Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38649858›Full record

ArticleBMC oral health2024

A cost-effectiveness analysis of fluoride varnish application in preventing Root caries in elderly persons: a Markov simulation study.

Long-Wen Zhu, Rui-Xin Wang, Yu Zhang, Jing-Yu Zhan, Hai-Xia Lu, Xi Chen

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC oral health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 23% of its field
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, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
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 at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Long-Wen ZhuDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, National Center for Stomatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, China.
Rui-Xin WangSchool of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
Yu ZhangDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, National Center for Stomatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, China.
Jing-Yu ZhanDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, National Center for Stomatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, China.
Hai-Xia LuDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, National Center for Stomatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, China. ritalu0225@hotmail.com.
Xi ChenDepartment of Preventive Dentistry, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, College of Stomatology, National Center for Stomatology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, 639 Zhizaoju Road, Shanghai, China. cherry_cxnet@sjtu.edu.cn.
Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital · CNFudan University · CNShanghai Jiao Tong University · CN

Funding

Shanghai Commission of Science and Technology No. 22Y11903200Shanghai Municipal Health Commission No. 2020YJZX0114 and 20234Y0103Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital Physicians in Clinical Research Training Program No. 2022hbyjxys-zy
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRoot caries are prevalent issues that affect dental health, particularly among elderly individuals with exposed root surfaces. Fluoride therapy has shown effectiveness in preventing root caries, but limited studies have addressed its cost-effectiveness in elderly persons population. This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a fluoride treatment program for preventing root caries in elderly persons within the context of Chinese public healthcare.

methodsA Markov simulation model was adopted for the cost-effectiveness analysis in a hypothetical scenario from a healthcare system perspective. A 60-year-old subject with 23 teeth was simulated for 20 years. A 5% sodium fluoride varnish treatment was compared with no preventive intervention in terms of effectiveness and cost. Tooth years free of root caries were set as the effect. Transition probabilities were estimated from the data of a community-based cohort and published studies, and costs were based on documents published by the government. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated to evaluate cost-effectiveness. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the influence of data uncertainty.

resultsFluoride treatment was more effective (with a difference of 10.20 root caries-free tooth years) but also more costly (with a difference of ¥1636.22). The ICER was ¥160.35 per root caries-free tooth year gained. One-way sensitivity analysis showed that the risk ratio of root caries in the fluoride treatment group influenced the result most. In the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, fluoride treatment was cost-effective in 70.5% of the simulated cases.

conclusionsRegular 5% sodium fluoride varnish application was cost-effective for preventing root caries in the elderly persons in most scenarios with the consideration of data uncertainty, but to a limited extent. Improved public dental health awareness may reduce the incremental cost and make the intervention more cost-effective. Overall, the study shed light on the economic viability and impact of such preventive interventions, providing a scientific basis for dental care policies and healthcare resource allocation.

Indexed as

Cariostatic AgentsFluorides, TopicalRoot CariesSodium FluorideAgedChinaCost-Effectiveness AnalysisHumansMarkov ChainsMiddle AgedCariostatic AgentsFluorides, TopicalSodium FluorideCost-effectiveness analysisElderly personsRoot cariesSodium fluoride varnish

Identifiers

PMID38649858
PMCPMC11034159
OpenAlexW4395002554

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.