Impact of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on resource utilization and costs in patients with exacerbated non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis.

AIMS: Non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB) is a chronic progressive respiratory disorder occurring at a rate ranging from 4.2 to 278.1 cases per 100,000 persons, depending on age, in the United States. For many patients with NCFB, the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) makes treatment more complicated and typically has worse outcomes. Management of NCFB can be challenging, warranting a better understanding of the burden of illness for NCFB, treatments applied, healthcare resources used, and subsequent treatment costs. Comparing patients diagnosed with exacerbated NCFB, with or without PA on antibiotic utilization, treatments, and healthcare resources utilization and costs was the purpose of this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of commercial claims from IQVIA's PharMetrics Plus database (January 1,2006-December 31, 2020). Study patients with a diagnosis of NCFB were stratified into two groups based on the presence or absence of PA, then followed to identify demographic characteristics, comorbid conditions, antibiotic treatment regimen prescribed, healthcare resources utilized, and costs of care. RESULTS: The results showed that patients with exacerbated NCFB who were PA+ had significantly more oral antibiotic fills per patient per year, more inpatient admissions with a longer length of stay, and more outpatient encounters than those who were PA-. For costs, PA+ patients also had significantly greater total healthcare costs per patient when compared to those who were PA-. CONCLUSION: Exacerbated NCFB with PA+ was associated with increased antibiotic usage, greater resource utilization, and increased costs. The major contributor to the cost differences was the use of inpatient services. Treatment strategies aimed at reducing the need for inpatient treatment could lessen the disparities observed in patients with NCFB.

Subpalpebral Antibiotic Lavage as Safe, Emergent, and Cost-Effective Management of Acute Infectious Keratitis Related to Contact Lens Overwear: Case Report and Literature Review.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to describe the technique of subpalpebral antibiotic lavage (SAL), which is a highly therapeutic, efficient, and cost-effective method for managing severe bacterial keratitis. METHODS: This case report describes a 26-year-old woman with severe bacterial keratitis in the right eye due to contact lens overwear, with progressive corneal thinning, a hypopyon, impending perforation, and marked visual loss to perception of light despite treatment with intensive topical antibiotics. This was managed with SAL that involves the insertion of a cannula transcutaneously into the upper conjunctival fornix to provide continuous antibiotic irrigation of the ocular surface. RESULTS: By 11 weeks after presentation, the cornea and anterior chamber appeared clinically quiescent, and visual acuity improved to 20/40 corrected in the right eye. CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial keratitis is a potentially blinding condition for which contact lens wear is an important risk factor. Most cases are successfully managed with topical medications; however, in cases of treatment failure, a second-line approach such as SAL can be sight-saving. SAL uses readily available equipment for the delivery of high concentrations of antibiotics to the ocular surface, thus increasing therapeutic efficacy and reducing nursing staff workload. Despite its advantages, the literature reveals apparent underutilization of this technique.

Measuring the in-hospital costs of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia: methodology and results from a German teaching hospital.

BACKGROUND: Pseudomonas aeruginosa-related pneumonia is an ongoing healthcare challenge. Estimating its financial burden is complicated by the time-dependent nature of the disease. METHODS: Two hundred thirty-six cases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-related pneumonia were recorded at a 2000 bed German teaching hospital between 2011 and 2014. Thirty-five cases (15%) were multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Hospital- and community-acquired cases were distinguished by main diagnoses and exposure time. The impact of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-related pneumonia on the three endpoints cost, reimbursement, and length of stay was analyzed, taking into account (1) the time-dependent nature of exposure, (2) clustering of costs within diagnostic groups, and (3) additional confounders. RESULTS: Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia is associated with substantial additional costs that are not fully reimbursed. Costs are highest for hospital-acquired cases (€19,000 increase over uninfected controls). However, community-acquired cases are also associated with a substantial burden (€8400 when Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia is the main reason for hospitalization, and €6700 when not). Sensitivity analyses for hospital-acquired cases showed that ignoring or incorrectly adjusting for time-dependency substantially biases results. Furthermore, multidrug-resistance was rare and only showed a measurable impact on the cost of community-acquired cases. CONCLUSIONS: Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia creates a substantial financial burden for hospitals. This is particularly the case for nosocomial infections. Infection control interventions could yield significant cost reductions. However, to evaluate the potential effectiveness of different interventions, the time-dependent aspects of incremental costs must be considered to avoid introduction of bias.

