Cost-effectiveness analysis of physiotherapy interventions for low-back pain: a systematic review

Fatoye, Francis ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3502-3953, Wright, JM and Gebrye, T ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7976-2013 (2020) Cost-effectiveness analysis of physiotherapy interventions for low-back pain: a systematic review. Physiotherapy, 108. pp. 98-107. ISSN 0031-9406

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Abstract

Background: Due to the rapid increase in healthcare costs of low back pain (LBP), it is important to provide clinically and cost effective interventions to individuals with the condition. Objective: To evaluate all recent economic evaluations of physiotherapy interventions for patients with LBP. Data sources: Searches were undertaken on CINAHL, Medline, the National Health Service Economic Evaluation database (NHSEED), Health Technology Assessment (HTA), and Database of Abstracts of Review of Effects (DARE) from January 2008 to October 2018. Study selection: Randomised controlled trials, cohort studies that assessed the costeffectiveness of physiotherapy interventions on patients with LBP compared to a control group. A Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) checklist was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Data extraction/Data synthesis: Pairs of review authors independently extracted data. A descriptive synthesis was conducted to summarise the data. Results: A total of 1,531 articles were identified, and 11 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The total number of participants included in the studies included in the review were 2,633 and their age ranged from 18 to 80 years. In the included studies, the duration of LBP ranged from 3 weeks to 1 year. Except in one study, all the included studies reported that physiotherapy intervention was cost effective compared to controls. Because of the heterogeneity of the included studies, meta-analysis was not possible. Conclusion: Although most of the included studies suggested that physiotherapy interventions were cost effective, it is difficult to pool their cost effectiveness for a conclusive evidence.