Differences in pooled mean costs and effects (95% CI), incremental cost-effectiveness ratios, distribution of incremental cost-effect pairs around the quadrants of the cost-effectiveness planes and percentage of bootstrapped cost-effectiveness pairs located in the non-inferiority region of the cost-effectiveness planes
| Analysis | Sample size | Outcome | ∆C (95% CI) | ∆E (95% CI) | ICER | Distribution CE plane (%) | |||||
| PT | APM | € | Points | €/point | NE* | SE† | SW‡ | NW§ | Non-inferiority region | ||
| Main analysis – imputed dataset | 161 | 158 | IKDC (range: 0–100) | −1803 (−3008 to −838) | −4.0 (−8.3 to 0.2) | 449 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 97.5 | 0.0 | 97.3 |
| 161 | 158 | QALYs (range: 0–1) | −1803 (−3008 to −838) | −0.029 (−0.074 to 0.016) | 61 584 | 0.0 | 9.8 | 90.1 | 0.0 | 89.0 | |
| SA1 – complete cases | 89 | 81 | IKDC (range: 0–100) | −976 (−1365 to −589) | −7.0 (−11.5 to 2.5) | 139 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 99.9 | 0.0 | 66.9 |
| 89 | 81 | QALYs (range: 0–1) | −976 (−1365 to −589) | −0.024 (−0.077 to 0.030) | 40 667 | 0.0 | 18.9 | 81.1 | 0.0 | 88.8 | |
| SA2 – human capital approach | 161 | 158 | IKDC (range: 0–100) | −1866 (−3129 to −871) | −4.0 (−8.3 to 0.2) | 465 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 97.4 | 0.0 | 97.3 |
| 161 | 158 | QALYs (range: 0–1) | −1866 (−3129 to −871) | −0.029 (−0.074 to 0.016) | 63 741 | 0.0 | 9.8 | 90.1 | 0.0 | 89.0 | |
| SA3 – healthcare perspective | 161 | 158 | IKDC (range: 0–100) | −1120 (−1767 to −707) | −4.0 (−8.3 to 0.2) | 279 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 97.4 | 0.0 | 97.5 |
| 161 | 158 | QALYs (range: 0–1) | −1120 (−1767 to −707) | −0.029 (−0.074 to 0.016) | 38 269 | 0.0 | 9.8 | 90.2 | 0.0 | 89.0 | |
|
SA4 – as-treated analysis PT (≥16 sessions) | 97 | 150 | IKDC (range: 0–100) | −3073 (−4280 to −2150) | −3.0 (−7.5 to 1.4) | 1010 | 0.0 | 8.4 | 91.5 | 0.0 | 98.6 |
| 97 | 150 | QALYs (range: 0–1) | −3073 (−4280 to −2150) | 0.021 (−0.024 to 0.065) | −148,866 | 0.0 | 81.6 | 18.4 | 0.0 | 99.9 | |
| Delayed APM | 47 | 150 | IKDC (range: 0–100) | 525 (−1312 to 2272) | −6.0 (−13.1 to 1.1) | −88 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 25.4 | 70.8 | 43.4 |
| 47 | 150 | QALYs (range: 0–1) | 525 (−1312 to 2272) | −0.108 (−0.185 to −0.032) | −4850 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 27.7 | 72.1 | 7.5 | |
*Refers to the NE of the CE plane, indicating that PT is more effective and more costly than APM.
†Refers to the SE of the CE plane, indicating that PT is more effective and less costly than APM.
‡Refers to the SW of the CE plane, indicating that PT is less effective and less costly than APM.
§Refers to the NW of the CE plane, indicating that PT is less effective and more costly than APM.
APM, arthroscopic partial meniscectomy; C, costs; CE plane, cost-effectiveness plane; E, effects; ICER, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio; IKDC, International Knee Documentation Committee;NE, northeast; NW, northwest; PT, physical therapy; QALYs, quality-adjusted life years; SA, sensitivity analysis; SE, southeast; SW, southwest.