Healthcare resource utilization and costs in pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension in a third-level hospital in...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric pulmonology
• Health economics
• Medical research

Background:

• Pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) presents a significant challenge in healthcare management.
• Understanding the economic burden of PAH in pediatric populations is crucial for resource allocation.
• Previous studies have not fully detailed the direct medical costs associated with pediatric PAH in Mexico.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the direct medical costs and resource utilization for managing pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension.
• To identify key cost drivers in pediatric PAH treatment at a tertiary care center in Mexico.
• To analyze the relationship between disease severity and healthcare expenditures in pediatric PAH.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study design.
• Inclusion of pediatric patients diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
• Analysis of direct medical costs, including pharmacological treatments, laboratory tests, physician visits, and hospitalizations.
• Costs were calculated from an institutional perspective in 2019 US dollars.

Main Results:

• Eighty-two pediatric patients with PAH were included in the study.
• The mean annual cost per patient was $17,452.14 (SD ± $38,944.10), with a median cost of $8832.75.
• Hospitalization and pharmacological treatments represented the largest components of the economic burden.
• Patients in functional class IV demonstrated significantly higher resource utilization and associated costs.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric pulmonary arterial hypertension is a high-cost condition.
• Hospitalizations and pharmacological therapies are major contributors to the economic burden of pediatric PAH.
• Disease severity, particularly functional class IV, is directly correlated with increased healthcare resource utilization and costs.