PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Nikolay Yanev AU - Nikolay Kyuchukov AU - Pavlina Nikolova AU - Plamen Pavlov AU - Yavor Ivanov AU - Tsania Popova AU - Ilia Krachunov TI - COPD comorbidities - Do they add more cost? A 1-year follow-up study DP - 2012 Sep 01 TA - European Respiratory Journal PG - P1002 VI - 40 IP - Suppl 56 4099 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P1002.short 4100 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/P1002.full SO - Eur Respir J2012 Sep 01; 40 AB - IntroductionComorbidities associated with COPD are an additional burden to desease severity.AimThis study attempted to determine the direct costs and costs of associated comorbidities derived from the management of COPD patients in hospital through a retrospective 1-year, follow-up study.MethodsA total of 512 (397 male and 117 female) COPD patients with different severity degrees were recruited. Comorbidities were searched by history, previous medical papers and by performing clinical examinations. All direct medical costs incurred by the cohort and related to their comorbidities were calculated.ResultsThe mean age of patients was 67 years (SD ± 10,3). Severity evaluation of airflow limitation showed that – 3,7% had mild COPD, 27,7% - moderate, 37,5% - severe and 31,2% - very severe obstruction. Mean FEV1 was 42,5% predicted value. From all patients 82,5% (424) had comorbidities. The mean direct cost for COPD patients was €431 per hospitalization. The mean cost generated by the patients with COPD and with associated comorbidities were as follows – cardiovascular diseases €438, diabetes €437, anemia €571, osteoporosis €426, depression €503. The patients without comorbidities generated mean direct cost of €416.ConclusionCosts of comorbidities were found to be higher than the mean costs of COPD without comorbidities. In percentage the added cost were as follows – cardiovascular disease +5.13%, diabetes +4.93%, anemia +37.13%, osteoporosis +2.40% and depression +20.80%. Mean added cost is 12,34%. There was a statistically significant difference only for the costs incurred by COPD patients with cardiovascular diseases and anemia (p>0,05) respectively compared to the cost of COPD patients without comorbidities.