[The direct costs of epilepsy in a Chilean population].
BACKGROUND
Epilepsy Chilean prevalence is 17-21/1,000 inhabitants. In past years, there is concern for the high costs involved in its handling. AIM. To estimate the direct costs of treatment and handling in specific population with epilepsy.


METHODS
It is a retrospective study, in 6 groups of people with epilepsy: recent diagnosis (RD), remission (R), occasional seizures (OS), active without resistance to drugs (AWRD), resistance to pharmacological treatment (RPT), and epilepsy surgery (S). Data and characteristics tabulation and economical study of each group were made, considering 1 year of treatment. A comparison was made between them and their average in relation to international data.


RESULTS
293 patients. 52% male. 76% adults. 25% students. 55% focal seizures. Costs per group: (USD/patient/year): RD, 443; R, 316; OS, 430; AWRD, 711; RPT, 946; S, 4,262. Direct average cost of treatment for epilepsy in this population: 615 USD/patient/year.


CONCLUSIONS
When differentiating in groups of individuals with epilepsy, the highest average annual cost is in surgery and the lowest in remission. In all the groups, except for surgery one, the highest expense is in drugs (average 81%). In relation to other countries, our direct costs are 5 times lower than in some developed countries and 3.5 times higher than in other developing countries. This data is of interest to governmental and financial spheres, so to provide a better quality of life for people with epilepsy, lowering costs and fees for their treatment and contributing to epilepsy and surgery national programs.
Mesa
T
T
Departamento de Pediatría, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. tmesa@med.puc.cl
Mesa
J T
JT
Guarda
J
J
Mahaluf
F
F
Pauchard
F
F
Undurraga
F
F
Asmad
C
C
Silva
G
G
D000328:Adult; D002677:Chile; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000191:economics* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D017048:Health Care Costs; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies