Cost Utility of Specialist Physiotherapy for Functional Motor Disorder (Physio4FMD): Economic Analysis of a Pragmatic...

Functional motor disorder (FMD), a motor-dominant variant of functional neurologic disorder, is a disabling condition associated with high health and social care resource use and poor employment outcomes. Specialist physiotherapy presents a possible treatment option, but there is limited evidence for clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. Physio4FMD is a multicenter randomized controlled trial of specialist physiotherapy for FMD compared with treatment as usual (TAU). The aim of the analysis was to conduct a randomized trial based on economic evaluation of specialist physiotherapy compared with TAU.

Eleven centers in England and Scotland randomized participants 1:1 to specialist physiotherapy or TAU (referral to community neurologic physiotherapy). Participants completed the EuroQoL EQ-5D-5L, Client Service Receipt Inventory, and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. The mean incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) for specialist physiotherapy compared with TAU over 12 months was calculated from a health and social care and wider societal perspective. The probability of cost-effectiveness and 95% CIs were calculated using bootstrapping.

The analysis included 247 participants (n = 141 for specialist physiotherapy, n = 106 for TAU). The mean cost per participant for specialist physiotherapy was £646 (SD 72) compared with £272 (SD 374) for TAU. Including the costs of treatment, the adjusted mean health and social care cost per participant at 12 months for specialist physiotherapy was £3,814 (95% CI £3,194-£4,433) compared with £3,670 (95% CI £2,931-£4,410) for TAU, with a mean incremental cost of £143 (95% CI £-825 to £1,112). There was no significant difference in QALYs over the 12-month duration of the trial (0.030, 95% CI -0.007 to 0.067). The mean incremental cost per QALY was £4,133 with an 86% probability of being cost-effective at a £20,000 threshold. When broader societal costs such as loss of productivity were taken into consideration, specialist physiotherapy was dominant (incremental cost: £-5,169, 95% CI £-15,394 to £5,056).

FMD was associated with high health and social care costs. There is a high probability that specialist physiotherapy is cost-effective compared with TAU particularly when wider societal costs are taken into account.

International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial registry, ISRCTN56136713.