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Intra-articular high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid most likely cost-effective for knee OA
Intra-articular high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid had an 86% chance of being cost-effective when added to knee osteoarthritis care, according to recently published data.
Job Hermans, MD, in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Erasmus MC University Medical Centre in The Netherlands, and colleagues randomized 156 secondary care patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) to either usual care and high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid (HMWA-HA) or usual care only, which was the control group. Researchers performed a cost-utility analysis for 52 weeks and analyzed uncertainty for costs, effects and cost-utility ratio.
Researchers found the productivity and medical costs were 475 higher in the intervention group. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained during follow-up was also higher in the intervention group (0.779 vs. 0.727). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was 9.10/QALY from a societal perspective and 8.70/QALY from a health care perspective. After consideration for maximum willingness to pay, the probability on cost-effectiveness was 64% for society and 86% for health care. – by Will Offit
Disclosure: The study was supported by a grant of ZonMW, a non-commercial organization for health research commission by the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, and the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research.