Data from: Three-month modified Rankin Scale as a determinant of five-year cumulative costs after ischemic stroke: an analysis of 11,136 patients in Korea

Objective: Stroke is a devastating and costly disease; however, there is a
paucity of information on long-term costs and on how they differ according
to 3-month modified Rankin scale (mRS), which is a primary outcome
variable in acute stroke intervention trials. Methods: We analyzed a
prospective multicenter stroke registry (Clinical Research Collaboration
for Stroke in Korea) database through linkage with claims data from the
National Health Insurance Service with follow up to December 2016.
Healthcare expenditures were converted into daily cost individually, and
annual and cumulative costs up to 5 years were estimated and compared
according to the 3-month mRS. Results: Between January 2011 and November
2013, 11,136 patients were enrolled in the study. The mean age was 68
years, and 58% were men. The median follow-up period was 3.9 years (range
0–5 years). Mean cumulative cost over 5 years was $117,576 US dollar
(USD); the cost in the first year after stroke was the highest ($38,152
USD), which increased markedly from the cost a year before stroke ($8,718
USD). The mean 5-year cumulative costs differed significantly according to
the 3-month mRS (P<.001); the costs for a 3-month mRS score of 0 or
5 were $53,578 USD and $257,486 USD, respectively. Three-month mRS was an
independent determinant of long-term costs after stroke. Conclusions: We
shows that 3-month mRS plays an important role in the prediction of
long-term costs after stroke. Such estimates relating to 3-month mRS
categories may be valuable when undertaking health economic evaluations
related to stroke care.