Hospitalization Costs Associated with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in the First Year of Life

Lapcharoensap, Wannasiri; Bennett, Mihoko V.; Xu, Xiao; Lee, Henry C.; Dukhovny, Dmitry

OBJECTIVE: To determine costs of hospitalization associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) during the first year in very low birth weight infants. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of California births from 2008–2011 linking birth certificate, discharge records, and clinical data from California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative. Inclusion: birthweight 401–1500 grams, gestational age <30 weeks, inborn or transferred within 2 days, alive at 36 weeks corrected, and without major congenital anomalies. Outcomes included cost and length of stay of initial hospitalization and re-hospitalizations. RESULT: Out of 7,998 eligible infants, 2,696 (33.7%) developed BPD. Median hospitalization cost in the first year was $377,871 per infant with BPD compared to $175,836 per infant without BPD (adjusted cost ratio 1.54, 95% confidence interval 1.49–1.59). Infants with BPD also had longer length of stay and a higher likelihood of rehospitalization. CONCLUSION: BPD is associated with substantial resource utilization. Prevention strategies could help conserve healthcare resources.