Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

SUMMARY: Balloon kyphoplasty (BKP) is a procedure used to treat vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). We developed a cost-effectiveness model to evaluate BKP in United Kingsdom patients with hospitalised VCFs and estimated the cost-effectiveness of BKP compared to non-surgical management. The results indicate that BKP provides a cost-effective alternative for treating these patients. INTRODUCTION: VCFs of osteoporotic patients are associated with chronic pain, a reduction in health-related quality of life (QoL) and high healthcare costs. BKP is a minimally invasive procedure that has resulted in pain relief, vertebral body height-restoration, decreased kyphosis and improved physical functioning in patients with symptomatic VCFs. BKP was shown to improve health-related QoL in a 12-month interim analysis of a randomised phase-III trial. METHODS: The objectives of this study were to develop a Markov cost-effectiveness model to evaluate BKP in patients with painful hospitalised VCFs and to estimate the cost-effectiveness of BKP compared with non-surgical management in a UK setting. It was assumed that QoL-benefits found at 12 months linearly approached zero during another 2 years, and that patients receiving BKP warranted six fewer hospital bed days compared with patients given non-surgical management. RESULTS: The procedure was associated with quality-adjusted life-years (QALY)-gains of 0.17 and cost/QALY-gains at 8,800 pound sterling. The results were sensitive to assumptions about avoided length of hospital-stay and persistence of kyphoplasty-related QoL-benefits. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the results indicate that BKP provides a cost-effective alternative for treating patients with hospitalised VCFs in a UK-setting.

Original publication

DOI

10.1007/s00198-009-1096-6

Type

Journal article

Journal

Osteoporos int

Publication Date

09/2010

Volume

21

Pages

1599 - 1608

Keywords

Aged, Catheterization, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Female, Fractures, Compression, Health Care Costs, Humans, Kyphoplasty, Length of Stay, Male, Models, Econometric, Osteoporotic Fractures, Quality of Life, Spinal Fractures, United Kingdom