[Estimation of direct medical costs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease over 12 months].

UNLABELLED

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent and expensive disease, the burden of disease involving the patient, the family and also the society.

AIM

Estimation of direct medical costs of COPD in one patient, by adding the costs of all the medical events related to the disease over one year: exacerbations admitted to hospital or ambulatory, chronic treatments, follow-ups. Data were obtained using a questionnaire applied to 85 COPD patients approached in "Marius Nasta"lnstitute of Pulmonology in 2004.

RESULTS

85 patients were questionned, mean age was 62.5 years, mean FEV1 was 36.65% predicted (72 patients were GOLD stages Ill and IV). In the previous year they had a mean of 2.2 exacerbations. They received various chronic treatments (bronchodilators, inhaled steroids, combination therapy) but not constant, between 3 and 8 months per year. The direct medical costs of COPD per patient in one year were estimated at 5243.4 lei (1456.5 euro), 83% of costs represented the exacerbations (82.5% hospital admittances) and 17% the stable disease costs (16.5% chronic medication). Long term oxygen therapy, transportation, indirect costs were not included.

CONCLUSIONS

Even if the costs are underestimated, COPD remains an expensive disease especially due to hospital exacerbations. Cost-effective interventions are needed for preventing exacerbations, redistributing resources and improving patients quality of life.