Cost-Utility of Group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Fibromyalgia Versus Recommended Drugs: An Economic Analysis Alongside a 6-Month Randomized Controlled Trial Conducted in Spain (EFFIGACT Study)

Economic Evaluation of Videoconference Group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Behavioral Activation Therapy for Depression Versus Usual Care Among Adults With Chronic Low Back Pain Plus Comorbid Depressive Symptoms

Chronic pain and depression are frequently comorbid conditions associated with significant health care and social costs. This study examined the cost-utility and cost-effectiveness of videoconference-based group forms of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Behavioral Activation Therapy for Depression (BATD), as a complement to treatment-as-usual (TAU), for patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) plus depressive symptoms, compared to TAU alone. A trial-based economic evaluation (n = 234) was conducted from a governmental and health care perspective with a time horizon of 12 months. Primary outcomes were the Brief Pain Inventory-Interference Scale (BPI-IS) and Quality Adjusted Life Year. Compared to TAU, ACT achieved a significant reduction in total costs (d = .47), and BATD achieved significant reductions in indirect (d = .61) and total costs (d = .63). Significant improvements in BPI-IS (d = .73 and d = .66, respectively) and Quality Adjusted Life Year scores (d = .46 and d = .28, respectively) were found in ACT and BATD compared to TAU. No significant differences in costs and outcomes were found between ACT and BATD. In the intention-to-treat analyses, from the governmental and health care perspective, no significant differences in cost reduction and incremental effects were identified in the comparison between ACT, BATD, and TAU. However, in the complete case analysis, significant incremental effects of ACT (∆BPI-IS = -1.57 and -1.39, respectively) and BATD (∆BPI-IS = -1.08 and -1.04, respectively) compared with TAU were observed. In the per-protocol analysis, only the significant incremental effects of ACT (∆BPI-IS = -1.68 and -1.43, respectively) compared to TAU were detected. In conclusion, ACT and BATD might be efficient options in the management of CLBP plus comorbid depression symptoms as compared to usual care. However, no clear difference was found in the comparison between the 2 active therapies regarding cost-effectiveness or cost-utility. PERSPECTIVE: The economic evaluation of psychological therapies for the management of complex conditions can be used in decision-making and resource allocation. This study provides evidence that ACT and BATD are more effective and involve a greater reduction in costs than usual care in the management of CLBP plus comorbid depressive symptoms. TRIAL NUMBER: NCT04140838.

Cost-utility of a multicomponent intervention for fibromyalgia versus usual care: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To perform an economic evaluation on a multicomponent intervention programme for patients with fibromyalgia syndrome compared with usual clinical practice in primary care.

DESIGN

A cost-utility analysis was conducted alongside a pragmatic randomised controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT04049006) from a societal perspective, a human capital approach, and a 1-year time horizon.

PATIENTS

Patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia  syndrome from the public health system in south Catalonia, Spain.

METHODS

Crude and adjusted incremental cost- utility ratios were estimated to compare the treatment strategies based on cost estimations (direct medical costs and productivity losses) and quality-adjusted life years. One-way and 2-way deterministic sensitivity analyses were performed.

RESULTS

The final analysed sample comprised 297 individuals, 161 in the intervention group and 136 in the control group. A crude incremental cost-utility ratio of € 1,780.75 and an adjusted ratio of € 851.67 were obtained, indicating that the programme  significantly improved patients' quality of life with a cost-increasing outcome that fell below the cost-effectiveness threshold. The sensitivity analysis  confirmed these findings when  varying large cost components, and showed dominance when increasing session attendance.

CONCLUSION

The proposed multicomponent intervention programme was cost-effective compared with usual care for fibromyalgia, which supports its addition to standard practice in the regional  primary care service.

Medication use and factors associated with opiate use among patients with diagnosed fibromyalgia from two ethnic sectors in southern Israel

BACKGROUND

Our aims were to compare fibromyalgia (FM) rate, drug treatment and factors associated with the use of opiates in two ethnic sectors.

METHODS

A retrospective cross-sectional study in southern district of Israel was performed on diagnosed FM patients in 2019-2020 [7686 members (1.50%)]. Descriptive analyses were conducted and multivariable models for the use of opiates were developed.

