title: EQ-5D in Central and Eastern Europe: 2000-2015.
abstract: Cost per quality-adjusted life year data are required for reimbursement decisions in many Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. EQ-5D is by far the most commonly used instrument to generate utility values in CEE. This study aims to systematically review the literature on EQ-5D from eight CEE countries.
  
  
  
  An electronic database search was performed up to 1 July 2015 to identify original EQ-5D studies from the countries of interest. We analysed the use of EQ-5D with respect to clinical areas, methodological rigor, population norms and value sets.
  
  
  
  We identified 143 studies providing 152 country-specific results with a total sample size of 81,619: Austria (n = 11), Bulgaria (n = 6), Czech Republic (n = 18), Hungary (n = 47), Poland (n = 51), Romania (n = 2), Slovakia (n = 3) and Slovenia (n = 14). Cardiovascular (21 %), neurologic (17 %), musculoskeletal (15 %) and endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (13 %) were the most frequently studied clinical areas. Overall, 112 (78 %) of the studies reported EQ VAS results and 86 (60 %) EQ-5D index scores, of which 27 (31 %) did not specify the applied tariff. Hungary, Poland and Slovenia have population norms. Poland and Slovenia also have a national value set.
  
  
  
  Increasing use of EQ-5D is observed throughout CEE. The spread of health technology assessment activities in countries seems to be reflected in the number of EQ-5D studies. However, improvement in informed use and methodological quality of reporting is needed. In jurisdictions where no national value set is available, in order to ensure comparability we recommend to apply the most frequently used UK tariff. Regional collaboration between CEE countries should be strengthened.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Economics, Corvinus University of Budapest, Fővám tér 8., Budapest, H-1093, Hungary.|Semmelweis University Doctoral School of Clinical Medicine, Üllői út 26., Budapest, H-1085, Hungary.
authors.forename: Fanni
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rencz
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Economics, Corvinus University of Budapest, Fővám tér 8., Budapest, H-1093, Hungary. laszlo.gulacsi@uni-corvinus.hu.
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gulácsi
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Economics, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drummond
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland, ul. Banacha 1b, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Golicki
authors.affiliation: Institute for Economic Research, Kardeljeva ploščad 17, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Prevolnik Rupel
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Economics, Centre for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15/1, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Judit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Elly A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Stolk
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Economics, Corvinus University of Budapest, Fővám tér 8., Budapest, H-1093, Hungary.
authors.forename: Valentin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brodszky
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Economics, Corvinus University of Budapest, Fővám tér 8., Budapest, H-1093, Hungary.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baji
authors.affiliation: Institute of Rheumatology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Na Slupi 4, 128 00, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jakub
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Závada
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Pharmacy and Pharmacoeconomics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Guenka
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petrova
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Medicine, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 22660, 1100 DD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alexandru
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rotar
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Economics, Corvinus University of Budapest, Fővám tér 8., Budapest, H-1093, Hungary.
authors.forename: Márta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Péntek
mesh_terms: D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005060:Europe; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Central and Eastern Europe; Cost-effectiveness analysis; EQ-5D; Health technology assessment; Health-related quality of life; Value sets