A long term follow-up of the effect of Naprapathic Manual therapy (RCT)

Title

DANCE trial – a long term follow-up of the effect of Naprapathic Manual therapy (RCT)

Background

Orthopedic waiting lists are among the longest, and non-surgical patients often get extra efforts and investigations which is not cost-effective. The problem is well known and there is a knowledge gap regarding how to handle this situation. We have evaluated the effect of manual treatment for “non-surgical” patients’ referral in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) showing that manual treatment resulted in more improvement to lower costs, than the care given by the orthopedic surgeon. Data from a long long-term follow-up (8 years) is now analysed in two manuscripts.

Objective

To compare treatment effects and costs of manual therapy and “standard orthopedic care” eight years after inclusion in a randomized controlled trial.

Method

An RCT and a health economic study. Pain and physical function were measured with SF36 and VAS. For the economic evaluation SF6D (QoL and QALYs) and DRG are used as well as the probability theory, Markov model.

Significance

Preliminary results of the long-term follow-up show that the patients in the manual therapy group continues to improve. The number of care interventions and cost remains significantly lower in the manual therapy group.

Research Principle

Blekinge Institute of Technology

Funding

Landstinget Blekinge, EU-funding, Swedish Naprapathic Association, Blekinge forskningsråd.

Contact

Technology Dr. Stina Lilje – Primary Investigator, stina.lilje@shh.se
Professor Eva Skillgate – Research group leader for Musculoskeletal & Sports Injury Epidemiology Center, eva.skillgate@shh.se