RESULTS

There were significant differences between the two ethnic groups in FM prevalence at 1.63% and 0.91% in the Jewish and Arab groups, respectively. Only 32% of the patients used recommended medications and about 44% purchased opiates. Age, BMI, psychiatric co-morbidity, and treatment with a recommended drug were similarly associated with an increased risk for opiate use in both ethnic groups. However, male gender was associated with × 2 times reduced risk to use opiates only among the Bedouins (aOR = 0.552, 95%CI = 0.333-0.911). In addition, while in both of ethnic groups the existence of another localized pain syndrome was associated with an increased risk for opiates use, this risk was 4 times higher in the Bedouin group (aOR = 8.500, 95%CI = 2.023-59.293 and aOR = 2.079, 95%CI = 1.556-2.814).

CONCLUSIONS

The study showed underdiagnosis of FM in the minority Arab ethnicity. Female Arab FM patients in low or high, compared to middle socio-economic status, were a risk group for excess opiate use. Increased use of opiates and very low rate of purchase of recommended drugs point to a lack of effectiveness of these drugs. Future research should assess whether the treatment of treatable factors can reduce the dangerous use of opiates.

The Efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Previous meta-analyses of a small number of trials showed that acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) might improve chronic pain. Many new trials have been published afterward, and the factors that may impact the efficacy of ACT are less understood. We, therefore, conducted an updated systematic review with meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy of ACT for people with chronic pain.

METHODS

Randomized controlled trials that investigated the efficacy of ACT in clinical or community setting for adult populations with chronic pain were included. The methodological quality of trials was assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Standardized mean differences between ACT and comparison groups in their effects on 6 outcomes (ie, pain acceptance, quality of life, pain-related functioning, pain intensity, anxiety, and depression) were pooled across studies.

RESULTS

Of the 3171 records identified, 21 trials with 1962 participants were included for analysis. The comparison groups included active treatment and waitlist control/usual care. The standardized mean difference was 0.67 (95% CI: 0.48, 0.87) for pain acceptance, 0.43 (95% CI: 0.29, 0.57) for quality of life, -0.88 (95% CI: -1.14, -0.63) for pain-related functioning, -0.45 (95% CI: -0.62, -0.27) for pain intensity, -0.35 (95% CI: -0.54, -0.15) for anxiety, and -0.74 (95% CI, -0.98, -0.50) for depression, all favoring ACT. Subgroup analyses showed that the effects were statistically significant across almost all subgroups and for some outcomes were greater in the trials conducted in people with a specific diagnosis (as compared with those conducted in people with general chronic pain), the trials with waitlist or usual care control, the trials with a greater number of sessions of ACT, and the trials with a longer ACT intervention.

DISCUSSION

ACT is effective and comparable to, if not better than, some other available active treatments for chronic pain.

A systematic review of economic analyses of psychological interventions and therapies in health-related settings

Background

This review aims to synthesise evidence on the economic impact of psychological interventions and therapies when applied to a broad range of physical health conditions.

Methods

The following bibliographic databases were searched for relevant articles: MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid) and PsycINFO (Ebsco). As this review was intended to update an earlier review, the date range for the search was restricted to between January 2012 and September 2018. Reference lists from the review articles were also searched for relevant articles. Study quality was evaluated using the Scottish Intercollegiate Network Guidelines (SIGN) appraisal checklists for both economic studies and Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs). When the economic analyses did not provide sufficient detail for quality evaluation, the original RCT papers were sought and these were also evaluated. Half of the papers were quality rated by a second author. Initial agreement was high and all disagreements were resolved by discussion.

Results

This yielded 1408 unique articles, reduced to 134 following screening of the title and abstract. The full texts of the remaining articles were reviewed by at least one team member and all exclusions were discussed and agreed by the team. This left 46 original research articles, alongside five systematic reviews. Fifty-seven per cent of the articles were deemed to be of high quality, with the remainder of acceptable quality. Fifteen different medical conditions were covered, with chronic pain (10 articles) and cancer (9 articles) being the two most investigated health conditions. Three quarters of the papers reviewed showed evidence for the cost-effectiveness of psychological interventions in physical health, with the clearest evidence being in the field of chronic pain and cancer.

Conclusions

This paper provides a comprehensive integration of the research on the cost-effectiveness of psychological therapies in physical health. Whilst the evidence for cost-effectiveness in chronic pain and cancer is encouraging, some health conditions require further study. Clearly, as the primary research is international, and was therefore conducted across varying health care systems, caution must be exercised when applying the results to counties outside of those covered. Despite this, the results are of potential relevance to service providers and funders.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-08158-0.

