LAUSR

Background: Asthma has an economic burden on public health, particularly linked to hospitalization during exacerbations. In fact, according to literature 70% of the overall disease cost is due to exacerbations. The purpose of this study was to calculate the direct cost of an hospitalization due to asthma flare up in pour department and to propose measures reducing this cost. Methods: This retrospective study included 100 patients who were admitted with an acute asthma exacerbation between 1st January 2012 and 30th September 2015 in Abdurrahman Mami hospital. Direct costs included hospital charges, human resources utilization, diagnostic tests and medications. Results: The mean age of the patients was 53.18 ± 16.7 years. Sixty-three had one or more co-morbidities. Asthma was severe in 67% and moderate in 23% of patients. The average direct cost of asthma exacerbation was 393,13€ ± 164,93€/ hospitalization. Hospital charges accounted for 34% of the direct cost (134,78€ ± 61,69€), followed by the cost of human resources utilization, which represented 29% (114,22 ± 52,28€), then the cost of diagnostic tests 26% (100,51 ± 45,48€) and the treatment 11% ( 44,06 ± 33,02€). A statistically significant relationship was found between the mean direct hospitalization cost and age (p = 0.001), presence of co-morbidities (p = 0.001) and asthma severity (p = 0.011). Conclusion: In our study, the cost of hospitalization for asthma and its economic burden on public health could be reduced by limiting unnecessary complementary tests, antibiotics prescription and reducing the length of hospital stay.