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Table 1 Characteristics of the simulation stages and treatment strategies

From: Impact on total population health and societal cost, and the implication on the actual cost-effectiveness of including tumour necrosis factor-α antagonists in management of ankylosing spondylitis: a dynamic population modelling study

 

Burn-in stage (historical simulation)

Main stage (prospective simulation)

One treatment strategy

Treatment strategy 1

Treatment strategy 2

Time horizon

1 Jan 1996–1 Jan 2014

1 Jan 2014–1 Jan 2034

Same as treatment Strategy 1

Maximal number of drugs a patient can receive

 NSAIDs

Five, randomly selected from ten possible drugs

After failure of two NSDAIs, the next two anti-TNF agents are considered; the remaining NSAIDs are reserved for those failing both anti-TNF agents

Five in an uninterrupted sequence, randomly selected from ten possible drugs

Same as in the burn-in stage

 Anti-TNF agents

Two, one subcutaneous and another intravenous, available from 1 Jan 2002 onwards

After failure of two anti-TNF agents, the remaining NSAIDs are considered

No longer available

Same as in the burn-in stage

  1. NSAIDs non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-TNF agent tumour necrosis factor-α antagonist