[How much does the medical treatment of chronic Chagas cardiopathy cost? Direct costs in a cardiology hospital].
OBJECTIVE
To estimate health care costs of patients with chronic Chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC) in a cardiovascular referral center (Instituto Nacional de Cardiología I. Chávez).


METHODS
In a retrospective study, 13 clinical charts of CCC patients treated in the hospital during 1998 were reviewed. Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and patients admission were identify as well as health care costs, which were drawn from the hospital costs system.


RESULTS
62% of the cases were admitted to the hospital through the out-patient facilities. All the patients had a health care subsidy of 15 to 55% allocated to the institutional budget. Health care costs were calculated for minimal, average, and maximum scenarios, according to the patient's clinical stage and the price of medical equipment used (low, medium, and high). Most of the health care costs are due to the use of high cost diagnostic equipment (33 a 58%) and hospital stay (including the emergency room) (19 a 28%).


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first approximation to the economic study of Chagas disease in Mexico, providing foundations for further studies on health economics and quality care of CCC, and suggests that prevention should be enhanced.
Vallejo
Maite
M
Subdirección de Investigación Sociomédica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez INCICH, Juan Badiano No. 1, Col. Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080 México, D. F.
Montenegro
Pablo
P
Reyes
Pedro A
PA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002300:Cardiac Care Facilities / Q000191:economics*; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies