Medical care costs of newly diagnosed children with structural-metabolic epilepsy: a one year prevalence-based approached

Salih, Muhannad R.M. and Bahari, Mohd. Baidi and Shafie, Asrul Akmal and Ahmad Hassali, Mohamed Azmi and Baderaldeen , Omer Qutaiba and Abd, Arwa Y. and Ganesan, Vigneswari M. (2012) Medical care costs of newly diagnosed children with structural-metabolic epilepsy: a one year prevalence-based approached. Seizure: European Journal of Epilepsy, 21 (10). pp. 764-769. ISSN 1059-1311

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Abstract

Purpose Aims of this study were to estimate the first-year medical care costs of newly diagnosed children with structural-metabolic epilepsy and to determine the cost-driving factors in the selected population. Method This was a prevalence-based retrospective chart review that included patients who attended a pediatric neurology clinic in a tertiary referral center in Malaysia. The total first-year medical care costs were estimated from the provider (i.e., hospital) perspective, using a bottom-up, microcosting analysis. Medical chart/billing data (i.e., case reports) obtained from the hospital (i.e., provider) were collected to determine the resources used. Prices or cost data were standardized for the year 2010 (One Malaysian Ringgit MYR is equivalent to 0.26 Euro or 0.32 USD). Results The most expensive item in the costs list was antiepileptic drugs, whereas ultrasound examination represented the cheapest item. Hospitalization and the use of non-antiepileptic drugs were the second and third most costly items, respectively. The cost of therapeutic drug monitoring comprised only a small proportion of the total annual expenditure. None of the demographic variables (i.e., gender, race, and age) significantly impacted the first-year medical care costs. Similarly, child development, seizure type, therapy type (i.e., polytherapy versus monotherapy), and therapeutic drug monitoring utilization were also not associated with the cost of management. The first-year medical care costs positively correlated with seizure frequency (rs=0.294, p=0.001). However, the only variable that significantly predict the first-year medical care costs was the type of antiepileptic drugs (R2=0.292, F=7.772, p<0.001). Conclusion This investigation was the first cost analysis study of epilepsy in Malaysia. The total first-year medical care costs for 120 patients with structural-metabolic epilepsy were MYR 202,816 (i.e., MYR 1690.13 per patient per year). The study findings highlight the importance of optimizing seizure control in reducing the cost of managemen

Item Type:	Article (Journal)
Additional Information:	6773/29186
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Cost, Structural-metabolic epilepsy, Pediatrics, Malaysia, Seizure
Subjects:	R Medicine > RS Pharmacy and materia medica
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Pharmacy Kulliyyah of Pharmacy > Department of Pharmacy Practice
Depositing User:	Nur' Aini Abu Bakar
Date Deposited:	18 Mar 2013 09:48
Last Modified:	26 Nov 2013 11:07
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/29186

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