PCV20: ASSESSING THE TOTAL COST OF MANAGEMENT OF A PATIENT WITH DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS (DVT) IN FRANCE AND IN ITALY

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Economic studies on the cost of DVT usually take into account the acute care costs only although the patients are treated and followed-up after hospital discharge for at least six months. We calculated the true economic burden of the disease. METHODS: We assessed from the Health Care System perspective the total cost of managing a patient with DVT over a one-year period in France and in Italy. For assessing the inpatients costs, we used the National inpatient Diagnosis Group data base in France and in Italy. We studied the patient profile, the mean length of stay and the subsequent complications. Data on outpatient care for DVT were based on literature, questionnaire filled in by practitionners, ambulatory care data base (in France) and compared to practice guidelines. Inpatient and outpatient costs were combined to provide total costs of care for DVT over an one-year period. In addition, we modelled, from published data, the risk of pulmonary embolism (PE) and DVT recurrences, and we costed these complications. RESULTS: The average French inpatient cost for DVT is 3,220 Euros (average length of hospital stay: 9.6 days) while this cost is 2,865 Euros in Italy (average length of hospital stay: 7 days). In both countries, the total cost of management of a DVT patient over an one-year period was calculated to be at least 30% higher than the only costs of acute care. CONCLUSION: The assessment of the global economic burden of DVT has to take into account the costs occurring after hospital discharge. Our approach was conservative as we did not take into account the risk of occurrence of Post Phlebitic Syndrome and its economic consequences.