Risk predictors for adverse outcomes after percutaneous coronary interventions and their related costs.

Objectives: During recent years, numerous clinical and procedural risk factors for adverse outcomes after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) have been identified. Due to the high economic pressure in many national health care systems, it is of some interest whether these predictors of clinical risks represent also the main cost drivers.

Methods: Data of 770 patients undergoing PCI were retrospectively analyzed. Risk factors for PCI as well as angiographic classifications were adopted from the ACC/AHA Guidelines. In-hospital costs for each patient were obtained from thoroughly performed calculations for the national Diagnosis Related Groups database in Germany.

Results: Creatinine >2 mg/dl (192% of average costs, P < 0.0001), EF
Conclusions: Most predictors for adverse outcome after PCI were also found to be major cost drivers. Moreover, time delay from onset of ACS to PCI had marked impact on costs and should be implemented in the reimbursement systems.