New generation psychological treatments in chronic pain

Chronic pain conditions are common and have a considerable impact on health and wellbeing. This impact can be reduced by cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the most commonly applied psychological approach to chronic pain. At the same time, CBT continues to develop, and now includes what is sometimes called "third wave" CBT. In this review, we examine the evidence for application of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), a principal example of this new wave or latest generation of treatment approaches, in people with chronic pain. We identified 25 randomized controlled trials of ACT for adults with chronic pain. Across the included trials, small to large effect sizes favoring ACT were reported for key outcomes including pain interference, disability, depression, and quality of life. Evidence from three studies provided some support for the cost effectiveness of ACT for chronic pain. Evidence also supported the mediating role of theoretically consistent processes of change (psychological flexibility) in relation to treatment outcomes. Investigation of moderators and predictors of outcomes was limited and inconsistent. In future, a greater focus on process based treatments is recommended. This should include continued identification of evidence based processes of change, and research methods more suited to understanding the experience and needs of individual people.

Economic evaluations of educational, physical, and psychological treatments for fibromyalgia: a systematic review with meta-analysis

ABSTRACT

Nonpharmacological interventions are recommended for the treatment of fibromyalgia, but there is a lack of knowledge about the cost-effectiveness of these interventions. The aim of this study was to systematically review economic evaluations of educational, physical, and psychological interventions for the treatment of fibromyalgia. The search was performed in PUBMED, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, PsycINFO, EconLit, National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database, and Health Technology Assessment. Economic evaluations of educational, physical, and psychological interventions for adult patients with fibromyalgia were included. Primary outcomes were healthcare and societal costs, and quality-adjusted life-years, and secondary outcomes were any disease-specific clinical outcome. Costs and effects were pooled in a meta-analysis, when possible. Eleven studies were included, of which 7 compared a psychological intervention with another intervention or usual care/control. Over a 6-month time horizon, healthcare and societal costs of the psychological intervention were significantly lower than usual care (mean difference: $-2087, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -3061 to -1112; mean difference: $-2411, 95% CI: -3582 to -1240, respectively), and healthcare costs were significantly lower for the psychological intervention compared with a pharmacological intervention (mean difference: $-1443, 95% CI: -2165 to -721). Over a 12-month time horizon, healthcare costs for the psychological intervention were significantly lower than for usual care (mean difference: $-538, 95% CI: -917 to -158). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for quality-adjusted life-years and impact of fibromyalgia showed that the psychological intervention was cost-effective compared with other interventions and control conditions. There is a need of more economic evaluations conducted alongside randomized controlled trials with interventions recommended for the treatment of fibromyalgia, such as physical exercise.

Cost-utility analysis of a multicomponent intervention for fibromyalgia syndrome in primary care versus usual clinical practice: study protocol for an economic evaluation of a randomised control trial

INTRODUCTION

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) imposes a high cost on society. The significant economic burden from the use of healthcare and, especially, social resources is a spur to revising the usual clinical care (UCC) and to improving treatment strategies. FMS has a deleterious effect on the quality of life (QOL) and productivity, which considerably increase the indirect costs to society. This study reports an economic evaluation comparing the cost and health benefits in a multicomponent intervention programme and UCC of patients with FMS who attend primary healthcare centres of the Gerència Territorial Terres de L'Ebre region of Catalonia, Spain. This article is linked to the pre-results of a randomised control trial study on the implementation of this intervention programme (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04049006).

METHOD AND ANALYSIS

A cost-utility analysis will be conducted from a societal perspective. Quality-adjusted life years will be calculated from the results of the SF-36 questionnaire, a QOL measurement instrument. Direct and indirect healthcare costs will be obtained from official prices and reports published by the Spanish Public Health Administration and the National Statistics Institute. The incremental cost-utility ratio will be estimated to compare the two healthcare practices. Deterministic sensitivity analysis will also be used to compare different cost scenarios, modifying the items with the highest weight in the cost composition.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the IDIAPJGol Institute approved this study on 25 April 2018 (code P18/068) in accordance with the Helsinki/Tokyo Declaration. Information will be provided orally and in writing to participants, and their informed consent will be required. Participant anonymity will be guaranteed. The dissemination strategy includes publications in scientific journals and presentations in local and national media and at academic conferences. Trial registration number: NCT04049006; Pre-results.

