Cost-effectiveness Evaluation of the Inclusion of Dry Needling into an Exercise Program for Subacromial Pain Syndrome: Evidence from a Randomized Clinical Trial. Issue 12 (22nd February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Arias-Buría, José L; Martín-Saborido, Carlos; Cleland, Joshua; Koppenhaver, Shane L; Plaza-Manzano, Gustavo; Fernández-de-las-Peñas, César
• Is Part Of: Pain medicine. Volume 19:Issue 12(2018)
• Page Start: 2336
• Page End: 2347
• Publication Date: 2018-02-22
• Subjects: Shoulder Pain -- Exercise -- Dry Needling -- Cost-effectiveness; Pain -- Periodicals; Pain -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Analgesics -- Periodicals; Pain -- Periodicals; Pain Management -- Periodicals; Douleur -- Périodiques; Douleur -- Traitement -- Périodiques; Analgésiques -- Périodiques; Analgésique; Soulagement de la douleur; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 616.047205
• DOI: 10.1093/pm/pny021
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1526-2375

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the inclusion of trigger point–dry needling (TrP-DN) into an exercise program for the management of subacromial pain syndrome. Methods: Fifty patients with unilateral subacromial pain syndrome were randomized with concealed allocation to exercise alone or exercise plus TrP-DN. Both groups were asked to perform an exercise program targeting the rotator cuff musculature twice daily for five weeks. Patients allocated to the exercise plus TrP-DN group also received dry needling during the second and fourth sessions. Societal costs and health-related quality of life (estimated by EuroQol-5D-5L) over a one-year follow-up were used to generate incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) ratios for each intervention. Results: Intention-to-treat analysis was possible for 48 (96%) of the participants. Those in the exercise group made more visits to medical doctors and received a greater number of other treatments ( P < 0.001). The major contributor to societal costs (77%) was the absenteeism paid labor in favor of the exercise plus TrP-DN group ( P = 0.03). The combination of exercise plus TrP-DN was less costly (mean difference cost/patient = €517.34, P = 0.003) than exercise alone. Incremental QALYs showed greater benefit for exercise plus TrP-DN (difference = 2.87, 95% confidence interval = 2.85–2.89). Therefore, the inclusion of TrP-DN into an exercise program was more likely to be cost-effective than an exercise program alone, with 99.5% of the iterations falling in the dominant area. Conclusions: The inclusion of TrP-DN into an exercise program was more cost-effective for individuals with subacromial pain syndrome than exercise alone. From a cost-benefit perspective, the inclusion of TrP-DN into multimodal management of patients with subacromial pain syndrome should be considered.