Direct medical costs for partial refractory epilepsy in Mexico.
BACKGROUND
The aim was to determine the direct medical costs in patients with partial refractory epilepsy at the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) in Mexico.


METHODS
We carried out a multicenter, retrospective-cohort partial-economic evaluation study of partial refractory epilepsy (PRE) diagnosed patients and analyzed patient files from four secondary- and tertiary-level hospitals. PRE patients >12 years of age with two or more antiepileptic drugs and follow-up for at least 1 year were included. The perspective was institutional (IMSS). Only direct healthcare costs were considered, and the timeline was 1 year. Cost techniques were microcosting, average per-service cost, and per-day cost, all costs expressed in U.S. dollars (USD, 2004).


RESULTS
We reviewed 813 files of PRE patients: 133 had a correct diagnosis, and only 72 met study inclusion criteria. Fifty eight percent were females, 64% were <35 years of age, 47% were students, in 73% maximum academic level achieved was high school, and 53% were single. Fifty one percent of cases experienced simple partial seizures and 94% had more than one monthly seizure. Annual healthcare cost of the 72 patients was 190,486 USD, ambulatory healthcare contributing 76% and hospital healthcare with 24%.


CONCLUSIONS
Annual mean healthcare cost per PRE patient was 2,646 USD; time of disease evolution and severity of the patient's illness did not affect costs significantly.
García-Contreras
Fernando
F
Unidad de Investigación en Economía de la Salud, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México D.F., México. fernando.garciacon@imss.gob.mx
Constantino-Casas
Patricia
P
Castro-Ríos
Angélica
A
Nevárez-Sida
Armando
A
Estrada Correa
Gloria del Carmen
Gdel C
Carlos Rivera
Fernando
F
Guzmán-Caniupan
Jorge
J
Torres-Arreola
Laura del Pilar
Ldel P
Contreras-Hernández
Iris
I
Mould-Quevedo
Joaquin
J
Garduño-Espinosa
Juan
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
D000927:Anticonvulsants