The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is an inflammatory condition of the lungs and is a common condition in adult intensive care units (ICU). The resources required and costs of care for patients with ARDS are significant due to the severity of illness and extended ICU lengths of stay.
What are the costs associated with ARDS?
We systematically searched the literature through April 29, 2021 for articles relevant to ARDS and costs. MEDLINE, Embase, Central and EconLit databases were searched and articles that reported on cost data from an original publication in adult patients with ARDS were included. Two authors independently assessed articles for inclusion and extracted data elements related to costs, methodology, health care system type, economic perspective, and clinical data. Publication quality were assessed using a modified version of the Quality of Health Economic Studies Instrument.
4663 publications were found of which 110 were included for full text review (Kappa 0.72). A total of 22 publications (49 483 patients) were suitable for data extraction. The publications represented a broad range of health care systems, economic perspectives, costing methodology and timeframes. Mean inpatient costs ranged from $8,476 (2021-USD) to $547,974 (2021-USD) and were highest in publications of lower quality, in American health systems and associated with trauma cohorts. Outpatient costs were highest in publications with higher readmission rates, longer durations of follow up and in American health systems.
There is a wide range of costing data in ARDS. A comprehensive synthesis of this literature frames the reasons for this and allows estimates to reflect the context in which they were assessed. This information will be of value to researchers and administrators interested in the economics of caring for patients with ARDS.

Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.

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