title: Costs of bleeds relating to acute coronary syndrome therapies.
abstract: To estimate the costs to manage selected types of bleeding complications in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) treated with antithrombotics, including antiplatelet, and fibrinolytic therapies: decrease in haemoglobin >3 g/dL, puncture site, and bleeding requiring transfusion of blood products.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart reviews of ACS patients experiencing decrease in Hb, puncture site, or bleeding requiring transfusion were conducted in hospitals in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden to determine the total length of stay (LOS), stay post-bleeding, procedures to identify the extent of bleeding, number and types of transfusion products, patient demographics, reason for hospital admission and disposition upon discharge. Country-specific costs were applied to estimate the average cost per patient by type of bleeding event.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Records of 158 ACS patients with the bleeding complications were examined (26.9% decrease in Hb, 35.5% puncture site, and 37.8% transfusion). The average LOS was 10.6 days for decreasing Hb, 7.7 days for puncture site bleeding, and 11.3 days for patients receiving transfusions due to these bleeding events. The average costs per patient ranged between €3,986 and €10,252. The LOS ranged widely both within and across countries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study has a small sample size and costs are confounded by co-morbidities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The estimated costs for decreasing Hb, puncture site bleeding and bleeding resulting in transfusions provide a tool for researchers to conduct economic analyses of bleeding events associated with therapies for ACS.
authors.affiliation: Universitaetsklinik der Universitat Witten/Herdecke, Wuppertal, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bufe
authors.forename: Ferrari
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Emile
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Drogoul
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guindo Soldevila
authors.forename: Di Pasquale
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Giuseppe
authors.forename: Lettino
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Maddalena
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Janzon
authors.forename: Ruth E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D054058:Acute Coronary Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001803:Blood Transfusion / Q000191:economics; D015897:Comorbidity; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D006454:Hemoglobins; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000191:economics* / Q000209:etiology*; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011677:Punctures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000191:economics; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D006454:Hemoglobins