1
|
Buja A, Rebba V, Montecchio L, Renzo G, Baldo V, Cocchio S, Ferri N, Migliore F, Zorzi A, Collins B, Amrouch C, De Smedt D, Kypridemos C, Petrovic M, O'Flaherty M, Lip GYH. The Cost of Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review. Value Health 2024; 27:527-541. [PMID: 38296049 DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2023.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, with an increasing incidence and prevalence because of progressively aging populations. Costs related to AF are both direct and indirect. This systematic review aims to identify the main cost drivers of the illness, assess the potential economic impact resulting from changes in care strategies, and propose interventions where they are most needed. METHODS A systematic literature search of the PubMed and Scopus databases was performed to identify analytical observational studies defining the cost of illness in cases of AF. The search strategy was based on the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) 2020 recommendations. RESULTS Of the 944 articles retrieved, 24 met the inclusion criteria. These studies were conducted in several countries. All studies calculated the direct medical costs, whereas 8 of 24 studies assessed indirect costs. The median annual direct medical cost per patient, considering all studies, was €9409 (13 333 US dollars in purchasing power parities), with a very large variability due to the heterogeneity of different analyses. Hospitalization costs are generally the main cost drivers. Comorbidities and complications, such as stroke, considerably increase the average annual direct medical cost of AF. CONCLUSIONS In most of the analyzed studies, inpatient care cost represents the main component of the mean direct medical cost per patient. Stroke and heart failure are responsible for a large share of the total costs; therefore, implementing guidelines to manage comorbidities in AF is a necessary step to improve health and mitigate healthcare costs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Buja
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Rebba
- Department of Economics and Management "Marco Fanno," University of Padua and Interuniversity Research Centre of Public Economics (CRIEP), Padua, Italy.
| | - Laura Montecchio
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Italy
| | - Giulia Renzo
- Department of Economics and Management "Marco Fanno," University of Padua Italy
| | - Vincenzo Baldo
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Italy
| | - Silvia Cocchio
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Italy
| | - Nicola Ferri
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, Italy
| | - Federico Migliore
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Italy
| | - Alessandro Zorzi
- Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua, Italy
| | - Brendan Collins
- Department of Public Health, Policy & Systems - Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, England, UK
| | - Cheïma Amrouch
- Department of Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Ghent University, Belgium; Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Delphine De Smedt
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Christodoulos Kypridemos
- Department of Public Health, Policy & Systems - Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, England, UK
| | - Mirko Petrovic
- Department of Internal Medicine and Paediatrics, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Martin O'Flaherty
- Department of Public Health, Policy & Systems - Institute of Population Health, University of Liverpool, England, UK; Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, England, UK
| | - Gregory Y H Lip
- Liverpool Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, England, UK; Danish Center for Health Services Research, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|