A randomized controlled efficacy trial of mindfulness-based stress reduction compared with an active control group and usual care for fibromyalgia: the EUDAIMON study

Fibromyalgia (FM) syndrome represents a great challenge for clinicians and researchers because the efficacy of currently available treatments is limited. This study examined the efficacy of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for reducing functional impairment as well as the role of mindfulness-related constructs as mediators of treatment outcomes for people with FM. Two hundred twenty-five participants with FM were randomized into 3 study arms: MBSR plus treatment-as-usual (TAU), FibroQoL (multicomponent intervention for FM) plus TAU, and TAU alone. The primary endpoint was functional impact (measured with the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire Revised), and secondary outcomes included "fibromyalginess," anxiety and depression, pain catastrophising, perceived stress, and cognitive dysfunction. The differences in outcomes between groups at post-treatment assessment (primary endpoint) and 12-month follow-up were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models and mediational models through path analyses. Mindfulness-based stress reduction was superior to TAU both at post-treatment (large effect sizes) and at follow-up (medium to large effect sizes), and MBSR was also superior to FibroQoL post-treatment (medium to large effect sizes), but in the long term, it was only modestly better (significant differences only in pain catastrophising and fibromyalginess). Immediately post-treatment, the number needed to treat for 20% improvement in MBSR vs TAU and FibroQoL was 4.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.1-6.5) and 5.0 (95% CI = 2.7-37.3). An unreliable number needed to treat value of 9 (not computable 95% CI) was found for FibroQoL vs TAU. Changes produced by MBSR in functional impact were mediated by psychological inflexibility and the mindfulness facet acting with awareness. These findings are discussed in relation to previous studies of psychological treatments for FM.

Acceptance and commitment therapy for people with rheumatic disease: Existing evidence and future directions

INTRODUCTION

Despite advances in the management of rheumatic diseases, many patients experience persistent pain and fatigue. Psychological interventions are useful adjunctive treatments, but improvements tend to be small, and progress in this area is needed. The aim of this review was to evaluate the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for the treatment of chronic pain and fatigue in patients with rheumatic disease.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of ACT for the treatment of chronic pain and fatigue in patients with rheumatic disease. Ten RCTs that included people with rheumatic disease were identified, rated for risk of bias, and summarised in terms of effects on relevant outcomes (disability, emotional functioning, pain, and quality of life).

RESULTS

Treatment with ACT was associated with improvements in physical and emotional functioning, pain, and quality of life in chronic pain patients. The favourable effects of ACT were evident when compared with those of treatment as usual or active control conditions (e.g., pain education and novel medication). There was consistent evidence to show that ACT is beneficial in improving physical and emotional functioning in patients with fibromyalgia but a lack of evidence pertaining to patients with other forms of rheumatic disease.

CONCLUSION

ACT provides benefit for fibromyalgia patients. Further high-quality research is needed to develop ACT interventions for people with inflammatory rheumatic diseases and to evaluate their effectiveness for managing the pain and fatigue associated with these conditions.

Body Reprogramming: Reframing the Fibromyalgia narrative and providing an integrative therapeutic model

We propose a theory known as the Hyland model to help conceptualise Fibromyalgia within a complex adaptive control system. A fundamental assumption is that symptom generating mechanisms are causally connected, forming a network that has emergent properties. An illness narrative has been developed which has a ‘goodness of fit’ with the lived experience of those with Fibromyalgia. The theory guides management within the clinical setting and incorporates current evidence-based therapeutic strategies, within a multi-modal intervention described as ‘Body Reprogramming’. This intervention focuses on non-pharmacological and lifestyle-based considerations. The theoretical framework also helps explain why modest therapeutic effects are gained from current pharmacological options.

Cost-Utility of Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy (ABCT) for Fibromyalgia Compared to Relaxation: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

A recent study has supported the efficacy of Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy (ABCT) compared to relaxation (REL) for the management of fibromyalgia (FM). The main objective of this paper is to examine the cost-utility of ABCT compared to REL in terms of effects on quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) as well as healthcare costs. Forty-two Spanish patients with FM received 8 weekly group sessions of ABCT or REL. Data collection took place at pre- and 3-month follow-up. Cost-utility of the two treatment groups (ABCT vs. REL) was compared by examining treatment outcomes in terms of QALYs (obtained with the EQ-5D-3L) and healthcare costs (data about service use obtained with the Client Service Receipt Inventory). Data analyses were computed from a completers, ITT, and per protocol approach. Data analysis from the healthcare perspective revealed that those patients receiving ABCT exhibited larger improvements in quality of life than those doing relaxation, while being less costly 3 months after their 8-week treatment program had ended (completers: incremental cost M, 95% CI = €−194.1 (−450.3 to 356.1); incremental effect M, 95% CI = 0.023 QALYs (0.010 to 0.141)). Results were similar using an ITT approach (incremental cost M, 95% CI = €−256.3 (−447.4 to −65.3); incremental effect M, 95% CI = 0.021 QALYs (0.009 to 0.033)). A similar pattern of results were obtained from the per protocol approach. This RCT has contributed to the evidence base of compassion-based interventions and provided useful information about the cost-utility of ABCT for FM patients when compared to relaxation. However, the small sample size and short follow-up period limited the generalizability of the findings.

