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. 2017 Nov 10;17(1):714.
doi: 10.1186/s12913-017-2652-y.

Cost of illness of atrial fibrillation: a nationwide study of societal impact

Søren Paaske Johnsen  1 , Lene Worsaae Dalby  2 , Tomas Täckström  3 , Jens Olsen  4 , Anina Fraschke  3
Affiliations

Cost of illness of atrial fibrillation: a nationwide study of societal impact

Søren Paaske Johnsen et al. BMC Health Serv Res. .

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of atrial fibrillation is increasing rapidly; however, to date, population-based data are lacking on the attributable cost of illness of atrial fibrillation from a societal perspective, including both direct and indirect costs.

Methods: The study was an incidence-based cost-of-illness study based on national registries covering the entire population of Denmark. We identified all patients with a first-time hospital diagnosis of atrial fibrillation between 2001 and 2012. For every atrial fibrillation patient, we identified three age- and sex-matched controls from the general population. Both the total and the attributable costs of atrial fibrillation were estimated based on individual level information on hospital care (in- and out-patient contacts), primary sector care, use of prescription drugs and productivity loss.

Results: Average 3-year societal costs per patient attributable to atrial fibrillation were estimated to be €20,403-26,544 during the study period. The costs were highest during the first year after diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. Admission costs constituted the largest cost component, whereas primary sector costs and medicine costs only constituted minor components. The attributable costs were more than two-fold higher among patients experiencing a stroke. The total 3-year cost attributable to atrial fibrillation in Denmark was estimated to be €219-295 million.

Conclusions: The societal costs attributable to atrial fibrillation are significant. Reducing the need for hospitalizations, in particular from stroke, is a key factor in controlling the costs.

Keywords: Anticoagulants; Atrial fibrillation; Cost of illness; Costs.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

This study was approved by the Danish Data Protection Agency (J.nr. 2014–54-0664). Ethics committee approval and written informed consent are not required for registry-based research according to Danish law.

Consent for publication

Not Applicable.

Competing interests

LWD, TT and AF are employees of Bayer. SPJ has served as an advisory board member for Bayer, BMS, Pfizer and St Jude; a consultant for Bayer, BMS and Pfizer and a speaker for Bayer, BMS, Pfizer, Boehringer-Ingelheim and St Jude. Incentive is a paid vendor of Bayer.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Distribution of total* and attributable** average individual costs in year 1-3 after a first-time hospital diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. Data are from the latest available year with up to 3 years of follow-up (i.e., patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation in 2010). *Total costs after AF diagnosis (including primary sector, outpatient, hospital admission, medicine, production loss and home care) minus the costs in the preceding year. **Total costs of AF minus the total costs among the controls
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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