Ruano-Ravina A, Jato-Díaz M, Cerdá-Mota T; Health Technology Assessment International. Meeting (2nd : 2005 : Rome, Italy).
Ital J Public Health. 2005; 2: 185.
Galician Agency for Health Technology Assessment, SERGAS, Edif Admtvo San Lázaro s/n, Santiago de Compostela, La Coruña,15781 Spain Tel: 34-981-547305, Fax: 34-981-542854, E-mail: alberto.ruano.ravina@sergas.es
Background: The Spanish Ministry of Health felt it was necessary to assess six new health technologies in 1999 in the framework of a pioneering program called "Uso Tutelado". One of them, Autologue Chondrocyte Implant (ACI) was assumed by the Galician Agency for Health Technology Assessment (avalia-t). Methods: Eight hospitals participated in the study, that began in 2001. All of them followed a specific protocol designed by specialists. Specific inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied and the information was periodically submitted to avalia-t. The main inclusion criteria were age less than 50 years old, lesion greater than 2 cm2 and having had a previous intervention with the exception of osteochondritis dissecans. Results: Up to January 2005, 115 patients have been included in the study. In general, the patients experienced a recovery in their knee condition, as observed with the Cincinnati questionnaire. For example at one, two, and three years of follow up, the mean gain obtained in a 10 point scale respect of the preoperative status (Cincinnati, knee condition) was 2.39, 2.64 and -1.10 points, respectively. Approximately 25% of the patients did not experience any benefit with this scale. Similar results were obtained with the SF-36 questionnaire. Conclusions: This is a very interesting initiative of the Spanish Ministry of Health in order to assess health technologies with the aid and leadership of the Spanish agencies. The clinical gain obtained with ACI is not very high, and the lack of a comparison group is the main limitation of this initiative, so it is not possible to know if ACI is better than other therapeutic options.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Animals
- Chondrocytes
- Drive
- Health
- Health Status
- Health Surveys
- Humans
- Knee
- Knee Injuries
- Knee Joint
- Language
- Osteochondritis Dissecans
- Personality
- Prostheses and Implants
- Questionnaires
- Technology Assessment, Biomedical
- methods
- utilization
- hsrmtgs
UI: 103141172
From Meeting Abstracts