OBJECTIVES: To study the association between baseline socio-demographic and clinical characteristics and total annual follow up cost of unselected patients subjected CRMDs implantation in a real-world setting. METHODS: A single-centre, prospective study was conducted for one year’s period. In total, 464 consecutive patients were recruited (370 were subjected to PM implantation initial or replacement and 94 to ICD implantation initial or replacement). The baseline collected data encompasses: socio-demographic characteristics, measurements of anthropometric and clinical characteristics; medical history, medications used before the enrolment in the study and QoL assessed by the EUROQOL EQ-5D Questionnaire. Resource data were assessed at 6 and 12 months after the procedure of implantation. Then, the components of cost were calculated using the bottom-up approach. RESULTS: The generalized linear model indicated that among the variables considered, only age, history of hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia are significantly associated with the total annual social cost of patients subjected to PM implantation. The predicted mean total annual costs (95% CI) adjusted for the factors mentioned above were €2.256 (€2.018–€2.534) for the overall sample of PM patients, and €2.171 (€1.888–€2.505) and €2.409 (€2.063–€2.778) in patients with initial PM implantation and those subjected to PM replacement, respectively.

In addition, the history of hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia as well as the baseline QoL were significantly associated with the total annual cost of patients subjected to ICD implantation. The predicted mean total annual costs (95% CI) adjusted for the factors mentioned above were €3.318 (€2.771–€3.967) for the overall sample of ICD patients, and 3.528 (€2.901– €4.156) and €2.044 (€1.329–€3.029) in patients with initial ICD implantation and those subjected to ICD replacement, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Age, history of hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia for the patients were subjected to PM implantation and moreover the quality of life for the patients were subjected to ICD are significantly associated with the total annual social cost.