10-kHz high-frequency spinal cord stimulation for adults with chronic noncancer pain: a health technology assessment

Ontario Health (Quality)
Record ID 32018000391
English
Authors' objectives: This health technology assessment evaluates the effectiveness, safety, cost-effectiveness, and budget impact of publicly funding 10-kHz high-frequency spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for adults with chronic noncancer pain that is refractory to medical management.It also evaluates the experiences, preferences, and values of people living with chronic noncancer pain.
Authors' results and conclusions: Results We included 5 studies (7 publications) in the clinical evidence review. Overall, 10-kHz high-frequency SCS likely provides reductions in pain intensity and functional disability, and improvements in quality of life in people with chronic noncancer pain (GRADE: Moderate). As well, patients may reduce their opioid consumption with 10-kHz high-frequency SCS (GRADE: Low). The two included economic evaluations found that 10-kHz high-frequency SCS was cost-saving compared with conventional SCS, but neither was applicable to the Ontario context. Owing to limited evidence about the effectiveness of 10-kHz high-frequency SCS in people who have first tried and failed SCS at lower frequencies (up to 1.2 kHz), we did not conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing this pathway of care and 10-kHz high-frequency SCS for Ontario. Publicly funding 10-kHz high-frequency SCS (using the Freedom SCS system) in Ontario over the next 5 years would lead to a total net cost savings of $0.73 million (ranging from about $0.10 million in year 1 to about $0.21 million in year 5). However, if the province outsourced this therapy using the Senza HF10 SCS system, the total 5-year budget impact would be about $8.76 million. The people we spoke with who had chronic noncancer pain reported that their pain had a substantial negative impact on their activities and emotional well-being. Their direct knowledge of different pain therapies allowed them to provide context and comparisons when they discussed the impact of SCS on their chronic pain. Conclusions For adults with chronic noncancer pain that was refractory to medical management, 10-kHz high-frequency SCS was effective in relieving pain, reducing disability, and improving quality of life. Because there was limited evidence about the effectiveness of 10-kHz high-frequency SCS in people who had first tried and failed SCS at lower frequencies (up to 1.2 kHz), we were unable to determine whether 10-kHz high-frequency SCS is cost-effective in the Ontario context. We estimate that publicly funding 10-kHz high-frequency SCS in Ontario would result in cost savings of about $0.10 million to $0.21 million per year, for a potential total 5-year net cost savings of about $0.73 million. Although people with chronic noncancer pain knew little about SCS before they received it, they reported that it reduced their level of chronic pain, leading to improvements in function and their ability to perform activities of daily living.
Authors' recommendations: The Quality business unit at Ontario Health, based on guidance from the Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee, recommends publicly funding spinal cord stimulation at frequencies up to and including 10 kHz in adults with chronic noncancer pain that is refractory to medical management
Authors' methods: We performed a systematic literature search of the clinical evidence. We assessed the risk of bias of each included study using the Cochrane Risk of Bias and ROBINS-I tools and the quality of the body of evidence according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Working Group criteria. We performed a systematic economic literature search. We analyzed the 5-year budget impact of publicly funding 10-kHz high-frequency SCS in Ontario for adults with chronic noncancer pain who had already tried other available SCS therapies (up to 1.2 kHz). To contextualize the potential value of 10-kHz high-frequency SCS, we spoke with people who had chronic noncancer pain.
Details
Project Status: Completed
Year Published: 2020
Requestor: Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee (OHTAC); Ontario Ministry of Health
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Full HTA
Country: Canada
Province: Ontario
Pubmed ID: 32194881
MeSH Terms
  • Pain
  • Spinal Cord Stimulation
  • Ontario
  • Chronic Pain
Keywords
  • noncancer pain
  • spinal cord stimulation
  • 10-kHz high-frequency
Contact
Organisation Name: Ontario Health
Contact Address: 130 Bloor Street West, 10th Floor
Contact Name: Nancy Sikich
Contact Email: OH-HQO_hta-reg@ontariohealth.ca
Copyright: © Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2020 The copyright for all Ontario Health publications is owned by the Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Materials may be reproduced for commercial purposes only under a licence from the Queen’s Printer. For further information or to request a licence to reproduce content, please contact: Senior Copyright Advisor Publications Ontario 416-326-5153 copyright@ontario.ca
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.