Abstract

CASTANEDA-CARDONA, Camilo et al. Cost analysis of acute stroke care with or without atrial fibrillation. Acta Neurol Colomb. [online]. 2014, vol.30, n.2, pp.78-82. ISSN 0120-8748.

Objective. To estimate the total costs and resource use of hospital care in a series of patients with large vessel ischemic stroke treated at the Hospital Universitario San Ignacio. Material and methods. Prospective convenience sample of all patients 50 years of age or older admitted between December 2010 and March 2013 diagnosed with ischemic stroke. Patients with and without atrial fibrillation (AF) were compared. The following variables were measured: age, sex, admission and discharge NIHSS, modified Rankin, and CHA2DS2 VASC score. We also quantified inpatient resource use and total cost of care during the acute event. Results. We analyzed 166 patients, 125 without non-valvular AF and 41 with non-valvular AF. For a separate analysis, we matched patients with and without AF (37 per group) by age and initial NIHSS, in a 1:1 ratio. The average total cost of care in Colombian pesos (as of February 2012, 1 US$= COP$1,805) for all stroke patients was $8,635,419 (SD $12,929,905). This value was $10,341,065 (SD $15,130,716) for patients with AF and $8,056,718 (SD $12,114,840) for patients without AF. Conclusions. Despite higher treatment cost in patients with AF, these are older and severe strokes. The difference is reduced and does not reach statistical significance, when adjusted for age and stroke severity.

Keywords : Stroke; Atrial Fibrillation; Costs and Costs Analysis; Length of Sstay; Risk Factor.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )