[Home versus inpatient therapy for deep venous thrombosis. A cost-comparative analysis].
OBJECTIVE
To compare the home-care management of deep vein thromboses (DVT) by a Home Care Unit (HCU) respect to conventional inpatient treatment.


METHODS
Twenty-one patients with a doppler-ecography diagnosis of DVT were managed by the HCU during 2002. In 7 out 13 a concomitant diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) was made by lung scan. Median age was 81 years, 52% were women and all, except one case, showed severe medical concomitant conditions. All patients received low-weight molecular heparin, followed by oral anticoagulants in 3 patients. No patients died and only one was hospitalized briefly due to a poor thrombosis-related pain control. Costs of this patient were added to those of HCU. A comparison was made between ambulatory and hospitalary costs for EP and DVT. Pharmacological treatment costs were calculated for a 10-days period.


RESULTS
The length of inhospital stay was 1 day for HCU vs. 8 days (DVT) and 13 days (EP). There was a estimated cost-saving of 1680 per patient.


CONCLUSIONS
The management of DVT in patients with serious conditions, can be accomplished safely and in a cost-saving manner by a Home Care Unit.
Montes
J
J
Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Meixoeiro, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario, Vigo, Pontevedra. julio.montes.santiago@sergas.es
González
L
L
Amador
L
L
Novo
A
A
Enero
M
M
Rey
G
G
Mediero
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000191:economics*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy*