scholarly journals Computerised speech and language therapy or attention control added to usual care for people with long-term post-stroke aphasia: the Big CACTUS three-arm RCT

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (19) ◽  
pp. 1-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Palmer ◽  
Munyaradzi Dimairo ◽  
Nicholas Latimer ◽  
Elizabeth Cross ◽  
Marian Brady ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Usual Care ◽  
Quality Adjusted Life Year ◽  
Attention Control ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Word Finding ◽  
Quality Adjusted Life

Background People with aphasia may improve their communication with speech and language therapy many months/years after stroke. However, NHS speech and language therapy reduces in availability over time post stroke. Objective This trial evaluated the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of self-managed computerised speech and language therapy to provide additional therapy. Design A pragmatic, superiority, single-blind, parallel-group, individually randomised (stratified block randomisation, stratified by word-finding severity and site) adjunct trial. Setting Twenty-one UK NHS speech and language therapy departments. Participants People with post-stroke aphasia (diagnosed by a speech and language therapist) with long-standing (> 4 months) word-finding difficulties. Interventions The groups were (1) usual care; (2) daily self-managed computerised word-finding therapy tailored by speech and language therapists and supported by volunteers/speech and language therapy assistants for 6 months plus usual care (computerised speech and language therapy); and (3) activity/attention control (completion of puzzles and receipt of telephone calls from a researcher for 6 months) plus usual care. Main outcome measures Co-primary outcomes – change in ability to find treated words of personal relevance in a bespoke naming test (impairment) and change in functional communication in conversation rated on the activity scale of the Therapy Outcome Measures (activity) 6 months after randomisation. A key secondary outcome was participant-rated perception of communication and quality of life using the Communication Outcomes After Stroke questionnaire at 6 months. Outcomes were assessed by speech and language therapists using standardised procedures. Cost-effectiveness was estimated using treatment costs and an accessible EuroQol-5 Dimensions, five-level version, measuring quality-adjusted life-years. Results A total of 818 patients were assessed for eligibility and 278 participants were randomised between October 2014 and August 2016. A total of 240 participants (86 usual care, 83 computerised speech and language therapy, 71 attention control) contributed to modified intention-to-treat analysis at 6 months. The mean improvements in word-finding were 1.1% (standard deviation 11.2%) for usual care, 16.4% (standard deviation 15.3%) for computerised speech and language therapy and 2.4% (standard deviation 8.8%) for attention control. Computerised speech and language therapy improved word-finding 16.2% more than usual care did (95% confidence interval 12.7% to 19.6%; p < 0.0001) and 14.4% more than attention control did (95% confidence interval 10.8% to 18.1%). Most of this effect was maintained at 12 months (n = 219); the mean differences in change in word-finding score were 12.7% (95% confidence interval 8.7% to 16.7%) higher in the computerised speech and language therapy group (n = 74) than in the usual-care group (n = 84) and 9.3% (95% confidence interval 4.8% to 13.7%) higher in the computerised speech and language therapy group than in the attention control group (n = 61). Computerised speech and language therapy did not show significant improvements on the Therapy Outcome Measures or Communication Outcomes After Stroke scale compared with usual care or attention control. Primary cost-effectiveness analysis estimated an incremental cost per participant of £732.73 (95% credible interval £674.23 to £798.05). The incremental quality-adjusted life-year gain was 0.017 for computerised speech and language therapy compared with usual care, but its direction was uncertain (95% credible interval –0.05 to 0.10), resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of £42,686 per quality-adjusted life-year gained. For mild and moderate word-finding difficulty subgroups, incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were £22,371 and £28,898 per quality-adjusted life-year gained, respectively, for computerised speech and language therapy compared with usual care. Limitations This trial excluded non-English-language speakers, the accessible EuroQol-5 Dimensions, five-level version, was not validated and the measurement of attention control fidelity was limited. Conclusions Computerised speech and language therapy enabled additional self-managed speech and language therapy, contributing to significant improvement in finding personally relevant words (as specifically targeted by computerised speech and language therapy) long term post stroke. Gains did not lead to improvements in conversation or quality of life. Cost-effectiveness is uncertain owing to uncertainty around the quality-adjusted life-year gain, but computerised speech and language therapy may be more cost-effective for participants with mild and moderate word-finding difficulties. Exploring ways of helping people with aphasia to use new words in functional communication contexts is a priority. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN68798818. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 24, No. 19. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information. The Tavistock Trust for Aphasia provided additional support to enable people in the control groups to experience the intervention after the trial had ended.

scholarly journals Self-managed, computerised word finding therapy as an add-on to usual care for chronic aphasia post-stroke: An economic evaluation

2020 ◽  
pp. 026921552097534
Author(s):  
Nicholas R Latimer ◽  
Arjun Bhadhuri ◽  
Abu O Alshreef ◽  
Rebecca Palmer ◽  
Elizabeth Cross ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Usual Care ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Life Time ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Quality Adjusted Life Year ◽  
Post Stroke ◽  
Word Finding ◽  
The Cost

Objective: To examine the cost-effectiveness of self-managed computerised word finding therapy as an add-on to usual care for people with aphasia post-stroke. Design: Cost-effectiveness modelling over a life-time period, taking a UK National Health Service (NHS) and personal social service perspective. Setting: Based on the Big CACTUS randomised controlled trial, conducted in 21 UK NHS speech and language therapy departments. Participants: Big CACTUS included 278 people with long-standing aphasia post-stroke. Interventions: Computerised word finding therapy plus usual care; usual care alone; usual care plus attention control. Main measures: Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) were calculated, comparing the cost per quality adjusted life year (QALY) gained for each intervention. Credible intervals (CrI) for costs and QALYs, and probabilities of cost-effectiveness, were obtained using probabilistic sensitivity analysis. Subgroup and scenario analyses investigated cost-effectiveness in different subsets of the population, and the sensitivity of results to key model inputs. Results: Adding computerised word finding therapy to usual care had an ICER of £42,686 per QALY gained compared with usual care alone (incremental QALY gain: 0.02 per patient (95% CrI: −0.05 to 0.10); incremental costs: £732.73 per patient (95% CrI: £674.23 to £798.05)). ICERs for subgroups with mild or moderate word finding difficulties were £22,371 and £21,262 per QALY gained respectively. Conclusion: Computerised word finding therapy represents a low cost add-on to usual care, but QALY gains and estimates of cost-effectiveness are uncertain. Computerised therapy is more likely to be cost-effective for people with mild or moderate, as opposed to severe, word finding difficulties.

scholarly journals Interventions based on early intensive applied behaviour analysis for autistic children: a systematic review and cost-effectiveness analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (35) ◽  
pp. 1-306
Author(s):  
Mark Rodgers ◽  
David Marshall ◽  
Mark Simmonds ◽  
Ann Le Couteur ◽  
Mousumi Biswas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Quality Adjusted Life Year ◽  
Mean Difference ◽  
Autistic Children ◽  
Behaviour Analysis ◽  
Applied Behaviour Analysis ◽  
Quality Adjusted Life

Background Early intensive applied behaviour analysis-based interventions are intensive interventions for autistic children that are often delivered on a one-to-one basis for 20–50 hours per week. Objectives To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of early intensive applied behaviour analysis-based interventions for autistic children, based on current evidence. Methods A systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of an early intensive applied behaviour analysis-based intervention for autistic children. An economic analysis included a review of existing analyses and the development of a new model. Results Twenty studies were included in the clinical review. Individual participant data were retrieved from 15 of these studies. Results favoured the interventions when assessing adaptive behaviour after 2 years compared with treatment as usual/eclectic interventions (mean difference 7.00, 95% confidence interval 1.95 to 12.06). In analyses of cognitive ability (intelligence quotient), results favoured the interventions by approximately 10 points after 1 year (mean difference 9.16, 95% confidence interval 4.38 to 13.93) and 2 years (mean difference 14.13, 95% confidence interval 9.16 to 19.10). Evidence for other outcomes was limited and meta-analyses were generally inconclusive. There was no evidence that the effect of the interventions varied with characteristics of the children, but data were limited. Adopting a £30,000 per quality-adjusted life-year threshold, the results of the cost-effectiveness analysis indicate that early intensive applied behaviour analysis-based interventions would need to generate larger benefits or cost savings to be cost-effective. Adopting a public sector perspective and making pessimistic assumptions about long-term effects, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for early intensive applied behaviour analysis-based therapy compared with treatment as usual is £189,122 per quality-adjusted life-year. When optimistic assumptions are made, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio is £46,768 per quality-adjusted life-year. Scenario analyses indicated that these interventions can potentially be cost-effective if long-term improvements persist into adulthood, or if they have significant impact on educational placement. Care should be taken when interpreting these scenarios owing to the limited data. Limitations All included studies were at risk of bias, there was substantial heterogeneity and effects varied considerably across studies. The effect of intervention on autism symptom severity, language development and school placement remains uncertain because of the limited data. The long-term effects are unclear owing to a lack of follow-up data. Conclusions This review found limited evidence that early intensive applied behaviour analysis-based interventions may improve cognitive ability and adaptive behaviour, but the long-term impact of the interventions remains unknown. The economic analysis is constrained by the limited effectiveness evidence, but suggests that these interventions are unlikely to be cost-effective unless clear long-term benefits, or a substantial change in which schools children attend, can be identified. Future work Further studies into the effectiveness of early intensive applied behaviour analysis-based interventions may be warranted if they include well-defined, alternative interventions as comparators and collect relevant outcomes. Consideration should be given to future studies that not only address whether or not early intensive applied behaviour analysis-based interventions are clinically effective, but also aim to identify which components of early intensive applied behaviour analysis-based interventions might drive effectiveness. Study registration This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42017068303. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 24, No. 35. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

scholarly journals Cost-effectiveness of speech and language therapy plus scalp acupuncture versus speech and language therapy alone for community-based patients with Broca’s aphasia after stroke: a post hoc analysis of data from a randomised controlled trial

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. e046609
Author(s):  
Zhizhen Liu ◽  
Jia Huang ◽  
Ying Xu ◽  
Jingsong Wu ◽  
Jing Tao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Incremental Cost ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Scalp Acupuncture ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Broca's Aphasia ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Broca’S Aphasia ◽  
Life Years

ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of combined scalp acupuncture therapy with speech and language therapy for patients with Broca’s aphasia after stroke.DesignA within-trial cost-effectiveness analysis.SettingsCommunity health centres.SubjectsA total of 203 participants with Broca’s aphasia after stroke who had been randomly assigned to receive scalp acupuncture with speech and language therapy (intervention) or speech and language therapy alone (control).InterventionBoth groups underwent speech and language therapy (30 min per day, 5 days a week, for 4 weeks), while the intervention group simultaneously received scalp acupuncture.Primary outcomesAll outcomes were collected at baseline, and after the 4-week intervention and 12-week follow-up. Cost-effectiveness measures included the Chinese Rehabilitation Research Center Standard Aphasia Examination (CRRCAE) and Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (BDAE). Cost–utility was evaluated using quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were expressed, and sensitivity analysis was conducted.ResultsThe total cost to deliver the intervention was €4001.72, whereas it was €4323.57 for the control group. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios showed that the intervention was cost-effective (€495.1 per BDAE grade gained; €1.8 per CRRCAE score gained; €4597.1 per QALYs gained) relative to the control over the 12 weeks. The intervention had a 56.4% probability of being cost-effective at the ¥50 696 (€6905.87) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita threshold. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the results.ConclusionsCompared with speech and language therapy alone, the addition of scalp acupuncture was cost-effective in Chinese communities. As the costs of acupuncture services in China are likely to differ from other countries, these results should be carefully interpreted and remain to be confirmed in other populations.Trial registration numberChiCTR-TRC-13003703.

