In-hospital resource use and medical costs in the last year of life by mode of death (from the HF-ACTION randomized controlled trial).

ABSTRACT: Patterns of medical resource use near the end of life may differ across modes of death. The aim of this study was to characterize patterns of inpatient resource use and direct costs for patients with heart failure (HF) who died of sudden cardiac death (SCD), HF, other cardiovascular causes, or noncardiovascular causes during the last year of life. Data were from a randomized trial of exercise training in patients with HF. Mode of death was adjudicated by an end point committee. Generalized estimating equations were used to compare hospitalizations, inpatient days, and inpatient costs incurred during the final year of life in patients who died of different causes, adjusting for clinical and treatment characteristics. Of 2,331 patients enrolled in the trial, 231 died after ≥1 year of follow-

SUBMITTER: Reed SD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3462294 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature