Resource use and costs of type 2 diabetes in Sweden - estimates from population-based register data

Excess costs of multiple sclerosis: a register-based study in Sweden

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Population-based estimates of the socioeconomic burden of multiple sclerosis (MS) are limited, especially regarding primary healthcare. This study aimed to estimate the excess costs of people with MS that could be attributed to their MS, including primary healthcare.

METHODS

An observational study was conducted of the 2806 working-aged people with MS in Stockholm, Sweden and 28,060 propensity score matched references without MS. Register-based resource use was quantified for 2018. Annual healthcare costs (primary, specialised outpatient, and inpatient healthcare visits along with prescribed drugs) and productivity losses (operationalised by sickness absence and disability pension days) were quantified using bottom-up costing. The costs of people with MS were compared with those of the references using independent t-tests with bootstrapped 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to isolate the excess costs of MS from the mean difference.

RESULTS

The mean annual excess costs of MS for healthcare were €7381 (95% CI 6991-7816) per person with MS with disease-modifying therapies as the largest component (€4262, 95% CI 4026-4497). There was a mean annual excess cost for primary healthcare of €695 (95% CI 585-832) per person with MS, comprising 9.4% of the excess healthcare costs of MS. The mean annual excess costs of MS for productivity losses were €13,173 (95% CI 12,325-14,019) per person with MS, predominately from disability pension (79.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

The socioeconomic burden of MS in Sweden from healthcare consumption and productivity losses was quantified, updating knowledge on the cost structure of the substantial excess costs of MS.

Ulcerative colitis progression: a retrospective analysis of disease burden using electronic medical records

BACKGROUND

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a debilitating inflammatory bowel disease. Present knowledge regarding UC disease progression over time is limited.

OBJECTIVE

To assess UC progression to severe disease along with disease burden and associated factors.

METHODS

Electronic medical records linked with Swedish national health registries (2005-2015) were used to identify disease progression of UC. Odds of all-cause and disease-related hospitalization within 1 year were compared between patients with disease progression and those without. Annual indirect costs were calculated based on sick leave, and factors related to UC progression were examined.

RESULTS

Of the 1,361 patients with moderate UC, 24% progressed to severe disease during a median of 5.2 years. Severe UC had significantly higher odds for all-cause (OR [odds ratio] 1.47, 95% CI [confidence interval]: 1.12-1.94, P < 0.01) and UC-related hospitalization (OR 2.47, 95% CI: 1.76-3.47, P < 0.0001) compared to moderate disease. Average sick leave was higher in patients who progressed compared to those who did not (64.4 vs 38.6 days, P < 0.001), with higher indirect costs of 151,800 SEK (16,415 €) compared with 92,839 SEK (10,039 €) (P < 0.001), respectively. UC progression was related to young age (OR 1.62, 95% CI: 1.17-2.25, P < 0.01), long disease duration (OR 1.09, 95% CI: 1.03-1.15, P < 0.001), and use of corticosteroids (OR 2.49, 95% CI: 1.67-3.72, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Disease progression from moderate to severe UC is associated with more frequent and longer hospitalizations and sick leave. Patients at young age with long disease duration and more frequent glucocorticosteroid medication are associated with progression to severe UC.

Real-world cost-effectiveness of insulin degludec in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus from a Swedish 1-year and long-term perspective

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The ReFLeCT study demonstrated that switching to insulin degludec from other basal insulins was associated with reductions in glycated hemoglobin and hypoglycemic events in type 1 (T1D) and type 2 diabetes (T2D), and reductions in insulin doses in T1D. The aim of the present analysis was to assess the short- and long-term cost-effectiveness of switching to insulin degludec in Sweden.

METHODS

Short-term outcomes were evaluated over 1 year in a Microsoft Excel model, while long-term outcomes were projected over patient lifetimes using the IQVIA CORE Diabetes Model. Cohort characteristics and treatment effects were sourced from the ReFLeCT study. Costs (in 2018 Swedish krona [SEK]) encompassed direct medical expenditure and indirect costs from loss of workplace productivity. In the long-term analyses, patients were assumed to receive insulin degludec or continue prior insulin therapy (primarily insulin glargine U100) for 5 years, before all patients intensified to once-daily degludec and mealtime aspart.

