Objective: The aim of this study is to determine the impact of identifying the causative agent from blood cultures on treatment cost among septic patients in intensive care units of a tertiary care hospital.

Methods: A total of 88 sepsis episodes developing in 53 patients from December 2015 to March 2016 were evaluated retrospectively. Thirty-seven episodes in which the causative microorganisms were isolated from blood cultures (positive episode: case group) were compared with 37 episodes with negative blood cultures (negative episode: control group) in terms of treatment cost. Reimbursement for the expenses were calculated to figure out the cost of the treatment in both groups. Statistical analyses were done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows. Version 15.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) software.

Results: Among 88 sepsis episodes, the expenses to treat sepsis consisted of the 39.2% of all treatment expenditures. 50.2% of expenses for drugs, %35.4 of expenses for diagnostic interventions, 57.7% of expenses for imaging studies, 23.8% of expenses for medical devices, 34.8% of expenses for hospital stay, and 26.5% of other expenses were in consequence of sepsis. In the positive episode group, total expenditure (9020.88 TL vs. 12 663.61 TL, p=0.07) and the expenses for drugs, diagnostic tests, imaging studies, medical devices, hospitalization, and other items were all lower than the control group. This difference was significant for hospital bed costs (p=0.011).

Conclusions: Identification of the causative agent of sepsis via blood culturing results in a decrease in treatment costs. Klimik Dergisi 2019; 32(2): 132-5.

Cite this article as: Azap A, Ağırbaş İ, Yörük F, Altıntaş ND, Bayar MK, Bingöl AP. [Impact of identifying the causative agent of sepsis from blood cultures on treatment cost]. Klimik Derg. 2019; 32(2): 132-5. Turkish.