Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Objective Evidence on long-term costs of atrial fibrillation (AF) and associated factors is scarce. As part of the Swiss-AF prospective cohort study, we aimed to characterise AF costs and their development over time, and to assess specific patient clusters and their cost trajectories. Methods Swiss-AF enrolled 2415 patients with variable duration of AF between 2014 and 2017. Patient clusters were identified using hierarchical cluster analysis of baseline characteristics. Ongoing yearly follow-ups include health insurance clinical and claims data. An algorithm was developed to adjudicate costs to AF and related complications. Results A subpopulation of 1024 Swiss-AF patients with available claims data was followed up for a median (IQR) of 3.24 (1.09) years. Average yearly AF-adjudicated costs amounted to SFr5679 (€5163), remaining stable across the observation period. AF-adjudicated costs consisted mainly of inpatient and outpatient AF treatment costs (SFr4078; €3707), followed by costs of bleeding (SFr696; €633) and heart failure (SFr494; €449). Hierarchical analysis identified three patient clusters: cardiovascular (CV; N=253 with claims), isolated-symptomatic (IS; N=586) and severely morbid without cardiovascular disease (SM; N=185). The CV cluster and SM cluster depicted similarly high costs across all cost outcomes; IS patients accrued the lowest costs. Conclusion Our results highlight three well-defined patient clusters with specific costs that could be used for stratification in both clinical and economic studies. Patient characteristics associated with adjudicated costs as well as cost trajectories may enable an early understanding of the magnitude of upcoming AF-related healthcare costs.
Source: Heart
Authors: Aebersold Helena, Serra-Burriel Miquel, Foster-Witassek Fabienne, Moschovitis Giorgio, Aeschbacher Stefanie, Auricchio Angelo, Jürg H. Beer, Blozik Eva, Leo H. Bonati, Conen David, Felder Stefan, Carola A. Huber, Kühne Michael, Müller Andreas, Oberle Jolanda, Rebecca E. Paladini, Reichlin Tobias, Rodondi Nicolas, Springer Anne, Stauber Annina, Sticherling Christian, Szucs Thomas, Osswald Stefan, Schwenkglenks Matthias
Institutions: University of Zurich, Ospedale regionale di Lugano, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, University Hospital of Basel, Istituto Cardiocentro Ticino, Kantonsspital Baden, Reha Rheinfelden, Population Health Research Institute, McMaster University, University of Basel, Helsana Group (Switzerland), Triemli Hospital, University of Bern, University Hospital of Bern
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Awards: G1752643403, La construction de la figure de Moïse dans la rencontre entre Jérusalem et Athènes. Plaidoyer pour un comparatisme renouvelé, G3830373416, Swiss Atrial Fibrillation Cohort Study, Health economic aspects of atrial fibrillation: analyses based on the Swiss-AF cohort study, G4542678335, G5479434749, Mechanisms of cognitive decline in patients with atrial fibrillation: the Swiss AF-Brain Study, Health Consequences of the Burden of Atrial Fibrillation - The Swiss-AF-Burden study, Swiss Atrial Fibrillation Cohort Study
OpenAlex ID: W4308194635