ECONOMIC BURDEN OF HOME ARTIFICIAL NUTRITION IN THE HEALTH AREA OF SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA.
BACKGROUND
home artificial nutrition (HAN) is a growing therapy, but the absence of obligatory registries complicates the calculation of its real economic burden. The aim of this study was to assess the state and economic impact of HAN in our health area.


METHODS
an observational, prospective study was designed to calculate the cost of nutritional formulas and materials in patients who initiated HAN in the nutrition unit during a year.


RESULTS
we included 573 new patients with HAN during the study period, 60% of whom were treated with oral supplements. The median daily cost of oral HAN was 3.65 (IQR 18.63) euros compared to a cost of 8.86 (IQR 20.02) euros for enteral-access HAN. The daily expenditure per 1 000 kcal of diet was higher for patients on oral HAN than for patients with tubes (5.13 vs. 4.52 euros, p < 0.001). The median cost of the complete HAN treatments during the study period was also calculated (186.60 euros and 531.99 euros for oral and tube HAN, respectively). The total estimated cost for all patients who initiated HAN in the study period was around one million euros.


CONCLUSIONS
HAN represented an important economic burden in our health area, but the estimated daily cost of HAN was moderate, probably because of the high frequency of oral HAN, the adjusted treatments, and the centralized dispensation by the hospital pharmacy.
Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Unit. Endocrinology and Nutrition Department. Complejo Asistencial Universitario de León. León.. rotaibo22@gmail.com.
Rocío
R
Villar-Taibo
Endocrinology and Nutrition Department. Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela. A Coruña.. rotaibo22@gmail.com.
Miguel Ángel
MÁ
Martínez-Olmos
Endocrinology and Nutrition Department. Hospital Arquitecto Marcide, Ferrol. A Coruña.. rotaibo22@gmail.com.
Diego
D
Bellido Guerrero
Endocrinology and Nutrition Department. Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela. A Coruña.. rotaibo22@gmail.com.
Roberto
R
Peinó-García
Endocrinology and Nutrition Department. Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela. A Coruña.. rotaibo22@gmail.com.
Aurelio
A
Martís-Sueiro
Endocrinology and Nutrition Department. Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela. A Coruña.. rotaibo22@gmail.com.
Emma
E
Camarero-González
Endocrinology and Nutrition Department. Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela. A Coruña.. rotaibo22@gmail.com.
Vanessa
V
Ríos-Barreiro
Endocrinology and Nutrition Department. Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela. A Coruña.. rotaibo22@gmail.com.
Pilar
P
Cao-Sánchez
Endocrinology and Nutrition Department. Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela. A Coruña.. rotaibo22@gmail.com.
Reyes
R
Durán Martínez
Endocrinology and Nutrition Department. Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela. A Coruña.. rotaibo22@gmail.com.
María José
MJ
Rodríguez Iglesias
Hospital Pharmacy Department. Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela. A Coruña. España.. rotaibo22@gmail.com.
Brígida
B
Rodríguez-Blanco
Hospital Pharmacy Department. Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela. A Coruña. España.. rotaibo22@gmail.com.
Juan
J
Rojo Valdés
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D005526:Food, Formulated; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018529:Nutritional Support / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012042:Registries; D013030:Spain; D013997:Time Factors