Costs of treating lower respiratory tract infections
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the direct medical costs of treating lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in a managed care organization (MCO).
STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of a regional MCO identifying adults diagnosed with acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis (AECB) or community- acquired pneumonia (CAP).
METHODS: A claims database examination of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes was conducted to identify adults receiving initial outpatient care for an LRTI during 2005-2006. Medical record review then was conducted to verify clinical diagnosis of AECB or CAP. Clinical and demographic data were collected. Outpatient office and clinic visits, hospitalization, and radiology, pathology, and pharmacy records were used to determine treatment costs. Treatment failure was determined by use of a second antibiotic course, follow-up emergency room presentation, or hospitalization for LRTI within 28 days of the index visit. The primary outcome was per-case treatment cost from the payer perspective.
RESULTS: Clinical diagnosis was confirmed for 65 unique coded visits (60 patients; 39 with AECB, 22 with CAP; 1 in both cohorts). Initial visit, initial diagnostic testing, and subsequent hospitalization accounted for the majority (63%) of payer costs. Antibiotics were responsible for 15% of payer costs. Higher initial antibiotic expenditure in the AECB cohort yielded a cost-benefit ratio of 3:1. Mean per-case costs for success…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a cohort study, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 60 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Impact of antibiotics on the human microbiome and consequences for host health
- Antibiotics in the clinical pipeline in October 2019
- The incidence of collagen-associated adverse events in pediatric population with the use of fluoroquinolones: a nationwide cohort study in Taiwan
- Research Communications of the 32nd ECVIM-CA Online Congress
- Singlet-Oxygen Therapy. Scientific And Methodological Materials
- Artificial Intelligence in Pharmacovigilance
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.