Cost of Asthma Hospitalizations in a Pulmonary Clinic of a State Hospital

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the direct costs of patients hospitalized due to asthma attack in a state hospital according to the disease severity, age and comorbidities. Materials and Methods: The patients that are hospitalized due to asthma attack between September 2012 and March 2013 were included in our study. Patient records and data of costs were analyzed retrospectively. Results: 144 patients were included in our study. 86.8% (n= 125) of patients were female and 13.2% (n= 19) were male. Mean age was 60.9 years (range 16–101) and 45.8% of patients were over 65 years old. 81.3% were never smokers and 65.3% (n= 94) had at least one comorbidity. Mean length of hospital stay was 8.5 ± 4.6 days and mean total direct costs was 923.8 ± 562.2 TL (513.2 $ ± 312.3 $; 401.7 € ± 244.4 €). When the faktorlericomponents of total cost were evaluated, it was found that total bed cost was 263.1 ± 144.7 TL (146.2 $ ± 80.4 $; 114.4 € ± 62.9 €) and cost of medications was 453.4 ± 325.9 TL (251.9 $ ± 181.1 $; 197.1 € ± 141.7 €). Total costs increased as the age of the patients increased but it was not statistically significant (p= 0.054). Mean length of hospital stay and total costs were not different between both sexes (respectively p= 0.94 and p= 0.74). Presence of comorbidities did not make difference in length of hospital stay and total costs (p= 0.44 and p= 0.15); but total laboratory expenditures and antibiotic costs were higher in patients with comorbidities (respectively p= 0.025 and p= 0.03). As the severity of asthma attack increased, length of hospital stay and total costs increased (p< 0.001). Conclusion: The costs of hospitalizations due to asthma attack are about 10 times of costs of ICS-LABA monthly treatment for stable asthma. Total cost is found to becorrelated with the severity of attack whereas, age, sex and presence of comorbidities have no effect on costs.