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Elsevier, EBioMedicine, 12(2), p. 2101-2109, 2015

DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2015.11.021

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Economics and Outcome After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Retrospective Cohort Study

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a lifesaving expensive medical procedure. Hence, more transplants are performed in more affluent countries. The impact of economic factors on patient outcome is less defined. We analyzed retrospectively a defined cohort of 102,549 patients treated with an allogeneic (N=37,542; 37%) or autologous (N=65,007; 63%) HSCT. They were transplanted by one of 404 HSCT centers in 25 European countries between 1999 and 2006. We searched for associations between center-specific microeconomic or country-specific macroeconomic factors and outcome. Center patient-volume and center program-duration were significantly and systematically associated with improved survival after allogeneic HSCT (HR 0·87; 0·84–0·91 per 10 patients; p<0·0001; HR 0·90;0·85–0·90 per 10years; p<0·001) and autologous HSCT (HR 0·91;0·87–0·96 per 10 patients; p<0·001; HR 0·93;0·87–0·99 per 10years; p=0·02). The product of Health Care Expenditures by Gross National Income/capita was significantly associated in multivariate analysis with all endpoints (R2=18%; for relapse free survival) after allogeneic HSCT. Data indicate that country- and center-specific economic factors are associated with distinct, significant, systematic, and clinically relevant effects on survival after HSCT. They impact on center expertise in long-term disease and complication management. It is likely that these findings apply to other forms of complex treatments.