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Wakao N, Furuya T, Yoshii T, Arima H, Yamato Y, Nakashima H, Imagama S, Imajo Y, Miyamoto H, Inoue G, Miyagi M, Kanbara S, Iizuka Y, Chikuda H, Watanabe K, Kobayashi K, Tsushima M, Miyazaki M, Yagi M, Suzuki S, Takahata M, Hongo M, Koda M, Nagata K, Mori K, Suzuki A, Kaito T, Murotani K, Miyakoshi N, Hashizume H, Matsuyama Y, Kawakami M, Haro H. A nationwide multicenter study of the cost effectiveness of five leading drugs for pharmacological management of cervicobrachial symptoms. J Orthop Sci 2023:S0949-2658(23)00334-2. [PMID: 38151393 DOI: 10.1016/j.jos.2023.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cervicobrachial pain frequently affects the quality of life (QOL) of the general public and has a significant economic impact on the health care systems of various countries. There are a number of treatment options for this disease, including widely-used drug therapy, but the effectiveness of each option is indeterminate, and there have been no published cost-effectiveness analysis studies so far. This prospective observational study aimed to examine the cost-effectiveness of drug treatment for cervicobrachial symptoms. METHODS A 6-month medication regimen for each of five frequently-prescribed drugs for cervicobrachial symptoms was administered to 322 patients at 24 centers in Japan. Outcome measures, including of the EuroQol Group 5D, Short Form-8, and Visual Analog Scale (VAS), were investigated at baseline and every month thereafter. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) of the drug cost to quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were calculated. A stratified analysis of patient characteristics was also performed to identify baseline factors potentially affecting cost-effectiveness. RESULTS The ICER of entire drug treatment for cervicobrachial symptoms was 7,491,640 yen. Compared with the reference willingness-to-pay, the ICER was assumed to not be cost-effective. A certain number of QALYs were gained during the first 3 months after the treatment intervention, but almost no QALYs were gained during the following 3 months. Stratified analysis showed that cost-effectiveness was extremely low for patients with high baseline VAS and high QOL. CONCLUSIONS The available medications for cervicobrachial symptoms did not have excellent cost-effectiveness. Although a certain number of QALYs were gained during the first 3 months after medication, no QALYs were gained in the latter half of the study period, suggesting that it is not advisable to continue the medication needlessly. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE II, prospective cohort study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norimitsu Wakao
- Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Aichi, Japan.
| | - Takeo Furuya
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
| | - Toshitaka Yoshii
- Section of Orthopaedic Surgery; and Spinal Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Graduate School, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Hideyuki Arima
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hamamatsu University, School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan.
| | - Yu Yamato
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hamamatsu University, School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan.
| | - Hiroaki Nakashima
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
| | - Shiro Imagama
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
| | - Yasuaki Imajo
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tokuyama Central Hospital, Shunan, Japan.
| | - Hiroshi Miyamoto
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe Rosai Hospital, Kobe, Japan.
| | - Gen Inoue
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kitasato University, School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Japan.
| | - Masayuki Miyagi
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kitasato University, School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Japan.
| | - Shunsuke Kanbara
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Chubu Rosai Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
| | - Yoichi Iizuka
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan.
| | - Hirotaka Chikuda
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan.
| | - Kei Watanabe
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Niigata University Medical and Dental Hospital, Niigata, Japan.
| | - Kazuyoshi Kobayashi
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Japanese Red Cross Aichi Medical Center Nagoya Daini Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.
| | - Mikito Tsushima
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Konan Kosei Hospital, Konan, Japan.
| | - Masashi Miyazaki
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Japan.
| | - Mitsuru Yagi
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare, Narita, Japan.
| | - Satoshi Suzuki
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Masahiko Takahata
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hokkaido University, Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
| | - Michio Hongo
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan.
| | - Masao Koda
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
| | - Keiji Nagata
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan.
| | - Kanji Mori
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan.
| | - Akinobu Suzuki
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
| | - Takashi Kaito
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Osaka Rosai Hospital, Osaka, Japan.
| | | | - Naohisa Miyakoshi
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan.
| | - Hiroshi Hashizume
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
| | - Yukihiro Matsuyama
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hamamatsu University, School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan.
| | - Mamoru Kawakami
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Saiseikai Wakayama Hospital, Wakayama, Japan.
| | - Hirotaka Haro
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine and Engineering, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Japan.
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