Resource Use And Direct Medical Costs Of Acute Respiratory Illness In The Uk Based On Linked Primary And Secondary Care Records From 2001 To 2009

Background Previous studies have shown that influenza is associated with a substantial healthcare burden in the United Kingdom (UK), but more studies are needed to evaluate the resource use and direct medical costs of influenza in primary care and secondary care. Methods A retrospective observational database study in the UK to describe the primary care and directly-associated secondary care resource use, and direct medical costs of acute respiratory illness (ARI), according to age, and risk status (NCT Number: 01521416). Patients with influenza, ARI or influenza-related respiratory infections during 9 consecutive pre-pandemic influenza peak seasons were identified by READ codes in the linked Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) and Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) dataset. The study period was from 21st January 2001 to 31st March 2009. Results A total of 156,193 patients had >= 1 general practitioner (GP) episode of ARI, and a total of 82,204 patients received >= 1 GP prescription, at a mean of 2.5 (standard deviation [SD]: 3.0) prescriptions per patient. The total cost of GP consultations and prescriptions equated to 462,827 pound per year per 100,000 patients. The yearly cost of prescribed medication for ARI was 319,732 pound, at an estimated cost of 11,596,350 pound per year extrapolated to the UK, with 40% attributable to antibiotics. The mean cost of hospital admissions equated to a yearly cost of 981,808 pound per 100,000 patients. The total mean direct medical cost of ARI over 9 influenza seasons was 21,343,445 pound (SD: 10,441,364) pound, at 136.65 pound (SD: 66.85) pound per case. Conclusions Extrapolating to the UK population, for pre-pandemic influenza seasons from 2001 to 2009, the direct medical cost of ARI equated to 86 pound million each year. More studies are needed to assess the costs of influenza disease to help guide public health decision-making for seasonal influenza in the UK.