[Medico-economic analysis of nosocomial infections].
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine analyses of the micro-economic and macro-economic consequences of hospital-acquired nosocomial infections.


METHODS
We performed a critical analysis of the methods reported in the literature for economic estimations of the cost of nosocomial infections and determined the objectives that can be assigned to them.


CONCLUSIONS
Macro-economic estimations of the consequences of nosocomial infections clearly have methodological limitations but nevertheless have an important impact since concern about global cost of nosocomial infections is a persuasive argument in favor of prevention programs. Studies based on calculating the estimated mean cost by type of nosocomial infection cannot alone provide a sufficiently reliable data to determine the pertinence of preventive strategies. Cost-efficiency studies (cost per year of saved life, or cost per nosocomial infection avoided) appear to be more adapted.


CONCLUSIONS
One must carefully examine the underlying methodology when using cost-efficacy ratios associated with different strategies as a decision-making tool.
Charvet-Protat
S
S
Union Hospitalière Privée, Paris. suzanne.charvet-protat@uhp.fr
D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000191:economics*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans