tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
BMC Med
. 2024 Feb 1;22(1):46.
doi: 10.1186/s12916-023-03234-6. Substantial health and economic burden of COVID-19 during the year after acute illness among US adults at high risk of severe COVID-19
Amie Scott[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Wajeeha Ansari[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Farid Khan[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Richard Chambers[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Michael Benigno[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Manuela Di Fusco[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Leah McGrath[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Deepa Malhotra[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Florin Draica[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Jennifer Nguyen[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Joanna Atkinson[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Jessica E Atwell[SUP] 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Background: Post-COVID conditions encompass a range of long-term symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The potential clinical and economic burden in the United States is unclear. We evaluated diagnoses, medications, healthcare use, and medical costs before and after acute COVID-19 illness in US patients at high risk of severe COVID-19.
Methods: Eligible adults were diagnosed with COVID-19 from April 1 to May 31, 2020, had ≥ 1 condition placing them at risk of severe COVID-19, and were enrolled in Optum's de-identified Clinformatics[SUP]®[/SUP] Data Mart Database for ≥ 12 months before and ≥ 13 months after COVID-19 diagnosis. Percentages of diagnoses, medications, resource use, and costs were calculated during baseline (12 months preceding diagnosis) and the post-acute phase (12 months after the 30-day acute phase of COVID-19). Data were stratified by age and COVID-19 severity.
Results: The cohort included 19,558 patients (aged 18-64 y, n = 9381; aged ≥ 65 y, n = 10,177). Compared with baseline, patients during the post-acute phase had increased percentages of blood disorders (16.3%), nervous system disorders (11.1%), and mental and behavioral disorders (7.7%), along with increases in related prescriptions. Overall, there were substantial increases in inpatient and outpatient healthcare utilization, along with a 23.0% increase in medical costs. Changes were greatest among older patients and those admitted to the intensive care unit for acute COVID-19 but were also observed in younger patients and those who did not require COVID-19 hospitalization.
Conclusions: There is a significant clinical and economic burden of post-COVID conditions among US individuals at high risk for severe COVID-19.
Keywords: COVID-19; Long COVID; PASC; Post-COVID conditions; SARS-CoV-2.
. 2024 Feb 1;22(1):46.
doi: 10.1186/s12916-023-03234-6. Substantial health and economic burden of COVID-19 during the year after acute illness among US adults at high risk of severe COVID-19
Amie Scott[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Wajeeha Ansari[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Farid Khan[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Richard Chambers[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Michael Benigno[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Manuela Di Fusco[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Leah McGrath[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Deepa Malhotra[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Florin Draica[SUP] 6 [/SUP], Jennifer Nguyen[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Joanna Atkinson[SUP] 7 [/SUP], Jessica E Atwell[SUP] 3 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 38303065
- PMCID: PMC10836000
- DOI: 10.1186/s12916-023-03234-6
Background: Post-COVID conditions encompass a range of long-term symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The potential clinical and economic burden in the United States is unclear. We evaluated diagnoses, medications, healthcare use, and medical costs before and after acute COVID-19 illness in US patients at high risk of severe COVID-19.
Methods: Eligible adults were diagnosed with COVID-19 from April 1 to May 31, 2020, had ≥ 1 condition placing them at risk of severe COVID-19, and were enrolled in Optum's de-identified Clinformatics[SUP]®[/SUP] Data Mart Database for ≥ 12 months before and ≥ 13 months after COVID-19 diagnosis. Percentages of diagnoses, medications, resource use, and costs were calculated during baseline (12 months preceding diagnosis) and the post-acute phase (12 months after the 30-day acute phase of COVID-19). Data were stratified by age and COVID-19 severity.
Results: The cohort included 19,558 patients (aged 18-64 y, n = 9381; aged ≥ 65 y, n = 10,177). Compared with baseline, patients during the post-acute phase had increased percentages of blood disorders (16.3%), nervous system disorders (11.1%), and mental and behavioral disorders (7.7%), along with increases in related prescriptions. Overall, there were substantial increases in inpatient and outpatient healthcare utilization, along with a 23.0% increase in medical costs. Changes were greatest among older patients and those admitted to the intensive care unit for acute COVID-19 but were also observed in younger patients and those who did not require COVID-19 hospitalization.
Conclusions: There is a significant clinical and economic burden of post-COVID conditions among US individuals at high risk for severe COVID-19.
Keywords: COVID-19; Long COVID; PASC; Post-COVID conditions; SARS-CoV-2.