Quality assessment of economic evaluation studies in pediatric surgery: A systematic review

• Published in: Journal of pediatric surgery Vol. 50; no. 4; pp. 659 - 687
• Main Authors: Fotso Kamdem, Arnaud, Nerich, Virginie, Auber, Frederic, Jantchou, Prévost, Ecarnot, Fiona, Woronoff-Lemsi, Marie-Christine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-04-2015
• Subjects: Child; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Economic evaluation studies; Health Care Costs - standards; Humans; Pediatric surgery; Pediatrics; Pediatrics - economics; Quality Assurance, Health Care; Surgery; Surgical Procedures, Operative - economics; Systematic review; Pediatric surgery; Systematic review; Economic evaluation studies
• ISSN: 0022-3468; 1531-5037
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2015.01.012

Abstract Purpose To assess economic evaluation studies (EES) in pediatric surgery and to identify potential factors associated with high-quality studies. Methods A systematic review of the literature using PubMed and Cochrane databases was conducted to identify EES in pediatric surgery published between 1 June 1993 and 30 June 2013. Assessment criteria are derived from the Drummond checklist. A high quality study was defined as a Drummond score ≥ 7. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with high quality studies. Results 119 studies were included. 43.7% (n = 52) of studies were full EES. Cost-effectiveness analysis was the most frequent (61.5%) type of full EES. Only 31.6% of studies had a Drummond score ≥ 7 and 73% of these were full EES. The factors associated with high quality were identification of costs (OR: 14.08; 95% CI: 3.38–100; p < 0.001), estimation of utility value (OR: 8.13; 95% CI: 2.02–43.47; p = 0.005) and study funding (OR: 3.50; 95% CI: 1.27–10.10; p = 0.02). Conclusion This review shows that the number and the quality of EES are low despite the increasing number of studies published in recent years. In the current context of budget constraints, our results should encourage pediatric surgeons to focus more on EES.