Incremental clinical and economic burden of suspected respiratory infections due to multi-drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Multi-drug resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa can negatively affect patients and hospitals. AIM: To evaluate excess mortality and cost burden among patients hospitalized with suspected respiratory infections due to MDR P. aeruginosa vs patients with non-MDR P. aeruginosa in 78 United States (US) hospitals. METHODS: This study analyzed electronically captured microbiological and outcomes data of patients hospitalized with non-duplicate P. aeruginosa isolates from respiratory sources collected ≥3 days after admission to identify hospital-onset MDR or non-MDR P. aeruginosa per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definition. The risk of multi-drug resistance was estimated on mortality, length of stay (LOS), cost, operation gain/loss, and 30-day readmission. A sensitivity analysis was conducted utilizing a cohort with pharmacy data available. FINDINGS: Of 523 MDR and 1381 non-MDR P. aeruginosa cases, unadjusted mortality was 23.7% vs 18.0% and multi-variable-adjusted mortality was 20.0% (95% confidence interval (CI): 14.3-27.2%) vs 15.5% (95% CI: 11.2-20.9%; P=0.026), the average adjusted excess LOS was 6.7 days (P<0.001); excess cost per case was US$22,370 higher (P=0.002) and operational loss per case was US$10,661 (P=0.024) greater, and the multi-variable adjusted readmission rate was 16.2% (95% CI: 11.2-22.9%) vs 11.1% (95% CI: 7.8-15.6%; P=0.006). The sensitivity analysis yielded similar results. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with suspected infections due to non-MDR P. aeruginosa, patients with MDR P. aeruginosa had higher risk of mortality, readmission, and longer LOS, as well as US$20,000 incremental cost and >US$10,000 incremental net loss per case after controlling for patient and hospital characteristics.

Bronchiectasis in patients hospitalized with acute exacerbation of COPD in Spain: Influence on mortality, hospital stay, and hospital costs (2006-2014) according to gender.

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were to analyze the characteristics of male and female patients hospitalized with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AE-COPD) during 2006-2014 according to the presence or absence of bronchiectasis and to study the factors associated with in-hospital mortality (IHM) in patients hospitalized with AE-COPD and concomitant bronchiectasis. METHODS: We used the Spanish National Hospital Database to analyze patients admitted with AE-COPD as their primary diagnosis. Patients included in the study were stratified according to the presence or absence of bronchiectasis as their secondary diagnosis. RESULTS: We identified 386,646 admissions for AE-COPD, of which 19,679 (5.09%) involved patients with concomitant bronchiectasis. When patients with and without bronchiectasis were compared, we observed that the incidence of infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa was substantially higher in the former, as were the mean stay, cost, and percentage of readmissions, although IHM and comorbidity were lower. The course of patients with AE-COPD and bronchiectasis was characterized by a gradual increase in prevalence and mean age among men and no differences in prevalence or lower mean age in women. Mortality was 4.24% and 5.02% in patients with and without bronchiectasis, respectively, although significance was lost after a multivariate adjustment (OR 0.94; 95% CI, 0.88-1.01). The factors associated with IHM were older age, higher comorbidity, isolation of P. aeruginosa, mechanical ventilation and readmission. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of admission with AE-COPD and bronchiectasis increased in men but not in women during the study period. In patients hospitalized with AE-COPD, we did not find differences in mortality when comparing the presence and absence of bronchiectasis. The analysis of temporal trends revealed a significant reduction in mortality from 2006 to 2014 in male patients with COPD and concomitant bronchiectasis, but not among women. It is important to consider the factors associated with IHM such as age, comorbidity, isolation of P. aeruginosa, mechanical ventilation and readmission to better identify those patients who are at greater risk of dying during hospitalization.

Disease characteristics and management of hospitalised adolescents and adults with community-acquired pneumonia in China: a retrospective multicentre survey.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the clinical characteristics and management of patients hospitalised with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in China. DESIGN: This was a multicentre, retrospective, observational study. SETTING: 13 teaching hospitals in northern, central and southern China from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2014 PARTICIPANTS: Information on hospitalised patients aged ≥14 years with radiographically confirmed pneumonia with illness onset in the community was collected using standard case report forms. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Resource use for CAP management. RESULTS: Of 14 793 patients screened, 5828 with radiographically confirmed CAP were included in the final analysis. Low mortality risk patients with a CURB-65 score 0-1 and Pneumonia Severity Index risk class I-II accounted for 81.2% (4434/5594) and 56.4% (2034/3609) patients, respectively. 21.7% (1111/5130) patients had already achieved clinical stability on admission. A definite or probable pathogen was identified only in 12.7% (738/5828) patients. 40.9% (1575/3852) patients without pseudomonal infection risk factors received antimicrobial overtreatment regimens. The median duration between clinical stability to discharge was 5.0 days with 30-day mortality of 4.2%. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrated the overuse of health resources in CAP management, indicating that there is potential for improvement and substantial savings to healthcare systems in China. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02489578; Results.

