The cost of inpatient endometriosis treatment: An analysis based on the healthcare cost and utilization project nationwide inpatient sample (Reprinted from the American Journal of Managed Care, vol 4, pg 1127-1134, 1998)

Objective: To determine the prevalence and cost of endometriosis-related ho spitalizations based on the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) from the Heal thcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP-3). Study Design: Retrospective analysis based on nationwide clinical practice data. Patients and Methods: Data were obtained for 1991 and 1992 from the HCUP-NI S database, which was a 20% sample of all US hospital discharges. ICD-9 cod es (236.0, 617.0 to 617.9) were used to identify females, aged 15 to 54, wi th endometriosis as a diagnosis. The distribution of endometriosis admissio ns by admission type, length of stay (LOS), mean total charge, specific typ es of endometriosis, principal procedures, and other diagnosed diseases was described. Results: In 1991 and 1992, 37,273 (22.6/1000) and 38,834 (23.7/1000) hospit al admissions, respectively, were for endometriosis las any diagnosis). The average LOS and total hospital charges for endometriosis as the primary di agnosis were 3.8 days and $6597 for 1991, and 3.5 days and $7450 for 1992. Most endometriosis admissions occurred in females aged 35 to 49. About 87% of the endometriosis hospitalizations were routine admissions. The most com mon diagnosis was endometriosis of the uterus (51%); the most common proced ure was a total abdominal hysterectomy (55% to 60%). Older and African-Amer ican patients had the longest LOS and the highest total charges. The estima ted total hospitalization costs, as represented by hospital charges, for wo men with endometriosis as the primary diagnosis in the United States were $ 504 million for 1991 and $579 million for 1992. Conclusion: Endometriosis-related hospitalization is a major burden on heal thcare systems.