Health outcomes and costs of XXXX @entity1 in Finland.

@entity1 @entity64 @entity385
OBJECTIVES: @entity64 case fatality is decreasing over time. Less, however, is known about @entity1 ' health-related quality of life (HRQoL), quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and costs. We studied all these with two data sets collected in Finland 10 years apart. METHODS: A total of 468 and 355 first-ever @entity385 @entity1 were followed up 1 year in two studies (Study 1 in 1989-1991 and Study 2 in 2001-2003). Case fatality, HRQoL measured by the 15D, QALYs, costs, and first-year cost/QALY were compared. Regression analysis was used to examine the effects of various factors on QALYs. RESULTS: In the later study, the case fatality rates were lower and the mean 15D scores higher. During the follow-up year, @entity1 experienced on average 0.519 (95% CI 0.453-0.555) and 0.646 (95% CI 0.613-0.680) QALYs in Study 1 and Study 2, respectively (P < 0.001). Age, modified Rankin Scale before @entity64 onset, acute phase Scandinavian @entity64 Scale, and the study group explained the variance of QALYs. The first-year mean total costs were 10 626     and 14 603     and the mean cost/QALY 20 474     and 22 605     in Study 1 and Study 2, respectively. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of Study 2 compared with Study 1 was 31 315     without and 60 684     with @entity1 characteristics standardization. CONCLUSIONS: @entity64 @entity1 ' improved outcome is clear, but it remains uncertain to what extent it is attributable to the development of care. More research is needed to study the cost-effectiveness of @entity64 care.