An Early Health Economic Analysis of the Potential Cost Effectiveness of an Adherence Intervention to Improve Outcomes for Patients with Cystic Fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Cystic fibrosis (CF) negatively impacts upon health-related quality of life and survival. Adherence to nebulised treatments is low; improving adherence is hypothesised to reduce rates of exacerbation requiring intravenous antibiotics and lung function decline. OBJECTIVE: A state transition model was developed to assess the cost effectiveness of an intervention aimed at increasing patient adherence to nebulised and inhaled antibiotics compared with current CF care, in advance of the forthcoming CFHealthHub randomised controlled trial (RCT). METHODS: The model estimated the costs and health outcomes for each option from the perspective of the UK National Health Service and Personal Social Services over a lifetime horizon. Health gains were valued in terms of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) trajectories were predicted over three lung function strata: (1) FEV1 ≥70%, (2) FEV1 40-69% and (3) FEV1 <40%. Additional states were included to represent 'post-lung transplantation' and 'dead'. The model was populated using CF Registry data, literature and expert opinion. Costs were presented at 2016 values. Uncertainty was assessed using deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. RESULTS: If effective, the adherence intervention is expected to produce an additional 0.19 QALYs and cost savings of £64,078 per patient. Across all analyses, the intervention dominated current care. Over a 5-year period, the intervention is expected to generate cost savings of £49.5 million for the estimated 2979 patients with CF with Pseudomonas aeruginosa currently aged ≥16 years in the UK. If applied to a broader population of adult patients with CF receiving any nebulised therapy, the expected savings could be considerably greater. CONCLUSIONS: If effective, the adherence intervention is expected to produce additional health gains at a lower cost than current CF care. However, the economic analysis should be revisited upon completion of the full RCT. More generally, the analysis suggests that considerable gains could be accrued through the implementation of adherence interventions that shift care from expensive hospital-based rescue to community-based prevention.

Cost-of-illness analysis and regression modeling in cystic fibrosis: a retrospective prevalence-based study.

BACKGROUND: Economic data pertaining to cystic fibrosis (CF), is limited in Europe generally, and completely lacking in Central and Eastern Europe. We performed an analysis of all direct costs associated with CF relative to key disease features and laboratory examinations. METHODS: A retrospective prevalence-based cost-of-illness (COI) study was performed in a representative cohort of 242 CF patients in the Czech Republic, which represents about 65 % of all Czech CF patients. Medical records and invoices to health insurance companies for reference year 2010 were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean total health care costs were €14,486 per patient, with the majority of the costs going towards medicinal products and devices (€10,321). Medical procedures (€2676) and inpatient care (€1829) represented a much smaller percentage of costs. A generalized linear model showed that the strongest cost drivers, for all cost categories, were associated with patient age and lung disease severity (assessed using the FEV1 spirometric parameter), when compounded by chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa airway infections. Specifically, maximum total costs are around the age 16 years; a FEV1 increase of 1 % point represented a cost decrease of: 0.9 % (medicinal products), 1.7 % (total costs), 2.8 % (procedures) and 7.0 % (inpatient care). CONCLUSIONS: COI analysis and regression modeling using the most recent data available can provide a better understanding of the overall economic CF burden. A comparison of our results with other methodologically similar studies demonstrates that although overall costs may differ, FEV1 can nonetheless be utilized as a generally transferrable indicator of the relative economic impact of CF.

Carbapenem inactivation: a very affordable and highly specific method for phenotypic detection of carbapenemase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates compared with other methods.

