Table 5

 Evidence of cost effectiveness for the proposed interventions

InterventionComparatorPerspectiveDurationDiscountingEffectivenessC1-C2E1-E2ICER
C1, total costs with intervention; C2, total costs with comparator; E1, effect with intervention; E2, effects with comparator; ICER, incremental cost effectiveness ratio, base case scenario; PUB, perforation, ulcer, or bleed; QALYs, quality adjusted life years.
ParacetamolIbuprofenInstitutional/payer6 monthsNoPUB averted$63000–112000995–980−3182
RofecoxibInstitutional/payer6 monthsNoPUB averted$63000–471000995–991−99512
CelecoxibInstitutional/payer6 monthsNoPUB averted$63000–474000995–990−89347
Ibuprofen+GI protectorInstitutional/payer6 monthsNoPUB averted$63000–556000995–988−68472
RofecoxibIbuprofenInstitutional/payer6 monthsNoPUB averted$471000–112000991–98031770
NSAIDsInstitutional/payer1 year3%PUB averted––4738
CelecoxibIbuprofenInstitutional/payer6 monthsNoPUB averted$474000–112000990–98033518
Ibuprofen+GI protectorIbuprofenInstitutional/payer6 monthsNoPUB averted$556000–112000988–98054146
NSAIDs+misoprostol (all patients with OA)NSAIDsCanadian Health services3 monthsNoPUB averted$32396–2562296–86684
NSAIDs+misoprostol (patients with OA aged ⩾65 years)NSAIDsCanadian Health services3 monthsNoPUB averted$28971–2562291–86644
Dicerhein+standard treatmentStandard treatmentSocietal9 monthsNoLequesne functionF2360–22722.2–1.288
THR (women, 60 years)Conventional treatmentSocietalLife5%QALYs$47649–1654404.16–2.16−17121
THR (men, ⩾85 years)Conventional treatmentSocietalLife5%QALYs$30580–214324.16–2.164754
THRNo THRSocietal1 yearNoQALYs$9990–00.84–0.2918164
THRNo THRNHSLife6%QALYs£4804–08.39–0573
THRNo THRIrish institutional2 yearsNoQALYs£472.06–074.2–48.819