Impact of time to treatment of oseltamivir on influenza hospitalization cost among Korean children

Abstract

BackgroundAlthough oseltamivir is a common influenza treatment, there is a lack of data on the economic benefits of timely oseltamivir treatment. MethodsFrom February 2004 through June 2007, 116 hospitalized children 15 years of age with laboratory-confirmed influenza who received oseltamivir were identified via retrospective medical chart review. Demographic, clinical, and cost data were abstracted and multivariate linear regression was used to assess the association between oseltamivir time to treatment and treatment-related costs among hospitalized children with laboratory-confirmed influenza. ResultsOverall, 28% (n = 33) of patients were treated with oseltamivir day 3 of admission. Rapid influenza diagnostic test was used in a significantly lower proportion of patients treated with oseltamivir day 3 of admission compared with those who received oseltamivir earlier. On multivariate linear regression, initiation of oseltamivir day 3 of admission was associated with a 60.84% increase (95%CI: 32.59-95.11) in treatment-related hospital costs, compared with initiation on admission. ConclusionDelayed initiation of oseltamivir was found to be associated with increased treatment-related hospital costs among children hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza.