AB0780 Cost utility analysis of total knee replacement in obese patients with osteoarthritis. prospective study with 12 months follow up

Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most prevalent diseases in developed countries. When symptoms are severe and affect the quality of life, total knee replacement (TKR) is often recommended. Economic evaluation(EE) of treatments used in order to promote more efficient use of resources is advised. In processes such as TKR, where quality of life is the most important clinical outcome to assess, cost-utility analysis, which allows comparison of two treatment alternatives in terms of costs and benefits and which uses quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), is the preferred type of EE. In Spain, an incremental cost of between €8,400 and €44,200 per QALY gained is generally accepted (Abellan JM et al).