Treatment costs of burn victims in a university hospital.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the direct costs of treating critically ill patients in the intensive care unit of a center specializing in treating burns.


METHODS
This is a prospective cohort study of 180 patients from May 2011 to May 2013. Clinical and demographic data were collected in addition to data for the calculation of severity scores. The costs related to daily clinical and surgical treatment were evaluated until hospital outcome. The costs were grouped into five blocks: Clinical support, Drugs and blood products, Medical procedures, Specific burn procedures and Hospital fees. The level of significance was set at 5%.


RESULTS
There was a predominance of males, 131 (72.8%). The mean age of the patients was 42.0±15.3years and the mean burned body surface area was 27.9±17%. The median length of stay in intensive care beds was 15.0 (interquartile range IQR: 7.0-24.8) days and the median hospital stay was 23.0 (IQR: 14.0-34.0) days. The mean daily cost was US$ 1330.48 (standard error of the mean SE=38.36) and the mean total cost of hospitalization was US$ 39,594.90 (SE: 2813.11). The drugs and blood products block accounted for the largest fraction of the total costs (US$ 18,086.09; SE 1444.55). There was a difference in the daily costs of survivors and non survivors (US$ 1012.89; SE: 29.38 and US$ 1866.11, SE: 36.43, respectively, P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The direct costs of the treatment of burn patients at the study center were high. The drugs and blood products block presented the highest mean total and daily costs. Non surviving patients presented higher costs.
Londrina State University, Hospital Universitário - Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Rua Robert Koch 60, Vila Operária, Londrina, Paraná 86038-440, Brazil.
Elza H T
EHT
Anami
Londrina State University, Hospital Universitário - Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Rua Robert Koch 60, Vila Operária, Londrina, Paraná 86038-440, Brazil.
Elisangela F
EF
Zampar
Londrina State University, Hospital Universitário - Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Rua Robert Koch 60, Vila Operária, Londrina, Paraná 86038-440, Brazil.
Marcos T
MT
Tanita
Internal Medicine Department, Londrina State University, Hospital Universitário - Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Rua Robert Koch 60, Vila Operária, Londrina, Paraná 86038-440, Brazil.
Lucienne T Q
LTQ
Cardoso
Campus Universitário, Rodovia Celso Garcia Cid, Km 380, s/n, Londrina, Paraná 86057-970, Brazil.
Tiemi
T
Matsuo
Internal Medicine Department, Londrina State University, Hospital Universitário - Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Rua Robert Koch 60, Vila Operária, Londrina, Paraná 86038-440, Brazil. Electronic address: cintiagrion@hotmail.com.
Cintia Magalhães C
CMC
Grion
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002053:Burn Units / Q000191:economics*; D002056:Burns / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003422:Critical Care / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies
Burns; Burns unit; Costs and cost analysis; Direct service costs; Intensive care unit