SynthesisPloS one2017
Cost-effectiveness of adjunct non-pharmacological interventions for osteoarthritis of the knee.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05096806 (Effects of Semi-standarized Acupuncture in Chronical Symptomatic Osteoarthritis of the Knee Through), which is not on this map. Cited by 35 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Effects of Semi-standarized Acupuncture in Chronical Symptomatic Osteoarthritis of the Knee Through: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Who cites it
35 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 76 citations in OpenAlex.
- Cost-Effectiveness of Treatments for Musculoskeletal Conditions Offered by Physiotherapists: A Systematic Review of Trial-Based Evaluations.Sports medicine - open · 2024Pooled it
- Characterising the Features of 381 Clinical Studies Evaluating Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for Pain Relief: A Secondary Analysis of the Meta-TENS Study to Improve Future Research.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2022Pooled it
- Cost Effectiveness of Pharmacological Management for Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review.Applied health economics and health policy · 2022Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Is high intensity laser therapy more effective than other physical therapy modalities for treating knee osteoarthritis? A systematic review and network meta-analysis.Frontiers in medicine · 2022Pooled it
- Structured Education and Neuromuscular Exercise Program for Hip and/or Knee Osteoarthritis: A Health Technology Assessment.Ontario health technology assessment series · 2018Pooled it
- Functional and ultrasonographic evaluation of high intensity laser therapy and Kinesio taping in stroke patients with hemiplegic shoulder pain: a randomized controlled trial.Lasers in medical science · 2026Trial
- Cost-utility analysis and net monetary benefit of Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), intra-articular injections in compared to Plasma Rich in Growth Factors (PRGF), Hyaluronic Acid (HA) and ozone in knee osteoarthritis in Iran.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2023Trial
- Individual vs. Group Delivery of Acupuncture Therapy for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain in Urban Primary Care-a Randomized Trial.Journal of general internal medicine · 2020Trial
- Acupuncture in persons with an increased stress level-Results from a randomized-controlled pilot trial.PloS one · 2020Trial
- The Effect of a Peer-Led Non-Pharmacological Pain-Management Program on Chronic Pain Intensity and Pain-Related Self-Efficacy in Older Adults with Osteoarthritis: A Quasi-Experimental Study.International journal of community based nursing and midwifery · 2026Article
- Effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for pelvic pain in women: a systematic review.Przeglad menopauzalny = Menopause review · 2026Review
- Dual-Compartment Anti-Inflammatory and Chondroprotective Effects of Intra-Articular Hydrolyzed Collagen in Experimental Osteoarthritis.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2025Article
- Decision Analysis in the Management of Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review.Cureus · 2025Review
- Effect of Acupuncture on Functional Connectivity of the Limbic Network in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Resting State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.Journal of pain research · 2025Article
- Recent advances in acupuncture for pain relief.Pain reports · 2024Article
- A modern way to teach and practice manual therapy.Chiropractic & manual therapies · 2024Review
- Economic evaluation of acupuncture as an adjunctive treatment with usual care for mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis: A Markov model-based analysis.Integrative medicine research · 2023Article
- A bibliometric analysis of traditional Chinese non-pharmacological therapies in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis from 2012 to 2022.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2023Review
- Using economic evaluations to support acupuncture reimbursement decisions: current evidence and gaps.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
12 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThere is limited information on the costs and benefits of alternative adjunct non-pharmacological treatments for knee osteoarthritis and little guidance on which should be prioritised for commissioning within the NHS. This study estimates the costs and benefits of acupuncture, braces, heat treatment, insoles, interferential therapy, laser/light therapy, manual therapy, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, pulsed electrical stimulation, pulsed electromagnetic fields, static magnets and transcutaneous electrical nerve Stimulation (TENS), based on all relevant data, to facilitate a more complete assessment of value.
methodsData from 88 randomised controlled trials including 7,507 patients were obtained from a systematic review. The studies reported a wide range of outcomes. These were converted into EQ-5D index values using prediction models, and synthesised using network meta-analysis. Analyses were conducted including firstly all trials and secondly only trials with low risk of selection bias. Resource use was estimated from trials, expert opinion and the literature. A decision analytic model synthesised all evidence to assess interventions over a typical treatment period (constant benefit over eight weeks or linear increase in effect over weeks zero to eight and dissipation over weeks eight to 16).
resultsWhen all trials are considered, TENS is cost-effective at thresholds of £20-30,000 per QALY with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of £2,690 per QALY vs. usual care. When trials with a low risk of selection bias are considered, acupuncture is cost-effective with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of £13,502 per QALY vs. TENS. The results of the analysis were sensitive to varying the intensity, with which interventions were delivered, and the magnitude and duration of intervention effects on EQ-5D.
conclusionsUsing the £20,000 per QALY NICE threshold results in TENS being cost-effective if all trials are considered. If only higher quality trials are considered, acupuncture is cost-effective at this threshold, and thresholds down to £14,000 per QALY.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.