This investigation was undertaken to compare phenotypic and molecular methods for detection of carbapenemase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A total of 245 non-duplicated isolates of P. aeruginosa were collected from hospitalized patients. Disc diffusion method was used to identify carbapenem-resistant bacteria. Three phenotypic methods, including Modified Hodge Test (MHT), Modified Carba NP (MCNP) test and Carbapenem Inactivation Method (CIM) were used for investigation of carbapenemase production. In addition, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect carbapenemase encoding genes. Of 245 P. aeruginosa isolates investigated, 121 isolates were carbapenem-resistant. Among carbapenem-resistant isolates, 40, 39 and 35 isolates exhibited positive results using MHT, MCNP test and CIM, respectively. PCR indicated the presence of carbapenemase genes in 35 of carbapenem-resistant isolates. MHT showed low sensitivity and specificity for carbapenemase detection among P. aeruginosa isolates in comparison to PCR. CIM was most affordable and highly specific than MCNP test compared with the molecular method.

Clinical and economic impact of meropenem resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infected patients.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of carbapenem resistance has had a significant impact on both clinical and economic outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective, observational cohort study was performed in a 433-bed tertiary care medical center. The cohort was established from all inpatients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa-positive cultures over a 3-year period. Two multivariate models were developed: a logistic regression model to evaluate the primary outcome of in-hospital mortality and a linear regression model to evaluate the secondary outcome of total hospital cost. RESULTS: The adjusted odds ratio for in-hospital mortality among patients with meropenem-resistant isolates was 2.89 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-7.28). There were significantly more deaths in the meropenem-resistant group (28.1% vs 8.9%, P = .003). Patients with meropenem-resistant P aeruginosa experienced a 4-day increase in median length of stay versus those in the meropenem-susceptible group (14 vs 9 days, P = .004). Likewise, the percentage of patients who required intensive care unit (ICU) admission increased from 42% to 81.3% (P <.001). Meropenem resistance was also associated with a significant increase in total hospital cost by a factor of 1.42 among patients who were not admitted to the ICU (95% CI, 1.03-1.95). CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that meropenem resistance was a significant predictor of in-hospital mortality. Carbapenem resistance also resulted in a significant increase in hospital cost, but only among patients who were not admitted to the ICU.

Do cost savings from reductions in nosocomial infections justify additional costs of single-bed rooms in intensive care units? A simulation case study.

PURPOSE: Evidence shows that single-patient rooms can play an important role in preventing cross-transmission and reducing nosocomial infections in intensive care units (ICUs). This case study investigated whether cost savings from reductions in nosocomial infections justify the additional construction and operation costs of single-bed rooms in ICUs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted deterministic and probabilistic return-on-investment analyses of converting the space occupied by open-bay rooms to single-bed rooms in an exemplary ICU. We used the findings of a study of an actual ICU in which the association between the locations of patients in single-bed vs open-bay rooms with infection risk was evaluated. RESULTS: Despite uncertainty in the estimates of costs, infection risks, and length of stay, the cost savings from the reduction of nosocomial infections in single-bed rooms in this case substantially outweighed additional construction and operation expenses. The mean value of internal rate of return over a 5-year analysis period was 56.18% (95% credible interval, 55.34%-57.02%). CONCLUSIONS: This case study shows that although single-patient rooms are more costly to build and operate, they can result in substantial savings compared with open-bay rooms by avoiding costs associated with nosocomial infections.

The cost effectiveness of dry powder antibiotics for the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in patients with cystic fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Cystic fibrosis (CF) affects over 9,000 people in the UK and limits life expectancy. CF patients are susceptible to lung infections, most commonly Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Once infection is established, patients require lifetime treatment using nebulised antibiotics. Newer dry powder formulations of antibiotics may reduce treatment burden and improve compliance. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to evaluate the cost effectiveness of (i) colistimethate sodium dry powder for inhalation (DPI) and (ii) tobramycin DPI versus nebulised tobramycin for the treatment of chronic P. aeruginosa lung infection in patients with CF from the perspective of the National Health Service (NHS) and Personal Social Services (PSS). METHODS: We developed a state transition model based on transitions between three strata of lung function measured in terms of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) % predicted. Additional health states representing post-lung transplantation and dead are also modelled. The model structure was informed by systematic reviews of evidence concerning the plausibility of potential relationships between intermediate endpoints and final outcomes. The model assumes that treatment impacts on FEV1 trajectory, which manifest as changes in health-related quality of life. No survival benefit is assumed due to the absence of robust quantifiable evidence. Model parameters were informed by patient-level and aggregate data from two randomised controlled trials together with the best available evidence from the literature. Resource use and costs associated with drug acquisition, the management of exacerbations and reduced nebuliser maintenance were drawn from reference sources and expert opinion. Costs were valued at 2011/2012 prices. Costs and health outcomes were discounted at a rate of 3.5 %. Simple and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were undertaken, including additional analyses of Patient Access Scheme (PAS) price discounts offered by the manufacturers of both DPI products. RESULTS: Colistimethate sodium DPI is expected to produce fewer quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) than nebulised tobramycin. Based on its list price, colistimethate sodium DPI is expected to be dominated by nebulised tobramycin. When the PAS is incorporated, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for colistimethate sodium DPI versus nebulised tobramycin is expected to be approximately £288,600 saved per QALY lost. Based on its current list price, the ICER for tobramycin DPI versus nebulised tobramycin is expected to be approximately £124,000 per QALY gained. When the proposed PAS is included, tobramycin DPI is expected to dominate nebulised tobramycin. CONCLUSIONS: Under their list prices, neither DPI product is likely to represent good value for money for the NHS given current cost-effectiveness thresholds. The PAS discounts have a significant impact upon the economic attractiveness of both DPI products compared against nebulised tobramycin. The clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of the DPIs against other nebulised antibiotics, such as aztreonam and inhaled colistimethate sodium, remains unclear.

