[Direct pharmaceutical costs, diagnostic related groups and CD4 cell count in hospitalized HIV-infected patients].
BACKGROUND
To estimate the direct pharmaceutical costs of the HIV-infected patients admitted in the HCP, the variability and the relation between CD4 cell count.


METHODS
We collected for each patient admitted to Department of infectious Diseases between 1/1/93 to 12/12/94 the direct pharmaceutical cost for GRD and diagnosis discharge. Also we collected the lymphocyte CD4 cell count.


RESULTS
The number of patients observed was 877 and the total pharmaceutical cost was 65,756,751 pts., 24,900,827 pts. were spent in antibiotic drugs and 22,225,273 pts. in antiviral drugs (non anti-HIV included). 568 patient had CD4 cell count on admission. 75% of them had a CD4 cell count less than 50 x 10(4)/l. The variability of the pharmaceutical cost estimated in the GRD 489, 490 and diagnosis discharge was higher than 150%. There was not lineal correlation between the total costs and the CD4 cell count. The mean direct pharmaceutical costs in patients with CD4 cell count less than 60 x 10(6)/l was greater than in the others.


CONCLUSIONS
Antibiotic and antiviral drugs accounted for the 72% of global pharmaceutical cost in HIV patients admitted. The variability observed in the GRD 489 and 490 was high. The direct pharmaceutical costs were conditioned by the lymphocyte CD4 cell count because this parameter determine the type of infections disease that these patients suffered.
Serrais
J
J
Servicio de Farmacia, Hospital Clínic i Provincial, Barcelona.
Mallolas
J
J
Ribas
J
J
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000191:economics; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D016527:Drug Costs; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D013030:Spain
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents