Cost of care for individuals with cystic fibrosis: A regression approach to determining the impact of recombinant human DNase

We estimated direct medical costs of care and important determinants of the costs in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), including therapy with recomb inant human DNase (rhDNase). Costs were estimated with resource use data fr om the Epidemiologic Study of Cystic Fibrosis. Ordinary least squares regre ssion was used to determine the effect of clinical and demographic variable s on individual cost of care. The estimated cost of caring for 303 patients in Alberta was $2,279,801 in 1996. The mean cost of care was $7524 (range $386-92,376)/patient. Regression results indicated that age and forced expi ratory volume predicted had a negative association with costs. Being female , receiving rhDNase, and having Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Burkholderia cepa cia were all associated with high costs. Our estimates indicated large inte rindividual variation in cost of care for patients with CF.