Abstract
Background Co-morbidities are common in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). There are, however, hardly any population-based studies estimating the health economic impact of co-morbid conditions among COPD-subjects.
Aim To estimate annual direct health-care costs divided into costs due to non-respiratory and respiratory conditions among subjects with and without COPD and to analyze the prevalence of co-morbid diseases among COPD-subjects.
Methods Subjects with and without COPD derived from population-based cohorts in northern Sweden have been invited to annual examinations since 2005. This analysis is based on data from 1,473 subjects (whereof COPD n=599) participating in 2006. COPD classification was based on spirometry.
Results Cardiovascular disease was significantly more common among subjects with COPD compared to non-COPD subjects, 25.2% vs. 20.6%, p=0.04. The prevalence of vertebral compression and depression/anxiety was also significantly higher among COPD-subjects. Mean annual costs for both respiratory and non-respiratory conditions were about 40% higher among subjects with COPD compared to non-COPD subjects, 1,561 € vs. 931 €, p=0.03. Costs for hospitalization due to non-respiratory conditions were higher among COPD-subjects compared to non-COPD subjects, 964 € vs. 411 €, p=0.01. Actually, hospitalization due to non-respiratory diseases was the main cost driver among subjects with COPD, amounting to about 62% of the total COPD-costs.
Conclusions Costs for respiratory as well as non-respiratory diseases were higher among COPD-subjects compared to non-COPD subjects. Hospitalization due to co-morbid diseases was the main cost driver among subjects with COPD.
- © 2014 ERS