Pain catastrophizing mediates the negative influence of pain and trait-anxiety on health-related quality of life in fibromyalgia

BACKGROUND

Patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) usually display a decrease in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This decrease in HRQoL is related to clinical pain, anxiety, and depression. This cross-sectional study analyzes the mediating role of pain-coping strategies (especially catastrophizing) in the negative relationships of pain, anxiety, depression, and HRQoL in FMS.

METHODS

One hundred and thirteen women with FMS and 63 healthy women were assessed using the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Participants completed self-report questionnaires to evaluate clinical pain, anxiety, depression, and pain-coping strategies.

RESULTS

Pain catastrophizing was inversely associated with the physical function, general health perception, vitality, emotional role, mental health, the physical and mental general components, and the global index of HRQoL, with percentages of variance explained ranging between 9 and 18%. Cognitive distraction showed a positive association with the physical function, general health perception, vitality, emotional role, mental health, physical component, and global index of HRQoL, with percentages of variance explained ranging between 4 and 7%. Mediation analysis showed that catastrophizing mediates the negative influence of clinical pain and trait-anxiety on the physical function, general health perception, vitality, mental health, and global index of HRQoL. No mediating effect of pain catastrophizing on the relation between depression and HRQoL was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with FMS exhibited markedly lower HRQoL than healthy individuals. While pain catastrophizing was inversely related to several domains of HRQL, associations were positive for cognitive distraction. Catastrophizing mediates the negative influence of clinical pain and trait-anxiety on HRQoL. Therefore, cognitive behavioral treatments focused on adaptive management and control of catastrophizing and negative emotional states may be helpful.

The short-term effect and safety of duloxetine in osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Previous clinical trials indicated that duloxetine may be effective in the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) pain. This meta-analysis is conducted to evaluate short term analgesic effect and safety of duloxetine in the treatment of OA.

METHODS

Electronic databases were searched in February 2019, including PUBMED, EMBASE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science. All eligible studies should be randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing duloxetine treatment group to placebo about OA pain relief and safety outcomes.

RESULTS

Five RCTs with 2059 patients were involved in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Compared to placebo, duloxetine treatment showed significant better result, with higher reduction pain intensity (mean difference [MD] = -0.77, P < .00001), higher rates of both 30% and 50% reduction in pain severity (risk ratio [RR] = 1.42, P < .00001; RR = 1.62, P < .00001), lower mean Patient Global Improvement-Inventory (PGI-I) score (MD = -0.48, P < .00001). The results of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) score change from baseline to endpoint also favored duloxetine treatment group in all four categories, including total (MD = -5.43, P < .00001), pain (MD = -1.63, P = .001), physical function (MD = -4.22, P < .00001), and stiffness score (MD = -0.58, P < .00001). There were higher rates of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) (RR = 1.32, P < .00001) and discontinuation (RR = 1.88, P < .00001) in duloxetine group. However, there was no significant difference in the incidence of severe adverse events (SAEs) between these 2 groups (RR = 0.84, P = .68).

CONCLUSION

Duloxetine was an effective and safe choice to improve pain and functional outcome in OA patients. However, further studies are still needed to find out the optimal dosage for OA and examine its long-term efficacy and safety.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42019128862.

Effectiveness, cost-utility, and benefits of a multicomponent therapy to improve the quality of life of patients with fibromyalgia in primary care: A mixed methods study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic condition characterized by chronic pain, fatigue and loss of function which significantly impairs quality of life. Although treatment of FM remains disputed, some studies point at the efficacy of interdisciplinary therapy. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness, cost-utility and benefits of a multicomponent therapy on quality of life (main variable), functional impact, mood and pain in people suffering from FM that attend primary care centers (PCCs) of the Catalan Institute of Health (ICS).

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

A 2-phase, mixed methods study has been designed following Medical Research Council guidance. Phase 1: Pragmatic randomized clinical trial with patients diagnosed with FM that attend one of the 11 PCCs of the ICS Gerència Territorial Terres de l'Ebre. We estimate a total sample of 336 patients. The control group will receive usual clinical care, while the multicomponent therapy group (MT group) will receive usual clinical care plus group therapy (consisting of health education, exercise and cognitive-behavioural therapy) during 12 weeks in 2-hourly weekly sessions.

