Cath lab costs in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary angioplasty - detailed analysis of consecutive procedures

Costs of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) have an important impact on health care expenditures. Despite the present stress upon the cost-effectiveness issues in medicine, few comprehensive data exist on costs and resource use in different clinical settings.

To assess catheterisation laboratory costs related to use of drugs and single-use devices in patients undergoing PCI due to coronary artery disease.

Retrospective analysis of 1500 consecutive PCIs (radial approach, n = 1103; femoral approach, n = 397) performed due to ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI; n = 345) and non ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI; n = 426) as well as unstable angina (UA; n = 489) and stable angina (SA; n = 241) was undertaken. Comparative cost analysis was performed and shown in local currency units (PLN).

The cath lab costs were higher in STEMI (4295.01 ± 2384.54PLN, p < 0.001) compared to NSTEMI (3493.40 ± 1907.43 PLN, p < 0.001), UA (3206.31 ± 1692.82 PLN, p < 0.001) and SA patients (3138.91 ± 1427.62 PLN, p < 0.001). They were higher in males than in females (3668.9 ± 2095.2 vs. 3292.0 ± 1656.0 PLN, p < 0.05). In females PCIs performed via radial approach were more expensive than via femoral approach (3360.4 ± 1540.1 vs. 3135.5 ± 1890.3 PLN, p < 0.01). In all subgroups analysed, costs were positively correlated with X-ray dose, fluoroscopy, and total procedure times. Patients' age negatively correlated with cath lab costs in STEMI/NSTEMI patients.

Cath lab costs were higher in STEMI patients compared to other groups. In STEMI/NSTEMI they were lower in older patients. In all analysed groups costs were related to the level of procedural difficulty. In female patients, the costs of PCI performed via radial approach were higher compared to femoral approach. Despite younger age, male patients underwent more expensive procedures.