Medical and cost burden of atherosclerosis among patients treated in routine clinical practice

Figures & data

Figure 1.  Sample selection and matching procedure flow chart.

Table 1.  Characteristics of atherosclerosis patients (ICD-9 diagnostic code for coronary or cerebral atherosclerosis) and matched comparison patients.

Characteristics	Matched atherosclerosis patients (n = 75,469)	Matched comparison patients (n = 238,702)
Age*, mean (SD)	58.2 (6.9)	58.2 (6.9)
Age ≥ 65 years*, %	30.0	30.0
Gender*, % men	51.5	51.5
Geographic region, %
Northeast	11.4	11.3
North Central	40.1	40.2
South	37.9	38.0
West	10.5	10.4
Unknown	0.10	0.10
Charlson comorbidity index*, mean (SD)	0.49 (1.26)	0.49 (1.26)
Diabetes†, %	10.0	4.4
Hypertension†, %	43.5	29.2
CHF†, %	3.7	0.9
Angina†,%	6.8	1.4

*Weighted by number of matches per atherosclerosis patient (mean = 4.02); †Not weighted.

Figure 2.  Cumulative rate for cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke, revascularization) after the index date per 1,000 patients for atherosclerosis and comparison patients, up to 12 months after the index date.

Figure 3.  Overall monthly pre- and post-index date direct cost of care at 6 and 12 months for atherosclerosis patients and comparison cohort. Each time period includes those patients with complete follow-up for the specified period.

Table 2.  Component costs of care and cost difference for 6 and 12 months before and after the index date for atherosclerosis patients and comparison cohort.

	6-month period		12-month period
Cost of care ($)	Atherosclerosis patients (n = 236,899)	Matched comparison patients (n = 236,899)	Atherosclerosis patients (n = 225,542)	Matched comparison patients (n = 225,542)
Monthly total post-index date costs, mean (SD)	$1522 (3068)	$269 (917)	$1074 (1894)	$271 (771)
Monthly total pre-index date costs, mean (SD)	$835 (1768)	$224 (745)	$579 (995)	$211 (515)
Difference in pre- vs. post-index date in total costs, mean (SD)	$687 (2651)*	$44 (1075)	$496 (1690)*	$60 (829)
Attributable cost of atherosclerosis†, mean (SD)	$643 (2856)	NA	$436 (1878)	NA
Monthly inpatient post-index date costs, mean (SD)	$726 (2643)	$50 (688)	$451 (1519)	$52 (548)
Monthly inpatient pre-index date costs, mean (SD)	$281 (1598)	$35 (571)	$166 (844)	$33 (361)
Difference in pre- vs. post-index date inpatient costs, mean (SD)	$445 (2297)*	$16 (869)	$286 (1371)*	$19 (639)
Attributable cost of atherosclerosis†, mean (SD)	$429 (2455)	NA	$266 (1511)	NA
Monthly outpatient post-index date costs, mean (SD)	$567 (983)	$117 (358)	$411 (708)	$119 (319)
Monthly outpatient pre-index date costs, mean (SD)	$386 (578)	$100 (287)	$264 (373)	$95 (216)
Difference in pre- vs. post-index date outpatient costs, mean (SD)	$181 (926)*	$17 (404)	$147 (685)*	$25 (340)
Attributable cost of atherosclerosis†, mean (SD)	$165 (1011)	NA	$122 (766)	NA

*p < 0.001 for comparison between atherosclerosis patients and matched comparison patients for mean difference in pre- vs. post-index date costs at 6 and 12 months.

†Difference in atherosclerosis patients minus difference in comparison patients.

Table 3.  Total costs of care and cost difference at 12 months before and after the index date for patients with diabetes mellitus.

Total direct cost of care ($)	Patient with atherosclerosis + diabetes (n = 13,780)	Matched comparison patients with diabetes (n = 13,780)
Monthly total post-index date costs, mean (SD)	$1532 (2199)	$493 (830)
Monthly total pre-index date costs, mean (SD)	$837 (1164)	$425 (612)
Difference in pre- vs. post-index date in total costs, mean (SD)	$695 (1908)*	$68 (901)
Attributable cost of atherosclerosis†, mean (SD)	$627 (2094)	—

*p < 0.001 for comparison of mean differences in pre-vs. post-index date costs.

†Difference in atherosclerosis patients minus difference in comparison patients.

Figure 4.  Cardiovascular-related cost of care 12 months after the index date stratified by primary diagnosis (atherosclerosis, cerebrovascular, or cardiac) for atherosclerosis patients and comparison cohort.