Hospitalizations due to gastrointestinal Chagas disease: National registry.

• Published in: PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases
• Main Authors: Ana Luiza Bierrenbach, Nayara Dornela Quintino, Carlos Henrique Valente Moreira, Renata Fiúza Damasceno, Maria do Carmo Pereira Nunes, Nayara Ragi Baldoni, Lea Campos de Oliveira da Silva, Ariela Mota Ferreira, Clareci Silva Cardoso, Desirée Sant'Ana Haikal, Ester Cerdeira Sabino, Antonio Luiz Pinho Ribeiro, Claudia Di Lorenzo Oliveira
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2022
• Subjects: Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0010796; https://doaj.org/article/c4eb0d70936b42c28966a568166535da

Objectives Analyze the hospitalizations of patients admitted for Chagas disease with gastro-intestinal involvement (CD-GI) in the Brazilian Unified Health System, describe the epidemiological profile, mortality and costs. Methods This is an observational study that uses secondary data from the National Hospital Information System (SIH-SUS) for the years 2017-2019. CD-GI admissions were defined by specific ICD-10 codes that identify the main diagnosis. Results From 2017 to 2019, there were 4,407 hospitalizations for CD-GI in Brazil, considering only public hospitals and those associated with the SUS. This corresponds to an average of 1,470 hospitalizations per year, or 0.6 per 100,000 inhabitants, with significant regional variation. Hospitalizations increased with age and were slightly higher in men. More than 60% were emergencies and in 50% the procedure performed was surgical. The most used code was the one for megaesophagus followed by megacolon. In-hospital mortality was 5.8% and 17.2% went to intensive care units. The median cost was USD$ 553.15 per hospitalization, and an overall cost of USD$ 812,579.98 per year to the SUS budget. Conclusion The numbers, rates and costs presented here are possibly underestimated but they give us an idea of the overall profile of hospitalizations due to CD-GI, which are not rare and are related to significant in-hospital mortality. CD-GI is a neglected manifestation of a neglected disease.