title: Burden of community-acquired pneumonia in adults over 18 y of age.
abstract: This study aimed to determine the economic burden and affecting factors in adult community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients (≥ 18 years) by retrospectively evaluating the data of 2 centers in Istanbul province, Turkey. Data of outpatients and inpatients with CAP from January 2013 through June 2014 were evaluated. The numbers of laboratory analyses, imaging, hospitalization days, and specialist visits were multiplied by the relevant unit costs and the costs of the relevant items per patient were obtained. Total medication costs were calculated according to the duration of use and dosage. The mean age was 61.56 ± 17.87 y for the inpatients (n = 211; 48.6% female) and 53.78 ± 17.46 y for the outpatients (n = 208; 46.4% male). The total mean cost was €556.09 ± 1,004.77 for the inpatients and €51.16 ± 40.92 for the outpatients. In the inpatients, laboratory, medication, and hospitalization costs and total cost were significantly higher in those ≥ 65 y than in those <65 y. Besides the hospitalization duration, specialist visit, imaging, laboratory, medication, and hospitalization costs and total cost were significantly higher in those hospitalized more than once than in those hospitalized once. While the specialist visit cost was higher in the inpatients with comorbidities, the imaging cost was higher in the outpatients with comorbidities. CAP poses a higher cost in inpatients, elders, and individuals with comorbidities. Costs can be decreased by rational decisions about hospitalization and antibiotic use according to the recommendations of guidelines and authorities. Vaccination may decrease medical burden and contribute to economy by preventing the disease, especially in risk groups.
authors.affiliation: a Yedikule Chest Diseases and Chest Surgery , Pulmonary Medicine , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Filiz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kosar
authors.affiliation: b Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Medical Department , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Devrim Emel
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Alici
authors.affiliation: c Pfizer Pharmaceuticals , Health Economics and Outcomes Research , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Basak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hacibedel
authors.affiliation: a Yedikule Chest Diseases and Chest Surgery , Pulmonary Medicine , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Burcu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Arpınar Yigitbas
authors.affiliation: d Acibadem University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Chest Diseases , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Pejman
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Golabi
authors.affiliation: d Acibadem University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Chest Diseases , Istanbul , Turkey.
authors.forename: Caglar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cuhadaroglu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Community-acquired pneumonia; adults; burden; cost; vaccination