OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the economic burden of mechanically ventilated (MV) patients with pneumonia in the US.

METHODS: Hospitalized patients (≥18 years-old) with a primary (cohort 1) or secondary (cohort 2) diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia (gram-negative, unspecified, or mixed) were identified from the MarketScan Commercial and Medicare Databases (4/1/2012-9/30/2016). Patients were required to have received MV during hospitalization and have continuous medical and pharmacy coverage for ≥3 months before the index admission. Patients were followed for ≥3 months after their discharge date (follow-up period) or death, whichever was earlier. Each cohort was separated into 3 groups: patients who were alive 3 months after discharge, patients who died during their index hospitalization, and patients who died during the follow-up period. Hospital length of stay (LOS) and hospital and physician costs from a health insurance payment perspective were evaluated for index hospitalizations.

RESULTS: In cohort 1, 425 patients (mean age: 62 years) were alive ≥3 months after discharge, 163 (mean age: 71 years) died during hospitalization, and 32 (mean age: 61 years) died during follow-up. The average LOSs for the index hospitalization was 13, 14, and 17 days and total mean index hospitalization costs were $62,338, $58,432, and $55,146, respectively. In cohort 2, 2,238 patients (mean age: 61 years) were alive ≥3 months after discharge, 873 (mean age: 70 years) died during hospitalization, and 220 (mean age: 67 years) died during follow-up. The average LOS for the index hospitalization was 22, 19, and 28 days and total mean index hospitalization costs were $101,869, $102,437, and $115,859, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: Among hospitalized MV patients with pneumonia the economic burden was high, irrespective of whether patients survived or died during the index admission or 3-month follow-up period.