Cost Analysis of Epilepsy Healthcare in Adults: A Direct Cost Estimate From a Colombian Perspective

To estimate the direct healthcare costs related to outpatient care and hospital stays for adults with epilepsy in the context of the Colombian healthcare system.

A cost analysis was conducted from a base case, which included direct medical costs related to diagnosis, follow-up, pharmacological and surgical treatment, and in-hospital care for status epilepticus. A Delphi panel was carried out to identify and quantify cost-generating events. The monetary valuation was estimated using official databases and tariff manuals available in Colombia. The cost distribution was obtained using the bootstrapping method. Two one-way deterministic sensitivity analyses were performed.

The total annual cost of an adult patient with epilepsy without including hospital stays is US dollars $2416.31. If at least 1 intensive care unit stay (8-day average) is included to treat a patient with status epilepticus, the total annual cost increases to $61 567.72. The total cost of resective surgery is $14 894.44, and the vagus nerve stimulation implant costs $26 565.86.

Epilepsy in adults represents a significant economic burden for the Colombian healthcare system, comparable to that of other upper-middle-income countries. The majority of expenditure is attributed to intensive care unit stays, less financial resources would be required if patients achieve better control of the disease.