DIRECT PHARMACEUTICAL COSTS, DIAGNOSTIC RELATED GROUPS AND CD4 CELL COUNT IN HOSPITALIZED HIV-INFECTED PATIENTS

BACKGROUND: TO estimate the direct pharmaceutical costs of the HIV-inf ected patients admitted in the HCP, the variability and the relation b etwen CD4 cell count. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We collected for each pati ent admitted to Department of Infectious Diseases between 1/1/93 to 12 /12/94 the direct pharmaceutical cost for GRD and diagnosis discharge, Also we collected the lymphocyte CD4 cell count. RESULTS: The number of patients observed was 877 and the total pharmaceutical cost was 65, 756,751 pts., 24,900,827 pts. were spent in antibiotic drugs and 22,22 5,273 pts. in antiviral drugs (non anti-HIV included). 568 patient had CD4 cell count on admission. 75% of them had a CD4 cell count less th an 50 x 10(6)/l. The variability of the pharmaceutical cost estimated in the GRD 489, 490 and diagnosis discharge was higher than 150%. Ther e was not lineal correlation between the total costs and the CD4 cell count. The mean direct pharmaceutical costs in patients with CD4 cell count less than 60 x 10(6)/l was greater than in the others. CONCLUSIO NS: Antibiotic and antiviral drugs acounted for the 72% of global phar maceutical cost in HIV patients admitted. The variability observed in the GRD 489 and 490 was high. The direct pharmaceutical costs were con ditioned by the lymphocyte CD4 cell count because this parameter deter mine the type of infections disease that these patients suffered.