[Costs of illness and health-related quality of life for community-acquired pneumonia--a systematic review]

Abstract

Aim: There are only very limited data available on the costs and health-related quality of life (hrQoL) of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Germany. The aim of this review was to identify studies in the international literature regarding the costs and hrQoL of CAP.

Method: In March 2010, a systematic literature search was performed. The acquired literature was evaluated separately for costs of illness and/or hrQoL analyses followed by a structured discussion of the findings.

Results: A total of 172 references was identified. Sixteen publications on the cost of illness for CAP and five publications on hrQoL met the selection criteria and were included in the present review.

Conclusion: There are only very limited and, furthermore, outdated data available on the costs and quality of life impacts of CAP. Hence, further research is urgently needed to fill this lack of evidence.