Colistimethate sodium powder and tobramycin powder for inhalation for the treatment of chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection in cystic fibrosis: systematic review and economic model.

BACKGROUND: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited condition characterised by the abnormal transport of chloride ions across transporting epithelia. This leads to the production of thick sticky mucus in the lungs, pancreas, liver, intestine and reproductive tract, and an increase in the salt content in sweat. Among other problems, people with CF experience recurrent respiratory infections and have difficulties digesting food. CF affects over 9000 individuals in the UK. CF shortens life expectancy and adversely affects quality of life. In 2010, CF was recorded as the cause of 103 deaths in England and Wales. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of colistimethate sodium dry powder for inhalation (DPI) (Colobreathe(®), Forest Laboratories) and tobramycin DPI (TOBI Podhaler(®), Novartis Pharmaceuticals) for the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection in CF. DATA SOURCES: Electronic databases were searched in February and March 2011 [MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed citations, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library databases, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Web of Science, Conference Proceedings Citation Index (CPCI) and Bioscience Information Service (BIOSIS) Previews]. Relevant databases were searched for ongoing and unpublished studies, and bibliographies of relevant systematic reviews and the manufacturers' submissions were also hand-searched. REVIEW METHODS: A systematic review of the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of colistimethate sodium DPI and tobramycin DPI for the treatment of chronic P. aeruginosa lung infection in CF was conducted. Existing economic evidence within the literature was reviewed and a de novo health economic model was also developed. RESULTS: Three randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the clinical effectiveness review. Both colistimethate sodium DPI and tobramycin DPI were reported to be non-inferior to nebulised tobramycin for the outcome forced expiratory volume in first second percentage predicted (FEV1%). It was not possible to draw any firm conclusions as to the relative efficacy of colistimethate sodium DPI compared with tobramycin DPI. The economic analysis suggests that colistimethate sodium DPI produces fewer quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) than nebulised tobramycin. Given the incremental discounted lifetime cost of tobramycin DPI compared with nebulised tobramycin, it highly unlikely that tobramycin DPI has an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio that is better than £30,000 per QALY gained. LIMITATION: The uncertainty surrounding the short-term evidence base inevitably results in uncertainty surrounding the long-term clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of colistimethate sodium DPI. CONCLUSIONS: Both DPI formulations have been shown to be non-inferior to nebulised tobramycin as measured by FEV1%. The results of these trials should be interpreted with caution owing to the means by which the results were analysed, the length of follow-up, and concerns about the ability of FEV1% to accurately represent changes in lung health. Although the increase in QALYs is expected to be lower with colistimethate sodium DPI than with nebulised tobramycin, a price for this intervention had not been agreed at the time of the assessment. Depending on the price of colistimethate sodium DPI, this results either in a situation whereby colistimethate sodium DPI is dominated by nebulised tobramycin or in one whereby the incremental cost-effectiveness of nebulised tobramycin compared with colistimethate sodium DPI is in the range of £24,000-277,000 per QALY gained. The economic analysis also suggests that, given its price, it is unlikely that tobramycin DPI has a cost-effectiveness ratio of < £30,000 per QALY gained when compared with nebulised tobramycin. A RCT to assess the longer-term (≥ 12 months) efficacy of colistimethate sodium DPI and tobramycin DPI in comparison with nebulised treatments would be beneficial. Such a study should include the direct assessment of HRQoL using a relevant preference-based instrument. Future studies should ensure that the European Medicines Agency guidelines are adhered to. In addition, high-quality research concerning the relationship between forced expiratory volume in first second % (FEV1%) predicted or other measures of lung function and survival/health-related quality of life (HRQoL) would be useful. STUDY REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42011001350. FUNDING: The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

Extended-infusion cefepime reduces mortality in patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.

