Analysis of the Economic-Financial Efficiency of Gout Treatment in Elderly Patients with Comorbidities in the Republic of Moldova

INTRODUCTION: The costs of treating an elderly patient with gout are largely related to the treatment of concomitant pathological conditions and complications. Determining the costs of treating the disease is made by clinical and economic analysis, the task of which is to calculate the “cost of the illness”. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive, selective study of 237 patients with gout. In order to study the clinical characteristics of gout in the elderly, all those included in the study was divided according to age at the time of examination: group I made up of patients with gout up to and including 59 years n=91, average age 48.1±7.4 years (from 30 years to 59 years), group II – over the age of 60 years inclusive n=146, average age 69.2±6.0 years, (60–86 years, p<0.01). RESULTS: For calculations, the hospitalisation rate during the year was used, which had significant differences in groups: in group I it was 0.7; in group II – 1.2 (p=0,001). The costs of clinical management of gout and each of the diseases that accompany it for 1 calendar year have been determined. CONCLUSIONS: The direct costs for the treatment of patients with gout, calculated taking into account National Clinical Protocol and comorbid pathology, increase significantly with the age of the patients: the average cost per year of the treatment of gout in patients of mature age was 1337 Euro without and 7320 Euro taking into account the concomitant pathology, and in the elderly 2067 Euro and, respectively, 15230 Euro.