Direct costs of hospital care according to coinfection in adult COVID-19 patients

ABSTRACT

Objective: To estimate the direct costs of hospital care according to coinfection in adult COVID-19 patients. Material(s) and Method(s) A retrospective follow-up study of adult patients hospitalized for COVID-19 between March and August 2020 at the San Vicente Foundation Hospitals (Medellin and Rionegro, Colombia). Patients whose diagnosis of SARS-Cov2 pneumonia was confirmed by RT-PCR test were included. Death from any cause and length of stay were considered outcome variables. Costs were estimated in 20 20 US dollars. Result(s) 365 patients with an average age of 60 years (IQR 46-71), 40% female, were analyzed. 60.5% required an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). All-cause mortality was 2.87 per 100 patient-days. Patients admitted to the ICU who developed coinfection had an average length of stay of 27.8 days (SD17.1) and an average cost of $23,935.7 (SD $16,808.2);patients admitted to the ICU who did not develop a coinfection had an average length of stay of 14.7 days (SD8.6) and an average cost of $9,968.5 (SD $8,054.0). Conclusion(s) A high percentage of patients required intensive care, and there was a high mortality due to COVID-19. In addition, a higher cost of care was observed for those patients who developed coinfection and were admitted to ICU.Copyright © 2023 Asociacion Colombiana de Infectologia. All rights reserved.