Cost-of-disease of Heart Failure in Turkey: A Delphi Panel-based Analysis of Direct and Indirect Costs


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Cavusoglu Y., Altay H., Aras D., Celik A., Ertas F. S., Kilicaslan B., ...More

BALKAN MEDICAL JOURNAL, vol.39, no.4, pp.282-289, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 39 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 2022
  • Doi Number: 10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2022.2022-3-97
  • Journal Name: BALKAN MEDICAL JOURNAL
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, CAB Abstracts, Central & Eastern European Academic Source (CEEAS), CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Veterinary Science Database, Directory of Open Access Journals, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Page Numbers: pp.282-289
  • Dokuz Eylül University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Background: Heart failure (HF) is considered a significant public health issue with a substantial and growing epidemiologic and economic burden in relation to longer life expectancy and aging global population Aims: To determine cost-of-disease of heart failure (HF) in Turkey from the payer perspective. Study Design: Cross-sectional cost of disease study. Methods: In this cost-of-disease study, annual direct and indirect costs of management of HF were determined based on epidemiological, clinical and lost productivity inputs provided by a Delphi panel consisted of 11 experts in HF with respect to ejection fraction (EF) status (HF patients with reduced EF (HFrEF), mid-range EF (HFmrEF) and preserved EF (HFpEF)) and New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification. Direct medical costs included cost items on outpatient management, inpatient management, medications, and non -pharmaceutical treatments. Indirect cost was calculated based on the lost productivity due to absenteeism and presenteeism. Results: 51.4%, 19.5%, and 29.1% of the patients were estimated to be HFrEF, HFmrEF, and HFpEF patients, respectively. The total annual direct medical cost per patient was $887 and non-pharmaceutical treatments ($373, 42.1%) were the major direct cost driver. Since an estimated nationwide number of HF patients is 1,128,000 in 2021, the total annual national economic burden of HF is estimated to be $1 billion in 2021. The direct medical cost was higher in patients with HFrEF than in those with HFmrEF or HFpEF ($1,147 vs. $555 and $649, respectively). Average indirect cost per patient was calculated to be $3,386 and was similar across HFrEF, HFmrEF and HFpEF groups, but increased with advanced NYHA stage. Conclusion: Our findings confirm the substantial economic burden of HF in terms of both direct and indirect costs and indicate that the non-pharmaceutical cost is the major direct medical cost driver in HF management, regardless of the EF status of HF patients.