MICE or NICE? An economic evaluation of clinical decision rules in the diagnosis of heart failure in primary care.

"Conflicts of interest All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form at http://www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf and declare: Dr. Hobbs reports grants from Roche diagnostics, outside the submitted work. All other authors declare no conflicts of interest."

"RH is partly funded, through supervision sessions, by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) School for Primary Care Research, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, and NIHR Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care Oxford. CT is funded by an NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship (DRF-2012-05-407). The authors would also like to acknowledge Ms Marites Derit, echo technician and the trial steering committee - Prof Kelvin Jordan (chair), Prof Tom Quinn, Prof Christian Mallen and Barry Clark (patient representative). Thanks also to the 28 recruiting practices: Grange Hill Medical Centre, Dovecote Medical Practice, Bellevue Medical Centre, Burbury St Surgery, Fernley Medical Centre, The Oaks Medical Centre, Sutton Park Surgery, Balsall Heath Medical Centre, Stockland Green Primary Care Centre, Ridgeacre Surgery, Grove Road and Shirley Medical Centre, Maypole Health Centre, Riverbrook Medical Centre, West Heath Surgery, Vicarage Road Surgery, Woodgate Valley Health Centre, Greenridge Health Centre, Fernbank Medical Centre, Downsfield Surgery, Laurie Pike Health Centre, Shanklin House Surgery, Apollo Surgery, Kingstanding Health Centre, Tudor Practice, Highgate Health Centre, Bournville Surgery, Eden Court Medical Practice, Yardley Wood Medical Practice. ☆: Funding and ethics: This project is funded by the Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) Programme (09/160/13), an MRC and NIHR partnership. Roche diagnostics provided the NT-proBNP testing equipment but did not have any influence on study design, conduct or reporting. The study received approval from the Midlands Research Ethics Committee (09/H1207/121). This paper presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health. ☆☆: Acknowledgements: FDRH is partly supported by NIHR School for Primary Care Research, NIHR CLAHRC Oxford, NIHR Oxford BRC and Harris Manchester College, Oxford University."