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A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis
Published on: August 12, 2020
Acute and Long-Term Healthcare Utilization and Expenditures for Serious Bacterial Infections among Newborns in US
Kristen N Noble1, Katharina Schley2, Lisa Abramovitz3
1Indiana University Health, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Insights
Serious bacterial infections in newborns, like meningitis and sepsis, lead to higher healthcare costs and resource use during hospitalization and the first year of life. Preventing these infections can significantly reduce healthcare system burdens.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Health Economics
Background:
- Serious bacterial infections in newborns cause significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs.
- While many newborns recover, some face long-term complications requiring ongoing medical care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate acute and long-term healthcare utilization and expenditures in US newborns diagnosed with bacterial meningitis or sepsis during their birth hospitalization.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective matched-cohort study using a US healthcare claims database.
- Included newborns with bacterial meningitis or sepsis and matched controls.
- Analyzed healthcare utilization and expenditures during birth hospitalization and the subsequent year.
Main Results:
- Newborns with meningitis or sepsis incurred higher healthcare utilization and expenditures compared to controls, both during birth hospitalization and the 1-year follow-up.
- Bacterial meningitis cases showed significantly higher hospital days, ICU admissions, and costs than sepsis cases.
- Expenditures were substantially higher for meningitis ($218,464) and sepsis ($39,259) during the 1-year follow-up period.
Conclusions:
- Newborn bacterial infections impose a substantial burden on the US healthcare system due to acute treatment and long-term complications.
- Interventions focused on preventing these infections hold potential for significant healthcare resource savings.
Introduction:
Serious bacterial infections among newborns are associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and economic costs. While most newborns fully recover following the acute phase of illness, some develop long-term complications that require medical care. The objective of this real-world study was to estimate acute and long-term healthcare utilization and expenditures among US newborns with bacterial meningitis or sepsis during their birth hospitalization.
Methods:
A retrospective matched-cohort design and a US healthcare claims database were employed. Study population comprised newborns who, during their birth hospitalization, had evidence of meningitis or sepsis due to a bacterial pathogen and matched comparison newborns. Study measures included all-cause healthcare utilization and expenditures during the birth hospitalization as well as the 1-year period following discharge.
Results:
Among newborns with bacterial meningitis (N = 678), 61% were born prematurely, 27% had low birthweight, and 56% had ≥ 1 high-risk condition; among those with bacterial sepsis (N = 33,478), corresponding values were 48%, 20%, and 33%. During the birth hospitalization, utilization and expenditures were higher (versus comparators) among newborns with meningitis (hospital days, 37 versus 23; intensive care unit [ICU], 97% versus 64%; expenditures, US $423,390 versus $168,861) and sepsis (hospital days, 18 versus 14; ICU, 93% versus 52%; expenditures, $139,973 versus $78,549). Mean levels during the 1-year follow-up period were also markedly higher (versus comparators) among newborns with meningitis (expenditures: by $218,464) or sepsis (expenditures: by $39,259).
Conclusions:
Serious bacterial infections among newborns place a substantial burden on the US healthcare system for the treatment of acute illness as well as long-term complications. Interventions targeting the prevention of newborn bacterial infections have the potential to yield significant resource utilization and cost offsets.
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