EE240 Estimating the COVID-19 Cost-of-Illness Associated with Comorbidities in a Brazilian Public Hospital

ObjectivesCovid-19 pandemic caused massive burdens on public health, economics, and politics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the direct costs of individuals hospitalized due to Covid-19 in a Brazilian Public Hospital and associate this data with patients’ comorbidities.MethodsThis was an observational study with micro-costing (March to September 2020). Data of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and admitted in the Hospital de Clínicas of Universidade Federal do Paraná (South Brazil) were collected from the Hospital Admission Authorization reports. Costs related to Covid-19 were identified and measured in an aggregated and disaggregated way to identify the cost driving components for different comorbidities. Scenario analyses considering patients’ different comorbidities were performed.ResultsOverall, 687 patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 55.5 years (0-94 years). The mean cost of admission from the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) perspective was US$1,673, mainly due to intensive care unit (ICU) admission, which corresponded to 79% (US$1,323) of the total cost. Hypertension was the most prevalent comorbidity, identified in 331 patients, followed by diabetes (194), overweight or obesity (127), hypothyroidism (76), dyslipidemia (71), smoking (38), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (35). The most expensive patients were those with overweight or obesity; mean cost was US$2,420 being composed by ICU (84.2%), coronavirus treatment package (10.8%), hemodialysis (1.2%), tomography (0.8%), enteral therapy (0.8%), and ultrasonography (0.1%). Diabetes, hypertension, smoking, hypothyroidism and COPD costed US$1,914, US$1,955, US$2,182, US$2,161 and US$1,781, respectively.ConclusionThe most expensive comorbidity in patients with COVID-19 was overweight/obesity, being ICU admission the driver cost, which highlights the severity of the disease. Further studies to identify hospital costs of greatest impact and to support decisions regarding the application of resources in SUS during this pandemic are needed. ObjectivesCovid-19 pandemic caused massive burdens on public health, economics, and politics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the direct costs of individuals hospitalized due to Covid-19 in a Brazilian Public Hospital and associate this data with patients’ comorbidities. Covid-19 pandemic caused massive burdens on public health, economics, and politics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the direct costs of individuals hospitalized due to Covid-19 in a Brazilian Public Hospital and associate this data with patients’ comorbidities. MethodsThis was an observational study with micro-costing (March to September 2020). Data of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and admitted in the Hospital de Clínicas of Universidade Federal do Paraná (South Brazil) were collected from the Hospital Admission Authorization reports. Costs related to Covid-19 were identified and measured in an aggregated and disaggregated way to identify the cost driving components for different comorbidities. Scenario analyses considering patients’ different comorbidities were performed. This was an observational study with micro-costing (March to September 2020). Data of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and admitted in the Hospital de Clínicas of Universidade Federal do Paraná (South Brazil) were collected from the Hospital Admission Authorization reports. Costs related to Covid-19 were identified and measured in an aggregated and disaggregated way to identify the cost driving components for different comorbidities. Scenario analyses considering patients’ different comorbidities were performed. ResultsOverall, 687 patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 55.5 years (0-94 years). The mean cost of admission from the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) perspective was US$1,673, mainly due to intensive care unit (ICU) admission, which corresponded to 79% (US$1,323) of the total cost. Hypertension was the most prevalent comorbidity, identified in 331 patients, followed by diabetes (194), overweight or obesity (127), hypothyroidism (76), dyslipidemia (71), smoking (38), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (35). The most expensive patients were those with overweight or obesity; mean cost was US$2,420 being composed by ICU (84.2%), coronavirus treatment package (10.8%), hemodialysis (1.2%), tomography (0.8%), enteral therapy (0.8%), and ultrasonography (0.1%). Diabetes, hypertension, smoking, hypothyroidism and COPD costed US$1,914, US$1,955, US$2,182, US$2,161 and US$1,781, respectively. Overall, 687 patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 55.5 years (0-94 years). The mean cost of admission from the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) perspective was US$1,673, mainly due to intensive care unit (ICU) admission, which corresponded to 79% (US$1,323) of the total cost. Hypertension was the most prevalent comorbidity, identified in 331 patients, followed by diabetes (194), overweight or obesity (127), hypothyroidism (76), dyslipidemia (71), smoking (38), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (35). The most expensive patients were those with overweight or obesity; mean cost was US$2,420 being composed by ICU (84.2%), coronavirus treatment package (10.8%), hemodialysis (1.2%), tomography (0.8%), enteral therapy (0.8%), and ultrasonography (0.1%). Diabetes, hypertension, smoking, hypothyroidism and COPD costed US$1,914, US$1,955, US$2,182, US$2,161 and US$1,781, respectively. ConclusionThe most expensive comorbidity in patients with COVID-19 was overweight/obesity, being ICU admission the driver cost, which highlights the severity of the disease. Further studies to identify hospital costs of greatest impact and to support decisions regarding the application of resources in SUS during this pandemic are needed. The most expensive comorbidity in patients with COVID-19 was overweight/obesity, being ICU admission the driver cost, which highlights the severity of the disease. Further studies to identify hospital costs of greatest impact and to support decisions regarding the application of resources in SUS during this pandemic are needed.