ANALYSIS

the standardized mean response and the standardized effect size will be assessed at 3, 9, and 15 months after the beginning of the study using multiple linear regression models. Utility measurements will be used for the economic analysis. Phase 2: Qualitative socio constructivist study to evaluate the intervention according to the results obtained and the opinions and experiences of participants (patients and professionals). We will use theoretical sampling, with 2 discussion groups of participants in the multicomponent therapy and 2 discussion groups of professionals of different PCCs. A thematic content analysis will be carried out.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This study protocol has been approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of the Fundació Institut Universitari per a la recerca a l'Atenció Primària de Salut Jordi Gol i Gurina (code P18/068). Articles will be published in international, peer-reviewed scientific journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical-Trials.gov: NCT04049006.

Cost-Utility of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Fibromyalgia versus a Multicomponent Intervention and Usual Care: A 12-Month Randomized Controlled Trial (EUDAIMON Study)

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a prevalent, chronic, disabling, pain syndrome that implies high healthcare costs. Economic evaluations of potentially effective treatments for FM are needed. The aim of this study was to analyze the cost-utility of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) as an add-on to treatment-as-usual (TAU) for patients with FM compared to an adjuvant multicomponent intervention ("FibroQoL") and to TAU. We performed an economic evaluation alongside a 12 month, randomized, controlled trial; data from 204 (68 per study arm) of the 225 patients (90.1%) were included in the cost-utility analyses, which were conducted both under the government and the public healthcare system perspectives. The main outcome measures were the EuroQol (EQ-5D-5L) for assessing Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) and improvements in health-related quality of life, and the Client Service Receipt Inventory (CSRI) for estimating direct and indirect costs. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were also calculated. Two sensitivity analyses (intention-to-treat, ITT, and per protocol, PPA) were conducted. The results indicated that MBSR achieved a significant reduction in costs compared to the other study arms (p < 0.05 in the completers sample), especially in terms of indirect costs and primary healthcare services. It also produced a significant incremental effect compared to TAU in the ITT sample (ΔQALYs = 0.053, p < 0.05, where QALYs represents quality-adjusted life years). Overall, our findings support the efficiency of MBSR over FibroQoL and TAU specifically within a Spanish public healthcare context.

Are acceptance and mindfulness-based interventions 'value for money'? Evidence from a systematic literature review

OBJECTIVES

Acceptance and mindfulness-based interventions (A/MBIs) are recommended for people with mental health conditions. Although there is a growing evidence base supporting the effectiveness of different A/MBIs for mental health conditions, the economic case for these interventions has not been fully explored. The aim of this systematic review was to identify and appraise all available economic evidence of A/MBIs for the management of mental health conditions.

METHODS

Eight electronic bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, EMBASE, Web of Science, NHS Economic Evaluation Database (EED), Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), Health Technology Assessment (HTA) database, and EconLit) were searched for relevant economic evaluations published from each database's inception date until November 2017. Study selection, quality assessment, and data extraction were carried out according to published guidelines.

RESULTS

Ten relevant economic evaluations presented in 11 papers were identified. Seven of the included studies were full economic evaluations (i.e., costs and effects assessed), and three studies were partial economic evaluations (i.e., only costs were considered in the analysis). The A/MBIs that had been subjected to economic evaluation were acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). In terms of clinical presentations, the evaluation of cost-effectiveness of A/MBIs has been more focused on depression and emotional unstable personality disorder with three and four economic evaluations, respectively. Three out of seven full economic evaluations observed that A/MBIs were cost-effective for the management of mental health conditions. Nevertheless, the heterogeneity of included populations, interventions, and economic evaluation study types limits the extent to which firm conclusions can currently be made.

CONCLUSION

This first substantive review of economic evaluations of A/MBIs indicates that more research is needed before firm conclusions can be reached on the cost-effectiveness of A/MBIs for mental health conditions.

PRACTITIONER POINTS

The findings of the review provide information that may be relevant to mental health service commissioners and decision-makers as all economic evidence available on acceptance and mindfulness-based interventions for mental health conditions is summarized. Evidence relating to the cost-effectiveness and cost-saving potential of acceptance and mindfulness-based interventions is focused mainly on depression and emotional unstable personality disorder to date. Heterogeneity in the specific forms of acceptance and mindfulness-based interventions may limit generalizability of the findings. The number of health economic evaluations relating to acceptance and mindfulness-based interventions remains relatively small. Further research in this area is required.

