Abstract
AimsThe aim of this study was to assess screening costs in developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), to provide any clarity on the cost-effectiveness of various hip screening programmes internationally.MethodsA PROSPERO-registered systematic review was performed by examining cost analysis studies of various DDH screening programmes, including those based around clinical examination, selective ultrasound and universal ultrasound. Costs were analysed using narrative synthesis.ResultsThere were 14 studies included in this review. Two studies found that clinical hip screening is advantageous over no screening at all, both in terms of overall cost and favourable outcomes. When considering selective ultrasound imaging versus clinical screening, two studies found it to be more expensive, one found it cheaper and three studies calculated the overall programme costs to be similar. With universal ultrasound, four studies calculated this to be cheaper than clinical or selective ultrasound screening due to a reduced late detection and surgery rate. However, a comparable number of studies concluded that the increased financial costs of universal ultrasound were greater than the reduction in surgical costs. No studies included any long-term data.ConclusionThere is a dearth of information on DDH screening costs, with significant heterogeneity amongst the existing literature. Future research should include the cost analysis of long-term complications of DDH, including the social and psychological impact of early onset arthritis, as well as gender specific ultrasound screening programmes.
Highlights
Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a spectrum of disease ranging from mild acetabular dysplasia with a stable hip to complete dislocation with abnormal acetabular and femoral morphology
Newborn hip screening has been a topic of debate for a number of decades regarding the optimum strategy for early DDH detection
One additional study was added after searching the reference lists [8]—initially missed as there was no indication of screening costs in its title
Summary
Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a spectrum of disease ranging from mild acetabular dysplasia with a stable hip to complete dislocation with abnormal acetabular and femoral morphology. It affects up to 1% of live births and represents a significant public health issue globally [1, 2]. The benefits of early diagnosis and treatment are evident, with conservative measures such as Pavlik Harness splinting usually resulting in complete resolution of symptoms and normal growth and development thereafter [3]. Surgical treatment can be associated with less favourable outcomes, higher complication rates and longer hospital stays. Newborn hip screening has been a topic of debate for a number of decades regarding the optimum strategy for early DDH detection
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