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CC BY 4.0 · Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2023; 81(06): 577-584
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1767827
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Alzheimer's disease: an epidemiological analysis over the number of hospitalizations and deaths in Brazil

Doença de Alzheimer: análise epidemiológica frente ao número de internações e óbitos no Brasil
Eduardo Cattapan Piovesan 
1   Universidade de Passo Fundo, Faculdade de Medicina, Passo Fundo RS, Brazil.
,
Bruna Zanatta de Freitas 
1   Universidade de Passo Fundo, Faculdade de Medicina, Passo Fundo RS, Brazil.
,
Francisco Costa Beber Lemanski 
1   Universidade de Passo Fundo, Faculdade de Medicina, Passo Fundo RS, Brazil.
,
Charles André Carazzo 
1   Universidade de Passo Fundo, Faculdade de Medicina, Passo Fundo RS, Brazil.
2   Instituto de Neurologia e Neurocirurgia de Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo RS, Brazil.
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Abstract

Background Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by impaired cognitive function. It results in high morbidity, including a large number of hospitalizations, and mortality, generating high costs to health systems.

Objective The present epidemiological analysis evaluated the number of hospitalizations and deaths by AD as the main diagnosis in Brazil between 2010 and 2020. This endeavor should contribute to a better understanding of the disease and its implications.

Methods The present analytical, observational, longitudinal, and retrospective study used data extracted from the Department of Informatics of the Brazilian Unified Health System (DATASUS, in the Portuguese acronym). The variables include the number of hospitalizations, the total cost spent, the average cost per hospitalization, the average length of hospital stay, the number of deaths during hospitalization, the mortality rate per hospitalization, sex, age group, region, and race.

Results From 2010 to 2020, there were 188,811 deaths and 13,882 hospitalizations for AD, with a total expenditure of BRL 25,953,019.40 in hospitalizations. The average length of hospital stay was 25 days. Over the considered period, mortality, the number of hospitalizations, and the total cost increased while the average length of stay decreased.

Conclusion From 2010 to 2020, AD represented a large portion of hospital admissions, generating a significant cost to the health system and a large number of deaths. These data are important to undertake joint efforts to prevent hospitalizations of these patients in order to minimize impacts on the health system.

Resumo

Antecedentes A doença de Alzheimer (DA) é uma doença neurodegenerativa caracterizada pelo comprometimento da função cognitiva. Resulta em uma alta taxa de morbimortalidade, por meio de um número significativo de óbitos e internações, gerando um alto custo ao sistema de saúde.

Objetivo Realizar uma análise epidemiológica, utilizando as variáveis citadas abaixo, por DA como principal diagnóstico, no Brasil, entre 2010 e 2020, a fim de contribuir para um melhor entendimento da doença e suas implicações.

Métodos Estudo analítico, observacional, longitudinal e retrospectivo. Os dados foram extraídos do Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde (DATASUS). As variáveis utilizadas foram número de internações, custo total gasto, custo médio por internação, tempo médio de internação, número de óbitos nas internações, taxa de mortalidade por internação, número de óbitos absolutos, sexo, faixa etária, região e raça.

Resultados De 2010 a 2020, foram registrados 188.811 óbitos e 13.882 internações por DA, com um gasto total de R$ 25.953.019,40 em internações. O tempo médio de permanência no hospital foi de 25 dias. Em 11 anos, houve aumento da mortalidade, internações e custo total; por outro lado, o tempo médio de permanência, no mesmo período, diminuiu.

Conclusão A DA, nos anos avaliados, representa uma parcela significativa das internações hospitalares, gerando um custo significativo ao sistema de saúde, além do número de óbitos. Estes dados são importantes para gerar esforços conjuntos para evitar internações desses pacientes, a fim de minimizar o impacto no Sistema de Saúde.

Keywords

Dementia - Alzheimer Disease - Epidemiology - Unified Health System - Brazil

Palavras-chave

Demência - Doença de Alzheimer - Epidemiologia - Sistema Único de Saúde - Brasil

Authors' Contributions

ECP: collected data, drafted, and edited the manuscript, performed statistical analysis, designed the study; FCBL, BZF: collected data; CAC: served as scientific advisor and critically reviewed the study proposal, participated in the writing and editing of the manuscript.




Publication History

Received: 15 July 2022

Accepted: 03 November 2022

Article published online:
28 June 2023

© 2023. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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