Abstract
ObjectivesTo estimate treatment- and productivity-related costs associated with COPD in two different samples, and to analyse the association between the costs and moderate and severe exacerbations. MethodsWe performed a baseline visit and four telephone-interviews during a one-year follow-up of 81 COPD cases and 132 controls recruited from a population-based sample, and of 205 hospital-recruited COPD patients. COPD was defined by post-bronchodilator spirometry. Total costs consisted of treatment related costs and costs of productivity losses. Exacerbation-related costs were estimated by multivariate median regression. ResultsThe average annual disease-related costs for a COPD patient from the hospital sample was nearly twice as high as for a COPD case from the population sample (€26,518 vs €15,021), and nearly four times as high as for a control subject (€6740). For both sampling sources, the average annual costs of productivity losses were substantially higher than the treatment related costs (€17,014 vs €9,504, €11,192 vs €3,829, and €4494 vs €2,246, for the hospital COPD patients, the population-based COPD cases, and the controls, respectively). Severe exacerbations were an important cost driver for the treatment related costs in both COPD groups. Moderate exacerbations explained all the costs of productivity losses in the population-based COPD cases, but did not affect the costs of productivity losses in the hospital-recruited COPD patients. ConclusionWe found that there were significant incremental costs associated with COPD, and the treatment related costs were significantly affected by exacerbations. The costs of productivity losses substantially exceeded the treatment related costs in both sampling sources.
Highlights
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has become the third leading cause of death [1]
“Exacerbations” model adjusting for all as in basic model þ both moderate and severe exacerbations. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the reader is referred to the Web version of this article.)
We found that acute exacerbations of COPD explained 6% of annual treatment-related costs in GOLD stage 2 COPD, and 13% in the combined stage 3–4 COPD
Summary
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has become the third leading cause of death [1]. Acute exacerbations of COPD are associated with increased mortality, increased lung func tion decline, and an increased use of healthcare resources [2,3,4,5,6,7,8]. The actual costs of AECOPD in general populations are difficult to obtain from the existing literature. This is partly due to differences in healthcare organization and different levels of costs across regions and countries, but methodological approaches vary immensely. Long-lasting disease such as COPD, with associated comorbidities, we would advocate that a prospective, population-based, bottom-up study that presents incremental treatment related costs and costs of produc tivity losses would provide decision makers with the most reliable and relevant cost estimates
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
