Systematic review of economic evaluations investigating education, exercise, and dietary weight management to manage hip and knee osteoarthritis: protocol

Background: International guidelines recommend education, exercise, and dietary weight management as core treatments to manage osteoarthritis (OA) regardless of disease severity or co-morbidity. Evidence supports the clinical effectiveness of OA management programs, but the cost-effectiveness of core treatments remains unclear. We will systematically review, synthesize, and assess the literature in economic evaluations of core treatments (education, exercise, and dietary weight management) for the management of hip and/or knee OA.

Methods: We will search the following elecftronic databases (from inception onwards): MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), National Health Services Economic Evaluation Database, and EconLit. Economic evaluations alongside randomized or nonrandomized clinical trials investigating OA education, exercise, and dietary weight management interventions will be included. Title, abstract, and full text of relevant publications will be screened independently by two reviewers. A content matter expert will resolve any conflicts between two reviewers. Key information from relevant papers will be extracted and tabulated to provide an overview of the published literature. Methodological quality will be evaluated using the Consensus on Health Economic Criteria list. A narrative synthesis without meta-analysis will be conducted. Subgroup analysis will attempt to find trends between research methods, intervention characteristics, and results.

Discussion: The findings of this review will evaluate the breadth and quality of economic evaluations conducted alongside clinical trials for core treatments in OA management.

Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42020155964.