03.06.2013 Views

APPENDICES - NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme

APPENDICES - NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme

APPENDICES - NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

198<br />

Appendix 13<br />

Study details Population details Treatment details Results Interpretation<br />

Authors’ conclusions<br />

MAL–PDT showed<br />

inferior efficacy for<br />

treatment of non-face/<br />

scalp AK compared with<br />

cryotherapy. However,<br />

both treatments showed<br />

high efficacy, and MAL–<br />

PDT conveyed the<br />

advantages of better<br />

cosmesis and higher<br />

patient preference<br />

Brief study appraisal<br />

The study was quite<br />

well conducted, but it<br />

was open in design and<br />

therefore there was<br />

potential for investigator/<br />

patient bias. The<br />

possibility of institutional<br />

differences and/or<br />

protocol deviation (24<br />

centres in four countries)<br />

affecting the reliability<br />

of results was illustrated<br />

by the wide variation of<br />

freeze–thaw timings used<br />

for cryotherapy<br />

Morbidity At wk 24 the mean reduction in lesion count from<br />

baseline was 78% for MAL–PDT and 88% for cryotherapy<br />

(per-protocol population) (p = 0.002), 95% CI of the bilateral<br />

difference (MAL–PDT/cryotherapy) was between –16.6% and<br />

3.9%. ITT (last observation carried forward) analysis confirmed<br />

this (75% reduction with MAL–PDT vs 87% with cryotherapy,<br />

p < 0.001). 76% (455) of lesions were cured with MAL–PDT<br />

vs 88% (490) with cryotherapy. The difference was similar for<br />

mild- and moderate-thickness lesions<br />

QoL and return to normal activity Investigator-assessed<br />

cosmetic outcome was significantly better for MAL–PDT than<br />

cryotherapy (p < 0.001). In the MAL–PDT group, 79% of lesions<br />

had an excellent cosmetic outcome, 19% good, 3% fair and 0%<br />

poor (compared with 56% excellent, 36% good, 8% fair and<br />

0.9% poor with cryotherapy). After 24 wk, 50% of patients<br />

preferred MAL–PDT in terms of cosmetic outcome compared<br />

with 22% for cryotherapy (p < 0.001). 28% had no preference<br />

(ITT analysis). Patients preferred MAL–PDT to cryotherapy for<br />

all questions in the patient questionnaire (between 12% and<br />

58% of difference). The differences were marked apart from<br />

effectiveness of treatment (39% favoured MAL–PDT vs 26%<br />

cryotherapy, not significant). Patients preferred MAL–PDT in<br />

terms of comfort (60% vs 10%, p < 0.001), procedure (49%<br />

vs 28%, p = 0.05) and healing (64% vs 6%, p < 0.001). Overall<br />

patient satisfaction favoured MAL–PDT (49% vs 20%, p < 0.001).<br />

If re-treatment was required 59% would prefer MAL–PDT over<br />

cryotherapy (25%, p < 0.001)<br />

AEs There were 63% patients with 99 AEs with cryotherapy<br />

vs 45% patients with 67 AEs with MAL–PDT. Most were<br />

dermatological and related to treatment. The most commonly<br />

reported AE for MAL–PDT was photosensitivity reaction<br />

(43% of patients with 63 AEs) and cold exposure injury for<br />

cryotherapy (62% patients with 95 AEs). Most were of mild<br />

intensity. Two patients in the cryotherapy group reported<br />

severe cold exposure injury<br />

Trial treatments MAL–PDT<br />

vs cryotherapy (withinparticipant<br />

comparison)<br />

Intervention MAL–PDT:<br />

After scraping of lesions,<br />

a 1-mm layer of 160-mg/g<br />

MAL cream was applied to<br />

each lesion (including 5 mm<br />

of surrounding tissue) for<br />

3 hr (under occlusion). After<br />

saline cleansing, a standard<br />

LED lamp illuminated lesions<br />

with narrow band red<br />

light (average 630 nm, dose<br />

37 J/cm2 , mean time 8 min<br />

36 s). Lesions with a non-CR<br />

were re-treated after 12 wk<br />

Comparator Cryotherapy:<br />

Double freeze–thaw<br />

cryotherapy using liquid<br />

nitrogen spray applied with<br />

a 1- to 2-mm frozen rim<br />

outside the lesion outline.<br />

Timing of freeze–thaw<br />

application was as per usual<br />

practice of each centre (mean<br />

time 20 s ± 14 s)<br />

Treatment intention<br />

Curative<br />

Type(s) of lesion<br />

and histology Nonhyperkeratotic<br />

AK<br />

Main eligibility criteria<br />

Males and non-pregnant<br />

women aged 18 or over,<br />

with a clinical diagnosis of<br />

non-hyperkeratotic AK, of<br />

mild or moderate thickness,<br />

on locations other than the<br />

face or scalp, were eligible<br />

for inclusion. Patients had to<br />

have at least four comparable<br />

symmetrical AKs, of similar<br />

severity and total number<br />

on both sides of the body.<br />

Further eligibility criteria<br />

were reported<br />

Patient characteristics<br />

% Male: 65<br />

Age range: 38–89 yr<br />

Mean age: 68.9 yr<br />

Cancer stage: Grade I, 687;<br />

grade II, 656<br />

Patients had (a mean of)<br />

six lesions per side. Further<br />

patient characteristics were<br />

reported<br />

Concomitant treatment<br />

Not stated<br />

Authors Kaufmann et<br />

al. (2008) 46<br />

Data source Full<br />

published paper<br />

Countries Australia,<br />

Belgium, Germany, UK<br />

Language English<br />

Study design RCT<br />

No. of participants<br />

Total: 121 (1343<br />

lesions)<br />

Intervention: 121 (691<br />

lesions)<br />

Comparator: 121 (652<br />

lesions)<br />

No. of recruiting<br />

centres 24<br />

Follow-up period<br />

and frequency FU<br />

at wk 12 and 24.<br />

Additional telephone<br />

calls were made at wk<br />

1 and 13 when patients<br />

were re-treated

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!