In an era of escalating resistance and a lack of new antimicrobial discovery, stewardship programs must utilize knowledge of pharmacodynamics to achieve maximal exposure in the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. We evaluated the clinical and economic outcomes associated with extended-infusion cefepime in the treatment of P. aeruginosa infections. This single-center study compared inpatients who received cefepime for bacteremia and/or pneumonia admitted from 1 January 2008 through 30 June 2010 (a 30-min infusion of 2 g every 8 h) to those admitted from 1 July 2010 through 31 May 2011 (a 4-h infusion of 2 g every 8 h). The overall mortality was significantly lower in the group that received extended-infusion treatment (20% versus 3%; P = 0.03). The mean length of stay was 3.5 days less for patients who received extended infusion (P = 0.36), and for patients admitted to the intensive care unit the mean length of stay was significantly less in the extended-infusion group (18.5 days versus 8 days; P = 0.04). Hospital costs were $23,183 less per patient, favoring the extended-infusion treatment group (P = 0.13). We conclude that extended-infusion treatment with cefepime provides increased clinical and economic benefits in the treatment of invasive P. aeruginosa infections.

Effects of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa eradication policy in a cystic fibrosis clinic.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review is based upon the recent literature regarding eradication of newly acquired infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Psa) in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and the economic and other effects of such an early eradication policy in a CF clinic. RECENT FINDINGS: Various Psa eradication protocols which utilize intravenous or aerosol anti-pseudomonal antibiotics, with or without oral antibiotics, have been reported. The recent ELITE trial reported successful eradication of 90% of Psa in selected Psa antibody negative patients after 28 days of tobramycin for inhalation. Another recent report of a protocol based on intravenous antibiotic use reported elimination of 'first growth' Psa in over 96% of all patients, accompanied by decreased chronic Psa infection, decreased anti-Psa treatment costs and decreased hospitalization costs. SUMMARY: The effects of early eradication protocols for Psa have included decreased prevalence of chronic Psa infection, improved patient health and pulmonary function, and decreased hospital and antibiotic costs.

Hospital costs of nosocomial multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa acquisition.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess the hospital economic costs of nosocomial multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa acquisition. METHODS: A retrospective study of all hospital admissions between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2006 was carried out in a 420-bed, urban, tertiary-care teaching hospital in Barcelona (Spain). All patients with a first positive clinical culture for P. aeruginosa more than 48 h after admission were included. Patient and hospitalization characteristics were collected from hospital and microbiology laboratory computerized records. According to antibiotic susceptibility, isolates were classified as non-resistant, resistant and multi-drug resistant. Cost estimation was based on a full-costing cost accounting system and on the criteria of clinical Activity-Based Costing methods. Multivariate analyses were performed using generalized linear models of log-transformed costs. RESULTS: Cost estimations were available for 402 nosocomial incident P. aeruginosa positive cultures. Their distribution by antibiotic susceptibility pattern was 37.1% non-resistant, 29.6% resistant and 33.3% multi-drug resistant. The total mean economic cost per admission of patients with multi-drug resistant P. aeruginosa strains was higher than that for non-resistant strains (15,265 vs. 4,933 Euros). In multivariate analysis, resistant and multi-drug resistant strains were independently predictive of an increased hospital total cost in compared with non-resistant strains (the incremental increase in total hospital cost was more than 1.37-fold and 1.77-fold that for non-resistant strains, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: P. aeruginosa multi-drug resistance independently predicted higher hospital costs with a more than 70% increase per admission compared with non-resistant strains. Prevention of the nosocomial emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistant microorganisms is essential to limit the strong economic impact.

A permission system for carbapenem use reduced incidence of drug-resistant bacteria and cost of antimicrobials at a general hospital in Japan.

