Economic burden of bronchiectasis in Germany

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Health Economics

Background:

• Bronchiectasis is a chronic respiratory condition often underdiagnosed.
• Limited data exists on the economic impact and mortality associated with bronchiectasis in Europe.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the direct healthcare costs and mortality rates for incident bronchiectasis patients in Germany.
• To compare these outcomes with a matched control group.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study using German statutory health insurance data (4,859,013 individuals).
• Identified 231 incident bronchiectasis patients in 2012, matched with 685 controls.
• Followed patients for 3 years to assess healthcare expenditures, hospitalizations, antibiotic use, sick leave, and mortality.

Main Results:

• Bronchiectasis patients incurred total direct expenditures of EUR 18,634.57, 31% higher than controls.
• Hospitalization costs were 56% higher, with 4.9 more days in hospital.
• Antibiotic expenditures were nearly 5 times higher; patients experienced 40.5 sick-leave days, costing EUR 4230.49.
• 3-year mortality rate was 26.4% for bronchiectasis patients vs. 10.5% for controls (p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• Bronchiectasis imposes a substantial financial burden on the German healthcare system.
• The condition is associated with significantly increased mortality and morbidity.
• Further research and improved diagnostic strategies are warranted to address the impact of bronchiectasis.