Table 2

Summary of findings from studies included in this analysis

Authors, country	Population	Strategy	Cost-effective?
Enhanced recovery pathway
Brunenberg et al, The Netherlands37	THA and TKA	Conventional care	–
Brunenberg et al, The Netherlands37	THA and TKA	Joint Recovery Programme (pre-assessment and intensive rehabilitation)	Yes, more effective and less costly
Larsen et al, Denmark38	THA	Conventional care	–
	THA	Accelerated perioperative care and rehabilitation	Yes, more effective and less costly
	TKA	Conventional care	–
	TKA	Accelerated perioperative care and rehabilitation	Yes, less effective but less costly
Preoperative
McLawhorn et al, USA39	Morbid obese TKA	Immediate TKA	–
McLawhorn et al, USA39	Morbid obese TKA	Bariatric surgery, followed by TKA 2 years later	Yes
Fernandes et al, Denmark40	THA and TKA	Educational package	–
Fernandes et al, Denmark40	THA and TKA	Supervised neuromuscular exercise in addition to educational package	Yes, more effective and less costly
Courville et al, USA41	THA and TKA	Standard infection prevention measures without Staphylococcus aureus screening or mupirocin decolonisation OR preoperative nasal screening for S. aureus followed by mupirocin treatment for patients with positive cultures	–
Courville et al, USA41	THA and TKA	Empirical treatment of all preoperative patients with mupirocin	Yes, more effective and less costly
Intraoperative
Jackson et al, USA42	THA and TKA	Usual transfusion practice	–
Jackson et al, USA42	THA and TKA	Postoperative erythrocyte recovery and transfusion	No
Ramkumar et al, USA43	THA and TKA	No pharmacologic haemostatic agent OR single-dose intravenous aminocaproic acid	–
Ramkumar et al, USA43	THA and TKA	Single-dose intravenous tranexamic acid	Yes, more effective and less costly
Sonnenberg, USA44	THA	Usual practice without autologous donation	–
Sonnenberg, USA44	THA	Autologous blood donation and transfusion	Yes
Marques et al, UK45	THA and TKA	Standard anaesthesia	–
Marques et al, UK45	THA and TKA	Intraoperative local anaesthetic wound infiltration administered before wound closure in addition to standard anaesthesia	Yes, more effective and less costly
Cummins et al, USA46	THA	Conventional cement	–
Cummins et al, USA46	THA	Antibiotic-impregnated bone cement	Yes, more effective and less costly
Graves et al, UK^§47	THA	No systemic antibiotics, plain cement and conventional ventilation	–
Graves et al, UK^§47	THA	Systemic antibiotics, antibiotic-impregnated cement and conventional ventilation	Yes, more effective and less costly
Merollini et al, Australia48	THA	No antibiotic prophylaxis OR antibiotic prophylaxis OR antibiotic prophylaxis and laminar airflow	–
Merollini et al, Australia48	THA	Antibiotic prophylaxis and antibiotic-impregnated cement	Yes, more effective and less costly
Nherera et al, UK49	THA and TKA	Usual care	–
Nherera et al, UK49	THA and TKA	Single-use negative pressure wound therapy dressings	Yes, more effective and less costly
Postoperative
Fusco and Turchetti, Italy50	TKA	20 face-to-face rehabilitation sessions	–
Fusco and Turchetti, Italy50	TKA	10 face-to-face rehabilitation sessions plus 10 telesessions	Yes, same effectiveness but less costly
Kauppila et al, Finland51	TKA	Conventional orthopaedic care	–
Kauppila et al, Finland51	TKA	Multidisciplinary biopsychosocial outpatient rehabilitation programme	No
Smith et al, USA52	TKA	Telephone calls conveying general health messages	–
Smith et al, USA52	TKA	Telephonic health coaching and financial incentives to increase physical activity	Yes
Bolz et al, Australia53	THA	2-yearly routine follow-up OR follow-up at 3 months and 1 or 2 years	–
Bolz et al, Australia53	THA	No follow-up	Yes, more effective and less costly

THA, total hip arthroplasty; TKA, total knee arthroplasty.