Direct healthcare costs for patients hospitalized with Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever can be predicted by a clinical illness severity scoring system

Abstract

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is endemic in Turkey, with peak incidence of hospital admissions in the summer months. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the role of the severity grading score (SGS) in predicting length of hospital stay, laboratory usage, need for blood products, and hence total costs of patients. Thirty-five patients admitted to one specialist center in Turkey in 2013 and 2014 with PCR-proven CCHF. The mean (SD) age was 55 (+/- 14) and 63% of the patients were male, with 8 (22.9%) mortality. Patients were classified by SGS into three groups with mortality as follows: low risk (0/19); intermediate (6/14); and high (2/2). The direct hospital cost of these admissions was at least $41 740 with median (range) of $1210 ($97-$13 054) per patient. There was a significant difference between low-risk and combined (intermediate-high) risk groups as 635 (97-1500) and 2264.5 (154-13 054), respectively (p = 0.012). In conclusion, a clinical grading score can be used to predict illness severity and to predict associated health care costs.