Health technology assessment : HTA
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Health Technol Assess · Sep 2005
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyThe British Rheumatoid Outcome Study Group (BROSG) randomised controlled trial to compare the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of aggressive versus symptomatic therapy in established rheumatoid arthritis.
To examine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of symptomatic versus aggressive treatment in patients with established, stable rheumatoid arthritis (RA). ⋯ This trial showed no benefit of aggressive treatment in patients with stable established RA. However, it was difficult to persuade the rheumatologist and/or the patient to change treatment if the evidence of disease activity was minimal. Patients in the symptomatic arm were able to initiate changes of therapy when their symptoms deteriorated, without frequent hospital assessment. Approximately one-third of current clinic attenders with stable RA could be managed in a shared care setting with annual review by a rheumatologist and regular contact with a rheumatologist nurse. Further research is needed into disease progression and the use of biological agents, minimum disease activity level below which disease progression does not occur, cost-effectiveness through shared care modelling, the development of a robust and fail-safe system of primary-care based disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) monitoring, and predicting response to DMARDs.
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Health Technol Assess · Sep 2005
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyA trial of problem-solving by community mental health nurses for anxiety, depression and life difficulties among general practice patients. The CPN-GP study.
To compare the effectiveness of community mental health nurse (CMHN) problem-solving and generic CMHN care, against usual general practitioner (GP) care in reducing symptoms, alleviating problems, and improving social functioning and quality of life for people living in the community with common mental disorders; and to undertake a cost comparison of each CMHN treatment compared with usual GP care. ⋯ The study found that specialist mental health nurse support is no better than support from GPs for patients with anxiety, depression and reactions to life difficulties. The results suggest that healthcare providers could consider adopting policies of restricting referrals of unselected patients with common mental disorders to specialist CMHNs, although there may be other roles in primary care that CMHNs could play effectively. Further research should address the predictors of chronicity in common mental disorders and target extra treatment. More research is also needed into the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of problem-solving treatment for other disorders, of facilitated self-help treatments for common mental disorders and of CMHN care for people with severe and enduring mental illnesses, as well as the prevention of mental disorders.