Cost-effectiveness of interventions for medically unexplained symptoms: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

In primary and secondary care medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) or functional somatic syndromes (FSS) constitute a major burden for patients and society with high healthcare costs and societal costs. Objectives were to provide an overview of the evidence regarding the cost-effectiveness of interventions for MUS or FSS, and to assess the quality of these studies.

METHODS

We searched the databases PubMed, PsycINFO, the National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database (NHS-EED) and the CEA registry to conduct a systematic review. Articles with full economic evaluations on interventions focusing on adult patients with undifferentiated MUS or fibromyalgia (FM), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), with no restrictions on comparators, published until 15 June 2018, were included. We excluded preventive interventions. Two reviewers independently extracted study characteristics and cost-effectiveness data and used the Consensus on Health Economic Criteria Checklist to appraise the methodological quality.

RESULTS

A total of 39 studies out of 1,613 articles met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-two studies reported costs per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained and cost-utility analyses (CUAs). In 13 CUAs the intervention conditions dominated the control conditions or had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio below the willingness-to-pay threshold of € 50,000 per QALY, meaning that the interventions were (on average) cost-effective in comparison with the control condition. Group interventions focusing on MUS (n = 3) or FM (n = 4) might be more cost-effective than individual interventions. The included studies were heterogeneous with regard to the included patients, interventions, study design, and outcomes.

CONCLUSION

This review provides an overview of 39 included studies of interventions for patients with MUS and FSS and the methodological quality of these studies. Considering the limited comparability due to the heterogeneity of the studies, group interventions might be more cost-effective than individual interventions.

REGISTRATION

Study methods were documented in an international prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO) protocol, registration number: CRD42017060424.

Current status of acceptance and commitment therapy for chronic pain: a narrative review

It is well known that chronic pain is prevalent, complex to manage, and associated with high costs, in health care and society in general. Thanks to advances in new forms of cognitive behavioral therapy (known as third-wave CBT), currently clinicians and researchers have an empirically validated psychological treatment with increasing research support for the treatment of chronic pain. This treatment is called acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). The main aim of this paper is to provide a narrative review that summarizes and integrates the current state of knowledge of ACT in the management of chronic pain as well as discuss current challenges and opportunities for progress. Based on the psychological flexibility model, ACT extends previous forms of CBT and integrates many CBT-related variables into six core therapeutic processes. ACT is a process-based therapy that fosters openness, awareness, and engagement through a wide range of methods, including exposure-based and experiential methods, metaphors, and values clarification. To our knowledge, there are three published systematic reviews and meta-analyses that support the effectiveness of ACT for chronic pain and many studies focused on specific processes derived from the psychological flexibility model. There is also promising support for the cost-effectiveness of ACT; however, the current evidence is still insufficient to establish firm conclusions about cost-effectiveness and the most efficient means of delivery. Additional well-designed economic evaluations are needed. Other research aims include delineating the neurobiological underpinnings of ACT, refining available outcome and process measures or develop new ones for ACT trials, and meeting the challenge of wide dissemination and implementation in real-world clinical practice.

Cost-Effectiveness and Cost-Utility of Internet-Delivered Exposure Therapy for Fibromyalgia: Results From a Randomized, Controlled Trial

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a prevalent and debilitating chronic pain disorder associated with a substantial economic burden. Although there are several studies investigating the effectiveness of psychological treatments such as cognitive-behavioral therapy for FM, studies on cost-effectiveness are scarce. The aim of the present study was to investigate the cost-effectiveness of Internet-delivered exposure therapy (iExp) for FM. We used health economic data from a recently conducted randomized, controlled trial, where 140 participants were randomized to either iExp or a waitlist control (WLC) condition. Economic data were collected at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at the 1-year follow-up. Treatment effectiveness in relation to costs were analyzed using both a societal perspective (including all direct and indirect costs) and a health care unit perspective (including only the direct treatment costs). Bootstrapped net benefit regression analyses were also conducted, comparing the difference in costs and effects between iExp and WLC, within different willingness-to-pay scenarios. Results showed that the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was -$15,295, indicating that iExp was highly cost-effective as each successfully treated case (treatment responder) was associated with a substantial net reduction in costs. The robustness of the results was tested in 2 different sensitivity analyses, where iExp remained cost-effective, even in a willingness-to-pay-scenario of $0. We conclude that iExp is a cost-effective treatment that generates large societal cost savings. PERSPECTIVE: Health-economic evaluations of psychological interventions for FM are scarce. This study is a cost-effectiveness analysis of Internet-delivered exposure therapy for patients with FM. Results showed that iExp was highly cost-effective compared with no treatment, where each successfully treated case generated a substantial societal cost saving.

