Management Costs of Febrile Neutropenia in Oncology Patients in Colombia

Abstract Purpose: To describe the clinical characteristics, resource utilization, and direct cost of febrile neutropenia (FN) in a healthcare institution in Colombia for patients seen between 2017-2019.Methods: A descriptive and retrospective study of a cohort of patients hospitalized due to FN. Costs were extracted from the review of medical records from diagnosis of FN until discharge or death, and official sources were used to estimate the cost. Results: Forty-four FN episodes were included. Median age was 61 years (IQR: 53-72). Solid tumors accounted for 68.8%. In first-line treatment were 14 (31.8%), same in proportion in adjuvant/neoadjuvant, and 5 (11.4%) in second-line. FN occurred in 15 (34.0%) high-risk patients. Mean LOS per episode was 5.1 ± 2.5 days. All patients were discharged alive. The median overall cost was $925 ± $783 per episode, with hospital stay being the main driver-cost.Conclusion: FN occurred mainly in advanced-stage solid tumors and in low-risk group. Higher costs in this cohort were found in long length of stay and high-risk patients.