Economic burden of severe asthma in Turkey: a cost of illness study from payer perspective

Objective. To estimate economic burden of severe asthma in Turkey from payer perspective based on expert panel opinion on practice patterns in clinical practice. Methods. This cost of illness study was based on identification of per patient annual direct medical costs for the management of sever easthma in Turkey from payer perspective. Average per patient direct medical cost was calculated based on cost items related to outpatient visits, laboratory and radiological tests, hospitalizations and interventions, drug treatment and equipment, and co-morbidities/complications. Results. Based on total annual per patient costs calculated for outpatient admission ($ 177.91), laboratory and radiological tests ($ 82.32), hospitalizations/interventions ($ 1,154.55), drug treatment/equipment ($ 2,289.63) and co-morbidities ($ 665.39) cost items, total per patient annual direct medical costrelated to management of severe asthma was calculated to be $ 4,369.76 from payer perspective. Drug treatment/equipment (52.4%) was the main cost driver in the management of severe asthma in Turkey, as followed by hospitalizations/interventions (26.4%) and co-morbidities (15.2%). Conclusions. In conclusion, our findings indicate that managing patients with severe asthma pose a considerable burden to health economics in Turkey, with medications as the main cost driver.