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Table 1 Summary characteristics of all cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs)

From: A systematic review of cost-effectiveness analyses of complex wound interventions reveals optimal treatments for specific wound types

Characteristic No. of CEAs (n = 59) Percentage of CEAs
Original year of values   
  1982–1996 15 25.4
  1997–2000 19 32.2
  2001–2005 10 16.9
  2006–2010 15 25.4
Year of publication   
  1988–1996 7 11.9
  1997–2001 21 35.6
  2002–2006 12 20.3
  2007–2012 19 32.2
Country of conduct   
  Europe (17 from the UK) 34 57.6
  North America (16 from USA) 19 32.2
  Asia 3 5.1
  Australia and New Zealand 3 5.1
Perspective   
  Public payer 17 28.8
  Society 8 13.6
  Provider 6 10.2
  Health care system 1 1.7
  Not reported 27 45.8
Efficacy study design   
  RCT 44 74.6
  Observational 9 15.3
  Systematic review of RCT 4 6.8
  Systematic reviewa 1 1.7
  Pseudo-RCT 1 1.7
Sample size b   
  10–30 4 6.8
  31–50 11 18.6
  51–100 12 20.3
  101–150 5 8.5
  151–200 3 5.1
  201–400 16 27.1
  >400 8 13.6
Patient age c (years)   
  50–59 5 8.5
  60–69 20 33.9
  70–79 18 30.5
  80–89 8 13.6
  Not reported 8 13.6
Timeframe   
  ≤12 weeks 28 47.5
  13–24 weeks 9 15.3
  >24 weeks 22 37.3
Funding source d   
  Private 23 39.0
  Public 10 16.9
  Mixed 6 10.2
  Not reported 20 33.9
Type of wound   
  Venous ulcers 24 40.7
  Diabetic ulcers 16 27.1
  Pressure ulcers 14 23.7
  Mixed wounds 3 5.1
  Mixed venous and venous/arterial ulcers 2 3.4
Unit of effectiveness   
  Additional wound healed 26 44.1
  QALY gained 10 16.9
  Ulcer-free time (day/week/month) gained 9 15.3
  Percentage additional reduction of ulcer (area/volume/volume per week) 8 13.6
  Increase in healing rate 2 3.4
  Reduction in DESIGN score 1 1.7
  Patient-year gained 1 1.7
  Hospital-free day gained 1 1.7
  Foot-related hospitalization avoided 1 1.7
Interventions e   
  Dressings 17 24.3
  Bandage 12 17.1
  Biologics 8 11.4
  Topical Tx 8 11.4
  Wound care programs 7 10.0
  Devices 5 7.1
  Skin replacement Tx 4 5.7
  Oral Tx 3 4.3
  Support surfaces 2 2.9
  Stockings 1 1.4
  Surgery 1 1.4
  Wound cleansing 1 1.4
  Unspecified 1 1.4
Comparators e   
  Dressings 17 24.3
  Bandage 8 11.4
  No Tx 6 8.6
  Biologics 4 5.7
  Stockings 2 2.9
  Support surfaces 2 2.9
  Topical Tx 2 2.9
  Wound care programs 2 2.9
  Devices 1 1.4
  Surgery 1 1.4
  Usual care/Unspecified 25 35.7
  1. QALY, Quality-adjusted life-year; RCT, Randomized clinical trial; Tx, Therapy/treatment.
  2. aNot specified if the included studies were RCTs.
  3. bFor studies based on a review, this refers to the total sample size of the combined studies that the data were estimated from.
  4. cAge here refers to mean age or the age used in the model.
  5. dMixed here indicates both private and public funding.
  6. eNumbers do not add up to 59 as some studies contributed data to more than one category.
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BMC Medicine

ISSN: 1741-7015

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