Mobile Multimedia for Speech and Language Therapy

2011 ◽  
pp. 74-84
Author(s):  
Nina Reeves ◽  
Sally Jo Cunningham ◽  
Laura Jefferies ◽  
Catherine Harris
Keyword(s):  
Multimedia Applications ◽  
Mobile Multimedia ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Word Finding ◽  
Assessment And Monitoring ◽  
Spoken Language Skills ◽  
Drill And Practice

Aphasia is a speech disorder usually caused by stroke or head injury (Armstrong, 1993). Related communication difficulties can include word finding, speaking, listening, writing, and using numbers (FAST, 2004). It is most commonly acquired by people at middle age or older, as a result of stroke or other brain injury. Speech and language therapy is “the process of enabling people to communicate to the best of their ability” (RCSLT, 2004). Treatment, advice, and support are provided based on assessment and monitoring activities that conventionally are carried out in face-to-face sessions. This chapter considers issues in providing technology to continue to support aphasic patients between therapy sessions, through multimedia applications for drill-and-practice in vocalizing speech sounds. Existing paper therapy aids are generally designed to be used under the guidance of a therapist. Multimedia applications enable people with aphasia to practise spoken language skills independently between sessions, and mobile multimedia speech and language therapy devices offer still greater promise for blending treatment and support into an aphasic person’s daily life.

scholarly journals Adrenaline to improve survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: the PARAMEDIC2 RCT

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (25) ◽  
pp. 1-166
Author(s):  
Gavin D Perkins ◽  
Chen Ji ◽  
Felix Achana ◽  
John JM Black ◽  
Karl Charlton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Confidence Interval ◽  
Incremental Cost ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Adjusted Odds Ratio ◽  
Quality Adjusted Life Year ◽  
Neurological Outcomes ◽  
Hospital Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Quality Adjusted Life

Background Adrenaline has been used as a treatment for cardiac arrest for many years, despite uncertainty about its effects on long-term outcomes and concerns that it may cause worse neurological outcomes. Objectives The objectives were to evaluate the effects of adrenaline on survival and neurological outcomes, and to assess the cost-effectiveness of adrenaline use. Design This was a pragmatic, randomised, allocation-concealed, placebo-controlled, parallel-group superiority trial and economic evaluation. Costs are expressed in Great British pounds and reported in 2016/17 prices. Setting This trial was set in five NHS ambulance services in England and Wales. Participants Adults treated for an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest were included. Patients were ineligible if they were pregnant, if they were aged < 16 years, if the cardiac arrest had been caused by anaphylaxis or life-threatening asthma, or if adrenaline had already been given. Interventions Participants were randomised to either adrenaline (1 mg) or placebo in a 1 : 1 allocation ratio by the opening of allocation-concealed treatment packs. Main outcome measures The primary outcome was survival to 30 days. The secondary outcomes were survival to hospital admission, survival to hospital discharge, survival at 3, 6 and 12 months, neurological outcomes and health-related quality of life through to 6 months. The economic evaluation assessed the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained from the perspective of the NHS and Personal Social Services. Participants, clinical teams and those assessing patient outcomes were masked to the treatment allocation. Results From December 2014 to October 2017, 8014 participants were assigned to the adrenaline (n = 4015) or to the placebo (n = 3999) arm. At 30 days, 130 out of 4012 participants (3.2%) in the adrenaline arm and 94 out of 3995 (2.4%) in the placebo arm were alive (adjusted odds ratio for survival 1.47, 95% confidence interval 1.09 to 1.97). For secondary outcomes, survival to hospital admission was higher for those receiving adrenaline than for those receiving placebo (23.6% vs. 8.0%; adjusted odds ratio 3.83, 95% confidence interval 3.30 to 4.43). The rate of favourable neurological outcome at hospital discharge was not significantly different between the arms (2.2% vs. 1.9%; adjusted odds ratio 1.19, 95% confidence interval 0.85 to 1.68). The pattern of improved survival but no significant improvement in neurological outcomes continued through to 6 months. By 12 months, survival in the adrenaline arm was 2.7%, compared with 2.0% in the placebo arm (adjusted odds ratio 1.38, 95% confidence interval 1.00 to 1.92). An adjusted subgroup analysis did not identify significant interactions. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for adrenaline was estimated at £1,693,003 per quality-adjusted life-year gained over the first 6 months after the cardiac arrest event and £81,070 per quality-adjusted life-year gained over the lifetime of survivors. Additional economic analyses estimated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for adrenaline at £982,880 per percentage point increase in overall survival and £377,232 per percentage point increase in neurological outcomes over the first 6 months after the cardiac arrest. Limitations The estimate for survival with a favourable neurological outcome is imprecise because of the small numbers of patients surviving with a good outcome. Conclusions Adrenaline improved long-term survival, but there was no evidence that it significantly improved neurological outcomes. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio per quality-adjusted life-year exceeds the threshold of £20,000–30,000 per quality-adjusted life-year usually supported by the NHS. Future work Further research is required to better understand patients’ preferences in relation to survival and neurological outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and to aid interpretation of the trial findings from a patient and public perspective. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN73485024 and EudraCT 2014-000792-11. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 25, No. 25. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Mobile Multimedia for Speech and Language Therapy

