Direct costs and clinical-epidemiological characteristics of hospitalized patients with chickenpox in 2013. At Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño

Abstract

Chickenpox is highly transmittable and affects children. The burden of disease is reflected in complications that lead to hospitalization, burdening economically health institutions. Objectives: To estimate the direct costs and describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients hospitalized due to community-acquired varicella in the INSN. Material and Methods: This is a descriptive, retrospective study. We reviewed the medical records of patients hospitalized due to chickenpox in 2013. For the cost estimation, we first identified and later estimated the value of all consumptions per hospitalized patient. Results: Of 217 evaluated medical records, the average age was 3.5 years ± 2.9 years. The population <5 years accounted for 75.6% of the total. No patient had received varicella vaccine. Hospitalizations occurred more in spring and summer. Most came from the most populated districts of Lima .The most common complications were: skin and soft tissue over infections 72.4% (157/217), central nervous system 13.4% (29/217) and 11.1% and respiratory (24/217). 2 patients died (1%). The estimated total direct cost for 217 inpatients was: S / 538,381.48 soles; hospitalization costs represented 64% of the total. The average cost per patient was: S / 2,481.02 soles. Conclusions: Patients hospitalized due to complicated chickenpox generated high resource consumption from the perspective of the hospital. Hospitalized patients were mostly children under 5 years with skin infections and soft tissue, with no history of vaccination.