Fever of unknown origin: cost of illness study.
Open Med (Wars) 2026 Jan; 21(1):20261409.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the structure of direct treatment costs for FUO and identify key cost-driving factors.

METHODS

A retrospective pharmacoeconomic analysis using a bottom-up approach was conducted on 71 patients treated for FUO at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases, University Clinical Centre Kragujevac, between 2016 and 2022. Treatment cost data were extracted from the electronic medical records.

RESULTS

The total direct cost was €81,655.20, with a mean of €1,150.07 ± 3,434.60 per patient with a median of €549.55 (IQR=€512.62). Major cost components included pharmacotherapy (49.40 %; €40,337.26), diagnostic procedures (30.52 %; €24,923.44), and hospitalisation (10.32 %; €8,324.00). Significant cost determinants were the following: gender, the Charlson comorbidity index, hospital stay duration, number of medications administered per patient, and number of specialist consultations.

CONCLUSIONS

Pharmacotherapy, especially broad-spectrum antibiotics and antifungals, along with diagnostics and hospitalisation, are the main contributors to FUO treatment costs. Patient-specific factors, particularly comorbidities and service utilisation, play a significant role in determining overall healthcare expenditure.

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Authors+Show Affiliations

Lesnjak I0009-0007-0011-5704Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia. Clinic for Infectious Diseases, University Clinical Centre Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
Jovicic BP0000-0002-7142-245XClinic for Infectious Diseases, University Clinical Centre Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia. Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
Jankovic K0009-0002-7891-7962Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
Canovic A0009-0005-1948-9031Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
Stanojkovic T0009-0004-5957-9130Medical Faculty of the Military Medical Academy, University of Defence, Belgrade, Serbia.
Gajic M0009-0003-2647-5549Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
Markovic S0009-0001-7914-3869Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
Manojlovic A0009-0005-2031-0684Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
Mijailovic SS0000-0003-4204-9606Department of Medical Statistics and Informatics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
Jankovic SM0000-0002-1519-8828Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
Barjaktarevic AM0000-0001-6893-7551Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
Kostic OZ0000-0002-5593-0526Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia. Centre for Harm Reduction of Biological and Chemical Hazards, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
Stevic MR0009-0008-9101-3929Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
Mojsilovic JV0000-0002-6022-735XDepartment of Dentistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.
Kostic MJ0000-0001-6322-8684Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia. Centre for Harm Reduction of Biological and Chemical Hazards, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia.

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

42292135