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Costs of hospitalization for severe acute asthma of patients not treated according to guidelines and recommendations

French prospective study of 169 cases

The European Journal of Health Economics volume 6, pages 94–101 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

This prospective study of 169 adult patients hospitalized for severe acute asthma in four pneumology wards compared the incidence and costs of patients who were managed (group A) or not managed (group P) before hospitalization, according to the guidelines and international recommendations (11 criteria judged by experts). Ambulatory costs were calculated by questioning patients. Valuation of hospital costs was based DRGs weighted by length of stay. The incidence in group P patients was estimated at 70%; A patients were 14 years younger than those in group P and had less severe asthma. Their annual ambulatory care prior to hospitalization was less costly irrespective of age category or degree of severity (€685 vs. €1,145 in group A); their length of hospital stay was shorter (6.03 vs. 10.78 days), resulting in a lower cost of hospitalization (€2,820 vs. €4,843). In group P a specific education program based on increased understanding, compliance, self-management, and smoking cessation, particularly in young patients should lead to reductions in hospitalizations.

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Acknowledgements

The present study was supported by a research grant awarded to CRESGE by the Laboratoires Internationaux de Recherche, France.

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  1. Jean-Claude Sailly

    Present address: Cresge-Labores, Université Catholique de Lille, 1 rue Norbert Segard B.P. 109, 59016, Lille Cedex, France

Affiliations

  1. Cresge-Labores, Université Catholique de Lille, France

    Jean-Claude Sailly, Xavier Lenne, Caroline Bercez & Thérèse Lebrun

  2. Service de Pneumologie et Immuno-allergologie, Centre Hospitalier Régional Universitaire de Lille, France

    Antoine-Bernard Tonnel & Isabelle Tillie-Leblond

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  1. Jean-Claude Sailly
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  2. Xavier Lenne
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  3. Caroline Bercez
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  4. Thérèse Lebrun
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  5. Antoine-Bernard Tonnel
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  6. Isabelle Tillie-Leblond
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Correspondence to Jean-Claude Sailly.

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Sailly, JC., Lenne, X., Bercez, C. et al. Costs of hospitalization for severe acute asthma of patients not treated according to guidelines and recommendations. Eur J Health Econ 6, 94–101 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10198-005-0277-2

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Keywords

  • Severe acute asthma
  • Hospitalization
  • Costs