Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33060078›Full record

Trial reportBMJ open2020

Cost-effectiveness of internet-based vestibular rehabilitation with and without physiotherapy support for adults aged 50 and older with a chronic vestibular syndrome in general practice.

Vincent A van Vugt, Judith E Bosmans, Aureliano P Finch, Johannes C van der Wouden, Henriëtte E van der Horst, Otto R Maarsingh

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMJ open, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) in Otolaryngology research: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Economic Evaluation in Physiotherapy or How to Get the Best Value for Money.Physiotherapy Canada. Physiotherapie Canada · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Vincent A van VugtDepartment of General Practice, Amsterdam UMC - Location VUMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands v.vanvugt@amsterdamumc.nl.ORCID 0000-0002-2746-4820
Judith E BosmansAmsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Aureliano P FinchAmsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Johannes C van der WoudenDepartment of General Practice, Amsterdam UMC - Location VUMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Henriëtte E van der HorstDepartment of General Practice, Amsterdam UMC - Location VUMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Otto R MaarsinghDepartment of General Practice, Amsterdam UMC - Location VUMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo evaluate the cost-effectiveness of stand-alone and blended internet-based vestibular rehabilitation (VR) in comparison with usual care (UC) for chronic vestibular syndromes in general practice.

designEconomic evaluation alongside a three-armed, individually randomised controlled trial.

setting59 Dutch general practices.

participants322 adults, aged 50 years and older with a chronic vestibular syndrome.

interventionsStand-alone VR consisted of a 6-week, internet-based intervention with weekly online sessions and daily exercises. In blended VR, this intervention was supplemented with face-to-face physiotherapy support. UC group participants received usual general practice care without restrictions.

main outcome measuresSocietal costs, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), Vertigo Symptom Scale-Short Form (VSS-SF), clinically relevant response (≥3 points VSS-SF improvement).

resultsMean societal costs in both the stand-alone and blended VR groups were statistically non-significantly higher than in the UC group (mean difference (MD) €504, 95% CI -1082 to 2268; and €916, 95% CI -663 to 2596). Both stand-alone and blended VR groups reported non-significantly more QALYs than the UC group (MD 0.02, 95% CI -0.00 to 0.04; and 0.01, 95% CI -0.01 to 0.03), and significantly better VSS-SF Scores (MD 3.8 points, 95% CI 1.7 to 6.0; and 3.3 points, 95% CI 1.3 to 5.2). For stand-alone VR compared with UC, the probability of cost-effectiveness was 0.95 at a willingness-to-pay ratio of €24 161/QALY, €600/point improvement in VSS-SF and €8000/clinically relevant responder in VSS-SF. For blended VR versus UC, the probability of cost-effectiveness was 0.95 at a willingness-to-pay ratio of €123 335/QALY, €900/point improvement in VSS-SF and €24 000/clinically relevant responder in VSS-SF.

conclusionStand-alone and blended internet-based VR non-significantly increased QALYs and significantly reduced vestibular symptoms compared with UC, while costs in both groups were non-significantly higher. Stand-alone VR has the highest probability to be cost-effective compared with UC. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The Netherlands Trial Register NTR5712.

Indexed as

General PracticePhysical Therapy ModalitiesAdultAgedCost-Benefit AnalysisHumansInternetMiddle AgedNetherlandsQuality-Adjusted Life YearsTreatment Outcomehealth economicsneurologyotolaryngologyprimary carerehabilitation medicine

Identifiers

PMID33060078
PMCPMC7566722

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.