Economic evidence for fatigue interventions covered few conditions and treatment options
A UK-focused review reported a more favorable economic comparison for personalized exercise than cognitive behavioral therapy, within a narrow set of chronic conditions.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
The included evidence gave personalized exercise a more favorable cost-and-outcome profile than cognitive behavioral therapy. Comparisons with usual care were less straightforward, and the studies covered only multiple sclerosis and inflammatory rheumatic conditions. The review therefore cannot establish which fatigue intervention offers the best value across chronic illnesses or for an individual patient.
The evidence covered few interventions and conditions, with several fatigue-related populations excluded. The abstract also omits the outcome unit underlying its monetary cost-effectiveness ratios, limiting interpretation of the economic estimates.
Economic dominance describes a comparative result
The review reported that personalized exercise economically dominated cognitive behavioral therapy, indicating a more favorable combination of costs and outcomes. This describes the included economic comparison rather than a universal ranking of fatigue treatments.
Usual care was another comparator
Cognitive behavioral therapy was sometimes economically dominated by usual care. Exercise comparisons with usual care had varying cost-effectiveness ratios. Without the outcome unit and fuller study details, those ratios cannot provide a complete value-for-money judgment.
The original publication
Cost effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions for fatigue in patients with long-term conditions: a systematic literature review.
Davis S, Mon-Yee M, Sutton A et al.
Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40685660
- Record checked
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