Productivity loss due to premature mortality caused by blood cancer: a study based on patients undergoing stem cell transplantation

espanolIntroduccion Durante muchos anos el trasplante de celulas madre se ha usado para tratar neoplasias hematologicas que no podrian haber sido curadas mediante otras terapias. A pesar de este avance medico, la ratio de mortalidad es aun elevada. Nuestro objetivo es evaluar las perdidas de productividad laboral por mortalidad prematura debido a una neoplasia hematologica en receptores de trasplante de celulas madre. Metodos Se recogieron datos primarios de las historias clinicas de pacientes con neoplasia hematologica, trasplantados durante los anos 2006 y 2011 en dos hospitales espanoles. Se realizo un analisis descriptivo y se calcularon los anos potenciales de vida y los anos potenciales de vida laboral perdidos. Las perdidas de productividad laboral se estimaron usando el metodo del Capital Humano. El metodo de los Costes de Friccion se empleo como parte del analisis de sensibilidad. Resultados En una poblacion de 179 pacientes trasplantados y fallecidos, se dan mayores perdidas de productividad laboral en varones y en personas de edades comprendidas entre los 30 y 49 anos. La perdida estimada esta por encima de €31.4 millones usando el metodo del Capital Humano (€480,152 usando el metodo Costes Friccion), lo que significa una perdida media de €185,855 por persona fallecida. Las mayores perdidas globales son generadas por la leucemia. Sin embargo, el linfoma genera las mayores perdidas por fallecimiento. Conclusiones Mayores esfuerzos son necesarios para reducir la mortalidad prematura de pacientes trasplantados por neoplasia hematologica y reducir el impacto economico y social asociado a la misma. EnglishIntroduction Stem cell transplantation has been used for many years to treat haematological malignancies that could not be cured by other treatments. Despite this medical breakthrough, mortality rates remain high. Our purpose was to evaluate labour productivity losses associated with premature mortality due to blood cancer in recipients of stem cell transplantations. Methods We collected primary data from the clinical histories of blood cancer patients who had undergone stem cell transplantation between 2006 and 2011 in two Spanish hospitals. We carried out a descriptive analysis and calculated the years of potential life lost and years of potential productive life lost. Labour productivity losses due to premature mortality were estimated using the Human Capital method. An alternative approach, the Friction Cost method, was used as part of the sensitivity analysis. Results Our findings suggest that, in a population of 179 transplanted and deceased patients, males and people who die between the ages of 30 and 49 years generate higher labour productivity losses. The estimated loss amounts to over €31.4 million using the Human Capital method (€480,152 using the Friction Cost method), which means an average of €185,855 per death. The highest labour productivity losses are produced by leukaemia. However, lymphoma generates the highest loss per death. Conclusions Further efforts are needed to reduce premature mortality in blood cancer patients undergoing transplantations and reduce economic losses.