Abstract Background To manage the COVID 19 pandemic, surgeries that were not immediately life threatening were delayed. Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) are still affected, which can have effects on patients’ individual physical and mental health as well as on health economics. This includes the risk of complications and possible needs of both acute and planned care during the waiting time for surgery, need for sick leave, prescription of medications and aid; all that could have been diminished with surgery being performed in a timely manner. Methods All patients with IBD who either were scheduled for surgery and had a waiting time of 90 days or more (cases) or had elective surgery within 90 days of waiting (controls), between 2017-2023 at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden, were included in the study (figure 1). Consumed health care during waiting time for surgery (cases) or after surgery (controls) were registered, as well as drugs prescribed and use of supporting products such as stoma bags. Days of sick leave were registered. Results A total of 189 individuals were included, 40 (mean age 43.6 years, 18 women) controls and 149 (mean age 41.6 years, 46 women) cases. Forty-six (24.3%) patients had Crohn’s disease, 140 (74.1%) ulcerative colitis and 3 (1.6%) IBD-unclassified. Number of primary care visits at 24-36 months were 4.9 (CI 3.49-6.45) and 3.6 (CI 1.51-5.83) for the cases and controls respectively. The corresponding number of specialized outpatient visits at 24-36 months was 5.1 (CI 3.66-6.69) and 4.1 (CI 1.12-6.05). The mean direct healthcare cost per person were higher for the control group for the first months, it then shifted to be higher in the cases group (table 1). After 24-36 months the cost for the cases were 8 509 and 5 469 euro for the controls. Mean household income was 36 027 euro (CI 27 310–44 743) for the control group and 28 688 euro (CI 25 844–31 532) for the case group. In total, 90% (n=36) were born in Sweden in the control group vs. 75.2% (n=112) in the case group. There was no difference in terms of sick leave between the groups. Conclusion Health care cost for patients with IBD waiting for surgery is similar to patients who have had elective surgery. Since patients waiting for surgery still have the postoperative costs to come, this means that the total cost for the healthcare system and society is a lot higher for this group, compared to patients that have had elective surgery within 90 days. A short period of time between surgical decision and surgical date is therefore advisable.
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