MRC DTP in Precision Medicine

Distributional effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of beta blockers to inform the targeted treatment of heart failure

Supervisors

Prof Jim Lewsey, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow
Dr Erik Igelstrom, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow
Dr Alasdair Henderson, School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health, University of Glasgow
Prof Gianluigi Savarese, Karolinska Institutet

Summary

More than a million people in the UK today have heart failure (HF). The prognosis of HF is poor – around 50% of people die within 5 years of diagnosis. Although treatment with beta-blockers is efficacious for HF patients, there is concern that differences in the pharmacology of different beta-blockers affects efficacy. This PhD project will exploit the UKs excellent Clinical Practice Research Datalink to design and undertake comparative and distributional effectiveness and cost-effectiveness research to inform targeting of beta blockers for treatment of heart failure. This is timely because as well as the considerable health burden, the costs associated with treating HF are very high and increasing. This project will inform how best to use limited resources to achieve the best overall health gains and to make decisions equitable for subgroups of the population. External validation of the methods used and results found will take place at the Karolinska Institute as part of a student placement.

As well as involving exciting and important research, this PhD project will train the student in key contemporary data science skills using software and version control. Further, the student will develop expertise in statistical and health economic modelling, and learn how to develop web-based apps to improve the translation of results for use by clinical audiences.