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True difference or something else? Problems in cost of osteoarthritis studies
Feng Xie1, Julian Thumboo, Shu-Chuen Li
1Centre for Health Services Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism
|March 14, 2007
Summary
Published osteoarthritis (OA) cost studies show significant variations, likely due to methodological differences rather than true economic disparities. Standardization is crucial for accurate cost of illness research in OA.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Health Economics
Background:
- Osteoarthritis (OA) poses a significant economic burden globally.
- Existing cost of illness (COI) studies for OA exhibit considerable heterogeneity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and synthesize published OA cost data.
- To identify commonalities and discrepancies in OA cost research.
- To propose improvements for future OA economic evaluations.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature review of MEDLINE (1966-2006) was conducted.
- Two overlapping search strategies identified cost of illness studies in OA.
- Costs were standardized to 2005 US dollars using discount rates and exchange rates.
Main Results:
- Ten articles met the inclusion criteria, primarily from the USA, Canada, and France.
- Annual direct costs per patient varied widely, from $345 (France) to $9147 (Hong Kong) in 2005 USD.
- Indirect cost data were reported by only five studies, with significant variations observed.
Conclusions:
- Substantial cost variations across OA studies may stem from methodological differences, not true economic disparities.
- Limited comparability exists among current OA cost studies.
- Standardization of methodology is essential for reliable OA cost of illness research.