Ab. Thomsen et al., Economic evaluation of multidisciplinary pain management in chronic pain patients: A qualitative systematic review, J PAIN SYMP, 22(2), 2001, pp. 688-698
Citations number
42
Categorie Soggetti
General & Internal Medicine","Neurosciences & Behavoir
In this qualitative systematic review, we have evaluated studies of the eco
nomic effectiveness of multidisciplinary pain treatment in chronic non-mali
gnant pain patients. Published reports were identified from a systematic se
arch of bibliographic databases (MEDLINE and EMBASE) and reference lists of
retrieved reports. Fourteen reports of nine studies of patients' suffering
from back pain, fibromyalgia, and mixed chronic pain conditions were consi
dered to be appropriate as economic analyses. In the selected studies, we f
ound serious methodological problems in study designs and application of ou
tcome measures. The quality of the cost measurements was characterized by,
an apparent lack of tradition using economic methodology. This review does
not give an answer to whether multidisciplinary pain management in chronic
pain patients is cost-effective or not. Application of standard methods of
costing and outcome measurement are essential before studies of cost-effect
iveness in multidiciplinary pain treatment can be used in decision-making a
nd planning. (C) U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee, 2001.