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Objectives: Given that pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic hypertension (CTEPH) are rare yet severe subtypes of pulmonary hypertension significantly impacting patients’ lives, this study analyzed the total societal costs of these conditions in Finland. Methods: PAH (n = 247) and CTEPH (n = 177) patients diagnosed between 2008 and 2019 were analyzed for primary and specialty outpatient visits, emergency visits, hospitalizations, home and institutional care, sick leaves, disability pensions, and drug costs for 5 years before and after diagnosis. Results: In PAH and CTEPH, annual specialty care number of outpatient visits increased from 3.8 and 3.3 (5 years before diagnosis) to 13.8 and 9.5 one-year post-diagnosis, then decreased to 9.2 and 4.0 at 5 years post-diagnosis. Annual inpatient days rose from 2.8 and 2.7 to 16.1 and 19.7 pre-diagnosis, then fell to 10.2 and 3.5 post-diagnosis, respectively. Within 5 years post-diagnosis, in working-age 70 % PAH and 42 % CTEPH patients received disability pensions. Drug therapy accounted for most costs (67 % in PAH and 60 % in CTEPH), followed by inpatient care, disability pensions, and outpatient care. Total costs were significantly lower for CTEPH, especially after pulmonary endarterectomy. Among PAH subtypes, the highest costs were in patients with PAH associated with connective tissue diseases. Conclusions: PAH and CTEPH cause a significant economic burden on patients and society with considerable differences depending on the PAH subtype and whether the patient has undergone PEA operation or not.

Objectives To investigate healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and associated costs by depression severity and year of diagnosis among patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in Denmark. Methods Including all adult patients with a first-time hospital contact for major depressive disorder (MDD) in 1996–2015, TRD patients were defined at the second shift in depression treatment (antidepressant medicine or electroconvulsive therapy) and matched 1:2 with non-TRD patients. The risk of utilization and amount of HRU and associated costs including medicine expenses 12 months after the TRD-defining date were reported, comparing TRD patients with non-TRD MDD patients. Results Identifying 25,321 TRD-patients matched with 50,638 non-TRD patients, the risk of psychiatric hospitalization following TRD diagnosis was 138.4% (95%-confidence interval: 128.3–149.0) higher for TRD patients than for non-TRD MDD patients. The number of hospital bed days and emergency department (ED) visits were also higher among TRD patients, with no significant difference for somatic HRU. Among patients who incurred healthcare costs, the associated HRU costs for TRD patients were 101.9% (97.5–106.4) higher overall, and 55.2% (50.9–59.6) higher for psychiatric services than those of non-TRD patients. The relative differences in costs for TRD-patients vs non-TRD patients were greater for patients with mild depression and tended to increase over the study period (1996–2015), particularly for acute hospitalizations and ED visits. Limitations TRD was defined by prescription patterns besides ECT treatments. Conclusion TRD was associated with increased psychiatric-related HRU. Particularly the difference in acute hospitalizations and ED visits between TRD and non-TRD patients increased over the study period.

ObjectivesTo investigate healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and associated costs by depression severity and year of diagnosis among patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in Denmark.MethodsIncluding all adult patients with a first-time hospital contact for major depressive disorder (MDD) in 1996-2015, TRD patients were defined at the second shift in depression treatment (antidepressant medicine or electroconvulsive therapy) and matched 1:2 with non-TRD patients. The risk of utilization and amount of HRU and associated costs including medicine expenses 12 months after the TRD-defining date were reported, comparing TRD patients with non-TRD MDD patients.ResultsIdentifying 25,321 TRD-patients matched with 50,638 non-TRD patients, the risk of psychiatric hospitalization following TRD diagnosis was 138.4% (95%-confidence interval: 128.3-149.0) higher for TRD patients than for non-TRD MDD patients. The number of hospital bed days and emergency department (ED) visits were also higher among TRD patients, with no significant difference for somatic HRU. Among patients who incurred healthcare costs, the associated HRU costs for TRD patients were 101.9% (97.5-106.4) higher overall, and 55.2% (50.9-59.6) higher for psychiatric services than those of non-TRD patients. The relative differences in costs for TRD-patients vs non-TRD patients were greater for patients with mild depression and tended to increase over the study period (1996-2015), particularly for acute hospitalizations and ED visits.LimitationsTRD was defined by prescription patterns besides ECT treatments.ConclusionTRD was associated with increased psychiatric-related HRU. Particularly the difference in acute hospitalizations and ED visits between TRD and non-TRD patients increased over the study period.