Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39925022›Full record

Trial reportInternational journal of technology assessment in health care2025

Trial-based economic evaluation of the BrainACT study: acceptance and commitment therapy for anxiety and/or depressive symptoms after acquired brain injury.

Sander Osstyn, Johanne Rauwenhoff, Ron Handels, Marjolein E de Vugt, Silvia Evers, Ghislaine A P G van Mastrigt, Caroline M van Heugten

Abstract readRandomized Controlled TrialMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Trial report in International journal of technology assessment in health care, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

7 authors.

Sander OsstynDepartment of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology and Alzheimer Center Limburg, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0007-4324-6114
Johanne RauwenhoffLimburg Brain Injury Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Ron HandelsDepartment of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology and Alzheimer Center Limburg, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Marjolein E de VugtDepartment of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology and Alzheimer Center Limburg, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Silvia EversDepartment of Health Services Research and Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Ghislaine A P G van MastrigtDepartment of Health Services Research and Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Caroline M van HeugtenLimburg Brain Injury Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Funding

ZonMw 636310003
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionFollowing acquired brain injury (ABI), individuals often experience anxiety and/or depressive symptoms. BrainACT is an adapted form of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) tailored to this target group. The current study is a trial-based health-economic evaluation comparing BrainACT to a psychoeducation and relaxation control treatment.

methodsAn economic evaluation from a societal perspective was conducted in the Netherlands alongside a multicenter randomized controlled two-armed parallel trial including 72 participants. A cost-utility and cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted where incremental costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and anxiety/depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) score) were collected and presented over a 1-year follow-up period. Bootstrapping, scenario, and subgroup analyses were performed to test the robustness of the results.

resultsThe BrainACT arm reported non-significant lower total costs (incremental difference of €-4,881; bootstrap interval €-12,139 to €2,330) combined with significantly decreased anxiety/depression (HADS) (3.2; bootstrap intervals 0.7-5.7). However, the total QALYs were non-significantly lower (-0.008; bootstrap interval -0.060 to 0.042) for BrainACT. The probability of the intervention being cost-effective was 86 percent at a willingness-to-accept threshold of €50,000/QALY. The scenario and subgroup analyses confirmed the robustness of the results.

conclusionBrainACT may be a more cost-effective alternative to a psychoeducation and relaxation intervention for anxiety and/or depressive symptoms following ABI. Despite limitations, BrainACT appears to be a promising addition to treatment options in the Netherlands. Further research is needed to validate these findings, and consideration should be given to implementing BrainACT in Dutch clinical settings with ongoing monitoring.

Indexed as

Acceptance and Commitment TherapyAnxietyBrain InjuriesDepressionAdultCost-Benefit AnalysisFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNetherlandsQuality-Adjusted Life Yearsacceptance and commitment therapycost-effectiveness analysis and brain injuries

Identifiers

PMID39925022
PMCPMC11811953

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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.