Abstract
Study design
Longitudinal comparative cohort.
Objective
The purpose of this study is to report on the cost-effectiveness of surgical versus non-surgical treatment for Adult Symptomatic Lumbar Scoliosis (ASLS) using the as-treated data and provide a comparison to previously reported intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis.
Summary of background data
Adult spinal deformity is a relatively prevalent condition for which surgical treatment has become increasingly common but concerns surrounding complications, revision rates and cost-effectiveness remain unresolved. Of these issues, cost-effectiveness is perhaps the most difficult to quantify as the requisite data is difficult to obtain. The purpose of this study is to report on the cost-effectiveness of surgical versus non-surgical treatment for ASLS using the as-treated data and provide a comparison to previously reported ITT analysis.
Methods
Patients with at least 5-year follow-up data within the same treatment arm were included. Data collected every 3 months included use of nonoperative modalities, medications and employment status. Costs for surgeries and non-operative modalities were determined using Medicare Allowable rates. Medication costs were determined using the RedBook and indirect costs were calculated based on the reported employment status and income. Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY) was determined using the SF-6D.
Results
Of 226 patients, 195 patients (73 Non-op, 122 Op) met inclusion criteria. At 5 years, 29 (24%) patients in the Op group had a revision surgery of whom two had two revisions and one had three revisions. The cumulative cost for the Op group was $111,451 with a cumulative QALY gain of 2.3. The cumulative cost for the Non-Op group was $29,124 with a cumulative QALY gain of 0.4. This results in an ICER of $44,033 in favor of Op treatment.
Conclusion
This as-treated cost-effectiveness analysis demonstrates that surgical treatment for adult lumbar scoliosis becomes favorable at year-three, 1 year earlier than suggested by a previous intent-to-treat analysis.
Level of evidence
II.
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Funding
Funding was received from the National Institutes of Health, the Scoliosis Research Society and International Spine Study Group Foundation.
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Conception or design of the work: SDG, LYC and KHB. Acquisition of data: SDG, CIS, MPK, CHC, RSB, CRB and KHB. Analysis of data: SDG, LYC and ELY. Interpretation of data: SDG, LYC, ELY, JDL and KHB. Drafted the work: SDG, LYC. Revised it critically: SDG, LYC, CIS, MPK, CHC, ELY, JDL, RSB, CRB and KHB. Approved the version to be published: : SDG, LYC, CIS, MPK, CHC, ELY, JDL, RSB, CRB and KHB. Agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work: SDG, LYC, CIS, MPK, CHC, ELY, JDL, RSB, CRB and KHB.
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This study was reviewed by the University of Louisville Institutional Review Board and was determined to be Not Human Subjects Research and Exempt from review.
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Glassman, S.D., Carreon, L.Y., Shaffrey, C.I. et al. Cost-effectiveness of adult lumbar scoliosis surgery: an as-treated analysis from the adult symptomatic scoliosis surgery trial with 5-year follow-up. Spine Deform 8, 1333–1339 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43390-020-00154-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43390-020-00154-w