Costs of Hospital Admission on Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Immunology
• Health Economics
• Pharmacoeconomics

Background:

• Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PID) are inherited disorders causing recurrent infections and frequent hospitalizations.
• The economic burden of PID is substantial, necessitating studies on direct healthcare costs.
• Hospitalization costs serve as a key indicator for the direct economic impact of PID.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the direct medical costs associated with hospital admissions for pediatric patients with PID.
• To identify the main cost drivers during PID hospitalizations, particularly medication expenses.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 110 children diagnosed with PID was studied during their hospital admissions.
• Data on direct medical costs were collected from January 2011 to January 2012.
• Costs were calculated using the hospital information system, focusing on the admission period.

Main Results:

• The average medical cost per patient per admission was $7,090.
• Medications constituted approximately $1,580 of the total cost per admission.
• Anti-infective drugs, particularly immune sera, immunoglobulins, and antiviral agents, were the most expensive drug categories.

Conclusions:

• Hospitalization costs for PID patients provide valuable insights into the direct economic impact of these diseases.
• Identifying high-cost medications like anti-infectives and immunoglobulins is crucial for resource allocation.
• Estimating admission costs and drug utilization aids health policy formulation for managing PID.