Evidence-Based Nonpharmacologic Strategies for Comprehensive Pain Care: The Consortium Pain Task Force White Paper

Medical pain management is in crisis; from the pervasiveness of pain to inadequate pain treatment, from the escalation of prescription opioids to an epidemic in addiction, diversion and overdose deaths. The rising costs of pain care and managing adverse effects of that care have prompted action from state and federal agencies including the DOD, VHA, NIH, FDA and CDC. There is pressure for pain medicine to shift away from reliance on opioids, ineffective procedures and surgeries toward comprehensive pain management that includes evidence-based nonpharmacologic options. This White Paper details the historical context and magnitude of the current pain problem including individual, social and economic impacts as well as the challenges of pain management for patients and a healthcare workforce engaging prevalent strategies not entirely based in current evidence. Detailed here is the evidence-base for nonpharmacologic therapies effective in postsurgical pain with opioid sparing, acute non-surgical pain, cancer pain and chronic pain. Therapies reviewed include acupuncture therapy, massage therapy, osteopathic and chiropractic manipulation, meditative movement therapies Tai chi and yoga, mind body behavioral interventions, dietary components and self-care/self-efficacy strategies. Transforming the system of pain care to a responsive comprehensive model necessitates that options for treatment and collaborative care must be evidence-based and include effective nonpharmacologic strategies that have the advantage of reduced risks of adverse events and addiction liability. The evidence demands a call to action to increase awareness of effective nonpharmacologic treatments for pain, to train healthcare practitioners and administrators in the evidence base of effective nonpharmacologic practice, to advocate for policy initiatives that remedy system and reimbursement barriers to evidence-informed comprehensive pain care, and to promote ongoing research and dissemination of the role of effective nonpharmacologic treatments in pain, focused on the short- and long-term therapeutic and economic impact of comprehensive care practices.

Economic Impact of Third-Wave Cognitive Behavioral Therapies: A Systematic Review and Quality Assessment of Economic Evaluations in Randomized Controlled Trials

The term third-wave cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) encompasses new forms of CBT that both extend and innovate within CBT. Most third-wave therapies have been subject to randomized controlled trials (RCTs) focused on clinical effectiveness; however, the number and quality of economic evaluations in these RCTs has been unknown and may be few. Evidence about efficiency of these therapies may help support decisions on efficient allocation of resources in health policies. The main aim of this study was to systematically review the economic impact of third-wave therapies in the treatment of patients with physical or mental conditions. We conducted a systematic literature search in PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, and CINALH to identify economic evaluations of third-wave therapies. Quality and Risk of Bias (RoB) assessment of economic evaluations was also made using the Drummond 35-item checklist and the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias, respectively. Eleven RCTs were included in this systematic review. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and extended Behaviour Activation (eBA) showed acceptable cost-effectiveness and cost-utility ratios. No study employed a time horizon of more than 3 years. Quality and RoB assessments highlight some limitations that temper the findings. There is some evidence that MBCT, MBSR, ACT, DBT, and eBA are efficient from a societal or a third-party payer perspective. No economic analysis was found for many third-wave therapies. Therefore, more economic evaluations with high methodological quality are needed.

Efficacy of "Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy" in the Treatment of Fibromyalgia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

There is a growing interest in evaluating the effectiveness of compassion interventions for treating psychological disorders. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of "attachment-based compassion therapy" (ABCT) in the treatment of fibromyalgia (FM), and the role of psychological flexibility as a mediator of improvements.

METHODS

A total of 42 patients with FM were randomly assigned to ABCT or relaxation (active control group). Both the intervention and control condition were combined with treatment as usual (TAU). The primary outcome was functional status (FIQ), and the secondary outcomes were clinical severity (CGI-S), pain catastrophizing (PCS), anxiety (HADS-A), depression (HADS-D), quality of life (EQ-5D), and psychological flexibility (AAQ-II). Differences between the groups were estimated using mixed-effects models, and mediation assessments were conducted using path analyses.

RESULTS

The ABCT group demonstrated superior outcomes compared to the relaxation group, including better FIQ values after treatment (B = -3.01; p = 0.003). Differences in FIQ were maintained at 3-month follow-up (B = -3.33; p = 0.001). The absolute risk reduction in ABCT compared to relaxation increased by 40.0%, with an NNT = 3 based on criteria of ≥50% FIQ reduction after treatment. Psychological flexibility had a significant mediating effect on improvements.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that ABCT combined with TAU appears to be effective in the treatment of FM symptoms.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

http://ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT02454244.