[Management of chronic non-terminal renal failure in childhood. Estimation of mean annual cost].

We have calculated the mean annual cost (MAC) referred to 1,988 pesetas derived from the treatment and surveillance of 15 patients diagnosed of non terminal chronic renal failure (NT-CRF). The patients were aged between 1 month and 12 years at the moment of diagnosis and they were followed-up for five years at least. We have differentiated among costs from hospitalization, pharmacological treatment and outpatient control which were respectively 455,400, 47,798 and 57,917 pesetas/patient year. The costs from hospitalization decreased progressively every year after diagnosis being of 21,211 pesetas/patient year at the 5th year from diagnosis. The 30.1% of pharmacological treatment costs were due to the use of alkalines, 23.4% to phosphorus quelants (calcic carbonate mainly) and 27.3% to the active forms of vitamin D3. The outpatient surveillance costs corresponded 24,000 pesetas/year to staff expenses, 27,492 pesetas/year to laboratory work-up and 6,424 pesetas/year to radiological examination. We conclude that the total MAC for children with NT-CRF eas 561,115 pesetas/patient being the hospitalizations costs the most important concept (81.2%), followed by ambulatory care (10.3% and drug treatment (8.5%).