Summary
Background
Invasive mucormycosis (IM) is a rare invasive fungal infection with a high mortality
rate. However, data concerning the clinical and economic burden of IM are scarce.
Aim
To evaluate the direct treatment costs and additional expenditures of patients with
IM.
Methods
A retrospective cost-of-illness analysis of cases with IM extracted from FungiScope
– Global Registry for Emerging Fungal Infections, accessible through the epidemiological
research platform www.ClinicalSurveys.net, was undertaken. Results of patients with IM were compared with those of matched
patients with similar underlying conditions based on the German Diagnosis Related
Group (G-DRG) coding.
Findings
Out of 46 patients with probable/proven IM, 31 (67%) patients were male and the median
age was 53 years (range 11–88 years). Forty-two patients (92%) had haematological
diseases as the most common risk factor. Analysis of cost factors identified antifungal
treatment due to IM as the primary cost driver [€22,816, 95% confidence interval (CI)
€15,036–32,346], with mean overall direct treatment costs of €53,261 (95% CI €39,660–68,825).
Compared with matched patients, patients with IM were treated in hospital for 26.5
additional days (standard deviation 31.8 days; P < 0.001), resulting in mean additional costs of €32,991 (95% CI €21,558–46,613; P < 0.001). Probable IM, as well as absence of chemotherapy, surgical measures due
to IM, and antifungal prophylaxis were associated with lower overall costs. Nineteen
patients (41.3%) died during hospitalization.
Conclusion
This study demonstrates the considerable healthcare burden of IM. The choice of antifungal
agent for treatment of IM had no impact on overall cost.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: November 10, 2018
Accepted:
November 5,
2018
Received:
June 18,
2018
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
