Analytical approach:
The clinical effectiveness and cost data were derived from a randomised controlled trial (RCT), which compared the ESCAPE-knee pain programme with usual care. The time horizon was 12 months and the authors did not report the study perspective.
Effectiveness data:
The clinical data were derived from a RCT that included 48 people who were followed-up for 12 months after completion of the intervention. Assessment was blind to group allocation. The two groups were comparable at baseline in terms of their prognostic variables and outcome measures. The primary outcome was physical function assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index. The secondary outcomes were pain, objective functional performance, anxiety, depression, health-related quality of life, exercise-related health beliefs, and health care utilisation.
Monetary benefit and utility valuations:
: The health-related quality of life score was assessed, using the European Quality of life (EQ-5D) questionnaire, for each participant at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at 12 months.
Measure of benefit:
The measure of benefit used to calculate the cost-effectiveness ratio was the EQ-5D utility score.
Cost data:
The cost categories included the intervention costs and knee treatment costs. The resource data were collected prospectively during the clinical trial. Out-patient physiotherapy costs were national reference costs. All costs were in UK pounds sterling (£) and the price year was 2005. No discounting was performed because the time horizon was 12 months.
Analysis of uncertainty:
The authors did not conduct any analysis of uncertainty on the cost-effectiveness results.