title: Management of febrile neutropenia--a German prospective hospital cost analysis in lymphoproliferative disorders, non-small cell lung cancer, and primary breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Febrile neutropenia/leukopenia (FN/FL) is the most frequent dose-limiting toxicity of myelosuppressive chemotherapy, but German data on economic consequences are limited.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, multicentre, longitudinal, observational study was carried out to evaluate the occurrence of FN/FL and its impact on health resource utilization and costs in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), lymphoproliferative disorder (LPD), and primary breast cancer (PBC) patients. Costs are presented from a hospital perspective.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 325 consecutive patients (47% LPD, 37% NSCLC, 16% PBC; 46% women; 38% age = 65 years) with 68 FN/FL episodes were evaluated. FN/FL occurred in 22% of the LPD patients, 8% of the NSCLC patients, and 27% of the PBC patients. 55 FN/FL episodes were associated with at least 1 hospital stay (LPD n = 34, NSCLC n = 10, PBC n = 11). Mean (median) cost per FN/FL episode requiring hospital care amounted to € 3,950 (€ 2,355) and varied between € 4,808 (€ 3,056) for LPD, € 3,627 (€ 2,255) for NSCLC, and € 1,827 (€ 1,969) for PBC patients. 12 FN/FL episodes (LPD n = 9, NSCLC n = 3) accounted for 60% of the total expenses. Main cost drivers were hospitalization and drugs (60 and 19% of the total costs).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FN/FL treatment has economic relevance for hospitals. Costs vary between tumour types, being significantly higher for LPD compared to PBC patients. The impact of clinical characteristics on asymmetrically distributed costs needs further evaluation.
authors.affiliation: Krankenhausapotheke, Klinikum rechts der Isar (MRI) der Technischen Universität München, München, Germany. Angela.Ihbe-Heffinger@lrz.tum.de
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ihbe-Heffinger
authors.forename: Bernadette J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Paessens
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: von Schilling
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shlaen
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gottschalk
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiechle
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peschel
authors.forename: Volker R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Jacobs
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000191:economics*; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies