[Economic aspects of hospitaly treated pneumococcal pneumonia and the results of Pneumo 23 vaccine use in Serbia].
BACKGROUND
In Serbia, there is a significant number of persons suffering of pneumococcal pneumonia. Persons aged 65 years or older, immunocompromised patients, patients with co-morbidities, such as chronic obstructive lung disease and congestive heart failure, are at the highest risk for developing pneumococcal pneumonia. Most of the patients are treated empirically, although it is often overlooked that Streptococcus pneumoniae can be resistant to the used antibiotics. The treatment costs of such inpatients and outpatients are very high. In Serbia, immunization of persons at risk to develop the diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae is carried out using pneumococcus polysaccharide vaccine according to clinical indications. The exact number of immunized persons and the total number of registered patients are still unknown, but it is certain of being unjustifiably low.


OBJECTIVE
The goal of the study was to investigate, during a one-year period, the number and basic characteristics of persons hospitably treated for pneumonia, the type of cause of the infection, applied antibiotic medications, duration and costs of hospital treatment at the Institute for Lung Diseases and Tuberculosis of the Clinical Centre of Serbia in Belgrade.


METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with pneumonia treated at the Institute for Lung Diseases and Tuberculosis of the Clinical Centre of Serbia in Belgrade during 2006.


RESULTS
During the observed one-year period, 290 patients underwent hospital treatment, of whom the cause of the infection was confirmed in 116 (40%). The average duration of hospitalization was 12 days, with treatment cost of 32,031.74 RSD (402.42 EUR) per patient. The treatment cost per patient including general and intensive care was 18,290.01 RSD (229.78 EUR). The distribution cost of Pneumo 23 vaccine in Serbia, without purchase tax, was 746.90 RSD (9.38 EUR).


CONCLUSIONS
Pneumococcal pneumonia is a significant medical and economic problem for the healthcare system of Serbia. The use of antipneumococcal vaccination can be useful in decreasing the overall treatment costs related to pneumococcal infection.
Adzić
Tatjana
T
Rosić
Ilija
I
Jovanović
Dragana
D
Medić-Stojanac
Snezana
S
D017048:Health Care Costs; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines / Q000191:economics*; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000191:economics; D055771:Serbia
C414006:23-valent pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide vaccine; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial