Cost Analysis of Patients with Upper Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage

Abstract

Aim: Increasing healtcare costs reveal to consider the costs of present diagnostic and treatment modalities. In this study we analysed the costs of hospitalized patients with upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (UGIB) who admitted to Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Education and Research Hospital. Material and Method: In this retrospective study, 524 UGIB patients who admitted to emergency department in 3 years were enrolled. Patients records that include gender, age, complaint at admission, history of medical drug use, presence of comorbidity, blood type, cost of hospitalization, mortality, endoscopic findings, endoscopic forrests classification, duration of hospitalization, number of blood transfusion were recorded. Obtained data were evaluated to determine their impact on cost of hospitalization. Results: This study was consisted of 362 male (69,1%) and 162 female (30,9%) patients. Mean duration of hospitalization was 6.35 +/- 4.94 days, mean age was 54.70 +/- 20.4 years, and mean number of transfused blood was 2.19 +/- 2.25. Mortality rate was 4,2% (n = 22). Mean cost of hospitalization was 827.97 +/- 747.11 Turkish Liras (TL). A statistical significance was determined between cost of hospitalization and age (p=0,001), duration of hospitalization (p=0,001), comorbidity (p<0,05), number of transfused blood (p=0,001), and hemoglobine levels at admission (p<0,05). Discussion: Predisposing drug use, presence of comorbidity, age, duration of hospitalization, number of transfused blood were determined as factors that have impact on mortality. Presence of comorbidity, number of comorbid diseases, age, number of transfused blood and hemoglobine levels at admission were determined as factors that have impact on cost of treatment. More studies are needed about duration of hospitalization and number of transfused blood in UGIB patients.