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Título

Analysis of the cost of hospitalizations for Epilepsy according to region and average length of stay

Resumo

INTRODUCTION: Epilepsy is defined as a reversible brain disorder characterized by the persistent predisposition of the brain to generate spontaneous epileptic seizures. OBJECTIVE: Relate the cost of hospitalization for epilepsy treatment with the type of epilepsy, geographic region and in-hospital length of stay. METHOD: A quantitative, descriptive, ecological study was carried out, with data available on DATASUS, an online platform by the Ministry of Health. The data chosen between 2011 to 2021 were based on the ICD-10 with federation unit; total number of hospitalizations; total cost; mean value of hospitalizations; days of stay; and average length of stay. As public data and without identification of the individuals, there was no need for approval from an ethics committee. RESULTS: In the evaluation of hospitalizations in Brazil during 2011 to 2021, traumatic brain injury was the most prevalent neurological cause, followed by epilepsy. This one represents 561.953 hospitalizations with an annual average of 51.086 and a 4,5% variation. Their mean value was R$ 753,60, with an increase of 49% between the first and the last year of data, and the average length of stay was 5,8 days. The region with most hospitalizations was the Southeast (43%). For the total and average costs per hospitalization compared to the total number, the southeast continues to lead with 53%, such as about the average length of stay with 7,1 days, followed by the Northeast, North, Midwest and South. When comparing hospitalizations for diseases of the nervous system, epilepsy only has higher mean value than migraine, multiple sclerosis and nerve disorders. CONCLUSION: With the analysis of the total number of hospitalizations by region, a concentration of the number in Brazilian metropolises is seen, which can be related not only to the population density and number of stressors, but also to the major supply of hospitals that assist these patients and avoid underdiagnosis. This fact shows the average cost and days of hospitalization by region, except for the southern region, which has a higher cost of services per day of hospitalization in the region. In addition, the low variation in hospitalizations over the years is a response to their etiologies, since unlike having specific causes such as status epilepticus or first seizure, epilepsy not controlled by non-adherence to drug treatment is the main cause of hospitalizations which tends to reverse with the improvement of outpatient care.

Palavras Chave

Epilepsy; Hospitalization; Costs.