Table 2

Country-specific input data for healthcare use and costs (price level 2019)

Cost itemUnitFinland (market share weighted retail, VAT excluded)Sweden (societal perspective)The Netherlands (societal perspective)
Medication costs 
 TiotropiumPer day€1.3237 38€1.0039 40€1.4141
 Tiotropium/olodaterolPer day€1.8137 38€1.3239 40€1.7241
 LABA/ICSPer day€1.2837 38€1.2239 40€1.3141
COPD-related annual maintenance treatment*
 General practitionerVisits
Unit cost		1.7342
€12043		2.7444†
€16045		3.6446 47
€38.8848
 Respiratory specialistVisits
Unit cost		0.8249
€30543		1.7844
€23945		1.3646 47
€103.1948
 Spirometry testTests
Unit cost		0.7750
€52.3843		0.6451‡
€7645		0.7246 52
€17.9548
 Influenza vaccinationVaccination
Unit cost		0.5253
€51.2843		0.5254
€6545		0.5255
€15.7548
 Informal care§Hours
Unit cost		Not applicableNot applicable27056
€14.9548
Costs related to COPD exacerbations
 Moderate exacerbationPer event€22033 50 57€634/€289*¶21 40 45 58€637/€124*¶21 41 48
 Severe exacerbation (=hospitalisation)Per event€439043 50 57€4028/€3067*¶
21 40 45 58 59		€5612/€4182*¶21 41 48 60
Costs for treating pneumonias
 Without hospitalisationPer event€22543€584/€239*
45 58		€637/€124*21 41 48
 With hospitalisationPer event€449833 43 57€5813/€4851*
45 58 59		€5142/€3711*
48 60
Average retirementAge in yearsNot applicable65586548

  • Exchange rate for Sweden 1 Swedish krona=€0.095 (May 2020).

  • *Costs below retirement age including short-term productivity costs/costs above retirement age without productivity costs.

  • †Incremental number of primary care visits for COPD 5.1744 of which 53% was with physician.44

  • ‡Weighted average for primary care and secondary care patients.51

  • §Unpaid care provided to a patient by family or friends.

  • ¶Bottom-up estimate of healthcare use for a moderate and severe exacerbation21 and country-specific unit costs and duration of a hospitalisation for COPD.

  • COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ICS, inhaled corticosteroid; LABA, long-acting β2 agonist.