title: Cost effectiveness of diagnostic laparoscopy in reproductive aged females suffering from non-specific acute low abdominal pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the costs and effectiveness of early laparoscopy with those of conventional diagnostic methods based on clinical and paraclinical observation and diagnostic images for ascertaining the cause of non-specific acute low abdominal pain (NSALAP) in females of reproductive age from the third-party payers' (TPP) point of view.
  
  
  METHODS
  
  
  
  METHODS
  110 reproductive aged females suffering from NSALAP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Instituto Materno Infantil, perinatal and maternal attention referral hospital in Bogotá, Colombia.
  
  
  METHODS
  cost-effectiveness study of a controlled clinical trial carried out in 1998 and 1999. Outcomes to be measured: effectiveness, direct medical costs (in Colombian pesos and their equivalent in US dollars (USD-December 2004) from length of hospital stay, diagnostic procedures carried out, medical visits and managing complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cost-effectiveness incremental ratio, analysing sensitivity in five different scenarios.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Early diagnostic laparoscopy was more cost-effective in 4 out of the 5 possible scenarios. Savings varying from dollar 21.875 to dollar 69.834 (USD 9.42 and USD 30.1) were made per unit of increased effectiveness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early diagnostic laparoscopy was cost-effective in 4 out of 5 scenarios dealing with managing NSALAP in reproductive aged females.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiología Clínica, Departamento de Ginecología y Obstetricia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. hggaitand@unal.edu.co
authors.forename: Hernando G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Gaitán
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eslava-Schmalbach
authors.forename: Pio I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Gómez
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000191:economics*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*