elevated the risk solely in the elderly population (RR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.69). In the elderly group, the impact of DTR on hospitalization risk manifested within a 5-day period. CONCLUSIONS The impact of DTR on ICH hospitalization risk differed significantly across seasons and between age groups. Elderly individuals demonstrated greater sensitivity to the impact of DTR. Weather forecasting services should emphasize DTR values, and interventions targeting sensitive populations are needed.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the seasonal impact of diurnal temperature range (DTR) on hospitalization rates for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in middle-aged and elderly adults. METHODS: We collected data on the DTR and hospitalization records of ≥45-year-old patients with ICH in 2019 in Hunan Province, central China. Time-series analyses were performed using a distributed lag non-linear model. RESULTS: Overall, 54,690 hospitalizations for ICH were recorded. DTR showed a non-linear relationship with ICH hospitalization in both middle-aged and elderly populations (45-59 and ≥60 years, respectively). During spring, a low DTR coupled with persistently low temperatures increased ICH risk in both age groups, while a high DTR was associated with an increased risk in the middle-aged group only (relative risk [RR], 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21 to 1.27). In the summer, a low DTR combined with persistently high temperatures was linked to a higher risk exclusively in the middle-aged group. A high DTR in the autumn was correlated with increased risk in both age groups. In winter, either a low DTR with a continuously low temperature or a high DTR elevated the risk solely in the elderly population (RR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.69). In the elderly group, the impact of DTR on hospitalization risk manifested within a 5-day period. CONCLUSIONS The impact of DTR on ICH hospitalization risk differed significantly across seasons and between age groups. Elderly individuals demonstrated greater sensitivity to the impact of DTR. Weather forecasting services should emphasize DTR values, and interventions targeting sensitive populations are needed.

Background and Objectives: Angiographic assessment of coronary stenosis severity using quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) is often inconsistent with that based on fractional flow reserve (FFR) or intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). We investigated the incidence of discrepancies between QCA and FFR or IVUS, and the outcomes of FFR- and IVUS-guided strategies in discordant coronary lesions. Methods: This study was a post-hoc analysis of the FLAVOUR study. We used a QCA-derived diameter stenosis (DS) of 60% or greater, the highest tertile, to classify coronary lesions as concordant or discordant with FFR or IVUS criteria for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The patient-oriented composite outcome (POCO) was defined as a composite of death, myocardial infarction, or revascularization at 24 months. Results: The discordance rate between QCA and FFR or IVUS was 30.2% (n=551). The QCAFFR discordance rate was numerically lower than the QCA-IVUS discordance rate (28.2% vs. 32.4%, p=0.050). In 200 patients with ≥60% DS, PCI was deferred according to negative FFR (n=141) and negative IVUS (n=59) (15.3% vs. 6.5%, p<0.001). The POCO incidence was comparable between the FFR- and IVUS-guided deferral strategies (5.9% vs. 3.4%, p=0.479).Conversely, 351 patients with DS <60% underwent PCI according to positive FFR (n=118) and positive IVUS (n=233) (12.8% vs. 25.9%, p<0.001). FFR- and IVUS-guided PCI did not differ in the incidence of POCO (9.5% vs. 6.5%, p=0.294). Conclusions The proportion of QCA-FFR or IVUS discordance was approximately one third for intermediate coronary lesions. FFR- or IVUS-guided strategies for these lesions were comparable with respect to POCO at 24 months.

Objective:To compare the antiosteoporosis effect of conventional treatment and conventional treatment combined with Denosumab after percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF).Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 211 patients with OVCF admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from September 2020 to September 2022. All the patients were female, aged 56-90 years [(71.4±8.1)years]. The bone mineral density T-score of the lumbar spine was (-2.6±1.0)SD before operation. Fracture segments included T 1-T 9 in 45 patients, T 10-L 2 in 146, and L 3-L 5 in 69. Of all, 174 patients were treated with single-segment surgery, 25 with two-segment surgery and 12 with surgery involving three or more segments. According to the wishes of the patients, 107 patients were treated with daily oral administration of calcium and active Vitamin D after PKP (conventional treatment group) and 104 patients with Denosumab combined with the conventional treatment after PKP (Denosumab therapy group). The bone mineral density T-scores of the lumbar spine of the two groups were compared before surgery and at the last follow-up. The visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) before surgery, at 3 days, 6 months after surgery, and at the last follow-up were evaluated and the refracture rate after surgery was detected. Possible adverse effects after medication during anti-osteoporosis treatment were observed in two the groups. Results:All the patients were followed up for 12-24 months [(13.5±2.0)months]. Before surgery, the bone mineral density T-score of the lumbar spine was (-2.7±1.1)SD in the Denosumab therapy group and (-2.5±0.8)SD in the conventional treatment group ( P>0.05). At the last follow-up, the bone mineral density T-score of the lumbar spine was (-2.1±1.1)SD in the Denosumab therapy group, significantly higher than (-2.5±0.9)SD in the conventional treatment group ( P<0.05). In the Denosumab therapy group, the bone mineral density T-score of the lumbar spine at the last follow-up was significantly increased compared to that before surgery ( P<0.01), while there was no significant difference in the conventional treatment group ( P<0.05). Before surgery and at 3 days after surgery, the VAS scores and ODI values were (8.5±0.9)points, (2.8±0.8)points, 48.7±4.8 and 25.6±4.0 in the Denosumab therapy group, which was not statistically different from those in the conventional treatment group [(8.5±1.3)points and (2.8±0.9)points, 47.9±7.0 and 25.9±3.7] ( P>0.05). At 6 months after surgery and at the last follow-up, the VAS scores and ODI values were (2.2±0.8)points, (1.7±0.8)points, 24.2±3.6 and 23.2±4.1 in the Denosumab therapy group, significantly lower than those of the conventional treatment group [(2.8±0.9)points, (2.8±1.1)points, 26.4±3.2 and 27.3±4.0] ( P<0.01). The VAS scores at each time point after surgery in both groups decreased significantly compared with those before surgery ( P<0.05). The VAS scores continued to decrease after surgery in the Denosumab therapy group ( P<0.05), while no significant difference was found among those at different time points in the conventional treatment group ( P>0.05). The ODI values at each time point after surgery in both groups significantly decreased compared to those before surgery ( P<0.05). The ODI values continued to decrease after surgery in the Denosumab therapy group ( P<0.05), while in the conventional treatment group, no significant difference was found between those at 6 months after surgery and those at 3 days after surgery ( P>0.05) and they were improved at the last follow-up compared with those at 3 days after surgery ( P<0.05). The refracture rate after surgery was 6.7% (7/104) in the Denosumab therapy group, significantly lower than 16.8% (18/107) in the conventional treatment group ( P<0.05). No serious complications were observed during the antiosteoporosis period in either group. Conclusion:Compared with daily oral administration of Calcium and active Vitamin D after PKP, the conventional treatment combined with Denosumab after PKP can effectively increase the bone density, relieve pain continuously, improve functional restoration, and reduce the risk of refracture in OVCF patients.