2009 ◽  
pp. 3529-3539
Author(s):  
Nina Reeves ◽  
Sally Jo Cunningham ◽  
Laura Jefferies ◽  
Catherine Harris
Keyword(s):  
Multimedia Applications ◽  
Mobile Multimedia ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Word Finding ◽  
Communication Difficulties ◽  
Assessment And Monitoring ◽  
Spoken Language Skills

Aphasia is a speech disorder usually caused by stroke or head injury (Armstrong; 1993). Related communication difficulties can include word finding; speaking; listening; writing; and using numbers (FAST; 2004). It is most commonly acquired by people at middle age or older; as a result of stroke or other brain injury. Speech and language therapy is “the process of enabling people to communicate to the best of their ability” (RCSLT; 2004). Treatment; advice; and support are provided based on assessment and monitoring activities that conventionally are carried out in face-to-face sessions. This chapter considers issues in providing technology to continue to support aphasic patients between therapy sessions; through multimedia applications for drill-andpractice in vocalizing speech sounds. Existing paper therapy aids are generally designed to be used under the guidance of a therapist. Multimedia applications enable people with aphasia to practise spoken language skills independently between sessions; and mobile multimedia speech and language therapy devices offer still greater promise for blending treatment and support into an aphasic person’s daily life.

Computerised speech and language therapy can help people with aphasia find words following a stroke

BMJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. m520
Author(s):  
Rob Cook ◽  
Peter Davidson ◽  
Rosie Martin
Keyword(s):  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Technology Assessment ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Health Technology ◽  
Attention Control ◽  
Speech And Language ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Speech And Language Therapy ◽  
Health Technology Assessment Programme ◽  
Randomised Controlled

The study Palmer R, Dimairo M, Cooper C, et al. Self-managed, computerised speech and language therapy for patients with chronic aphasia post-stroke compared with usual care or attention control (Big CACTUS): a multicentre, single-blinded, randomised controlled trial. Lancet Neurol 2019;18:821-33. This project was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme (project number 12/21/01) and the Tavistock Trust for Aphasia. To read the full NIHR Signal, go to: https://discover.dc.nihr.ac.uk/content/signal-000864/after-a-stroke-computerised-speech-and-language-therapy-can-help-people-find-words

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