Some drug management systems have been established in Japanese hospitals to reduce medical costs and regulate drug usage. Among the many available prescription drugs, antimicrobials should be given special attention because their inappropriate use often leads to sudden outbreaks of resistant bacteria. As drug specialists, pharmacists should monitor the use of all drugs, particularly antimicrobials. Carbapenems are a class of broad-spectrum antimicrobials that are widely used to treat infections worldwide. However, their inappropriate use has led to an increase in the incidence of drug-resistant bacteria and consequently, medical costs, at hospitals. To reduce inappropriate use and drug resistance, we have established a permission system to control the use of carbapenems at the Japanese Red Cross Nagoya Daiichi Hospital. In this study, we retrospectively evaluated the applicability of the new permission system compared to that of the notification system and the non control system for 14 months each. The two management systems were able to maintain total antibiotic use density and control the outbreak of drug-resistant bacteria (P. aeruginosa, E. coli, and K. pneumoniae). The number of carbapenem prescriptions was decreased dramatically when this permission system was enforced. Compared to the non control system, the cost of antimicrobials was reduced by $757,470 for the 14-month study period using the permission system. These results suggest that our system to control the use of antimicrobials can efficiently suppress the incidence of drug-resistant bacteria and medical costs at hospitals.

Economic burden of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in patients with cystic fibrosis.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is the primary cause of pulmonary deterioration in cystic fibrosis (CF). This study describes healthcare costs and resource utilization among CF patients following PA infection in the US. METHODS: This retrospective study utilized data from MarketScan claims database. CF patients with an initial PA infection were identified, and their healthcare utilization, medical and pharmacy costs were extracted for 12 months, pre- and post-PA infection. Descriptive and pair-wise non-parametric statistical analyses compared healthcare utilization and costs before and after infection. RESULTS: Three hundred and fifty-eight CF patients met study criteria (mean age 20.1 years; 48% female). Mean annual per-patient costs following initial PA infection increased by an estimated $18,516 (outpatient: $3113; inpatient: $10,123; pharmacy: $4943). Overall healthcare costs were significantly higher (p < 0.0001) following PA infection, as were overall inpatient visits, outpatient visits, and unique prescriptions (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: PA infection in cystic fibrosis creates a significant economic burden and the cost is not uniformly distributed across the healthcare components. LIMITATIONS: Key limitations of this study include the absence of clinical parameters to characterize PA infections and data on indirect costs such as loss of productivity or caretaker-related burden.

Healthcare costs of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in veterans: role of vitamin D deficiency.

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) infections are frequently associated with hospitalization and increased healthcare costs. Vitamin D deficiency may contribute to increased costs for patients with these infections and there is evidence that vitamin D may have an antimicrobial role. To evaluate the role of vitamin D deficiency in the costs incurred with these infections, we studied the relationship of serum 25(OH)D levels to healthcare costs in veterans in the southeastern United States. Patients with both infections were vitamin D deficient to a similar extent and so were combined for further analysis. Vitamin D deficient patients had higher costs and service utilization than those who were not vitamin D deficient. Those with vitamin D deficiency had higher inpatient costs compared to the non-deficient group, and this difference was across most categories except for the number of inpatient hospitalizations or total number of days as an inpatient. Vitamin D deficiency was not significantly related to outpatient cost or service utilization parameters. We conclude that vitamin D deficiency is intimately linked to adverse healthcare costs in veterans with MRSA and P. aeruginosa infections. Vitamin D status should be assayed in patients with these infections.

Health care utilization & costs for cystic fibrosis patients with pulmonary infections.

PURPOSE: To examine patterns of health care utilization and costs among cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with pulmonary infections. DESIGN: Retrospective administrative claims database analysis. METHODOLOGY: We used administrative claims data (including both medical and pharmacy claims) to examine health care utilization and costs among CF patients with pulmonary infections over one year. We conducted a subgroup analysis in which we examined selected outcome measures among patients with tobramycin for inhalation (TIS) prescriptions by the number of TIS prescriptions filled. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Among 1,064 CF patients identified with pulmonary infections, 80% had at least one CF-related office visit, 34% had a CF-related hospital stay, and 95% filled at least one prescription over one year. Total annual CF-related health care costs averaged $29,000 plus $20,000 for prescription drugs. In the subgroup analysis, there was a trend towards longer lengths of stay and higher inpatient costs with fewer numbers of TIS prescriptions filled. CONCLUSION: CF patients with pulmonary infections have substantial levels of health care utilization and costs.