RESULTS

Switching to insulin degludec was associated with improved quality-adjusted life expectancy of 0.04 and 0.02 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) over 1 year, and 0.16 and 0.08 QALYs over patient lifetimes, in T1D and T2D. Combined costs in T1D and T2D were estimated to be SEK 1,249 lower and SEK 1,181 higher over the short-term, and SEK 157,258 and SEK 2,114 lower over the long-term. Benefits were due to lower insulin doses in T1D, reduced rates of hypoglycemia, and lower incidences of diabetes-related complications. Insulin degludec was associated with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of SEK 64,298 per QALY gained for T2D over 1 year and considered dominant for T1D and T2D in all other comparisons.

CONCLUSIONS

Insulin degludec was projected to be cost-effective or dominant versus other basal insulins for the treatment of T1D and T2D in Sweden.

Disease Burden and Healthcare Costs for T2D Patients With and Without Established Cardiovascular Disease in Sweden: A Retrospective Cohort Study

INTRODUCTION

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a complex chronic disease with an increasing prevalence worldwide. It is commonly associated with complications, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). Patients with both T2D and established CVD are exposed to increased risk of further cardiovascular events, which means increased healthcare costs and impairments to quality of life and survival. To determine the added burden of CVD for T2D patients, we have analyzed the consumption and costs of healthcare and mortality in two T2D patient cohorts, with and without established CVD, respectively, during a 5-year follow-up in a Swedish region.

METHODS

Patients with T2D on 1 January 2012 were identified using the administrative database of Region Östergötland and the Swedish National Diabetes Register. Established CVD was defined as the presence of a CVD-related healthcare visit in the period 2002-2011. Identified T2D patients were then followed retrospectively for 5 years (2012-2016) and data collected on utilization of healthcare resources, healthcare costs, and survival. Data pertinent to the study were retrieved from regional databases and national registries.

RESULTS

On the index date (1 January 2012) there were 19,731 patients with T2D (prevalence 4.5%) in Region Östergötland, of whom 5490 had established CVD. Those patients with established CVD were older, more often men, and had longer diabetes duration and worse kidney function than those without. Compared to T2D patients without CVD, those with CVD had a significantly higher healthcare consumption, experienced higher costs, and had lower survival during the follow-up.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms that established CVD is common among patients with T2D (approximately 30%). Established CVD has negative effects on the utilization of healthcare resources, healthcare costs, and mortality. It is therefore very important to improve the treatment strategy of this patient group.

Cost-effectiveness of once-weekly semaglutide versus dulaglutide and lixisenatide in patients with type 2 diabetes with inadequate glycemic control in Sweden

Aims: This analysis evaluated the cost-effectiveness of once-weekly semaglutide vs glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) uncontrolled on metformin or basal insulin in Sweden. Materials and methods: This cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) was conducted using the Swedish Institute of Health Economics (IHE) Diabetes Cohort Model. Analyses were conducted from the Swedish societal perspective over a time horizon of 40 years. For patients uncontrolled on metformin, dulaglutide was the comparator, and data from the SUSTAIN 7 clinical trial was used. For patients uncontrolled on basal insulin, lixisenatide was chosen as the comparator and data was obtained from a network meta-analysis (NMA). Results: The results show that, in patients with inadequate control on metformin, semaglutide 1.0 mg dominated (i.e. provided greater clinical benefit, and was less costly) dulaglutide 1.5 mg. In patients with inadequate control on basal insulin, semaglutide 1.0 mg dominated lixisenatide. The reduction in costs is largely driven by the reduction in complications seen with once-weekly semaglutide. Limitations and conclusions: It is likely that this analysis is conservative in estimating the cardiovascular (CV) cost benefits associated with treatment with once-weekly semaglutide. In patients inadequately controlled on basal insulin, the analyses vs lixisenatide were based on results from an NMA, as no head-to-head clinical trial has been conducted for this comparison. These CEA results show that once-weekly semaglutide is a cost-effective GLP-1 RA therapy for the treatment of T2D in patients inadequately controlled on metformin or basal insulin, addressing many current clinician, patient, and payer unmet needs in Sweden.

The Effect of Canola Oil on Body Weight and Composition: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials

A number of clinical trials have examined the effect of canola oil (CO) on body composition in recent years; however, the results have been inconsistent. The present investigation aims to examine the effect of CO on body weight (BW) and body composition using a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled clinical trials. Online databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched up to February, 2018 for randomized controlled clinical trials that examined the effect of CO on anthropometric measures and body composition indexes in adults. The Cochrane Collaboration's tool was used to assess the risk of bias in individual studies. A random-effects model was used to evaluate the effect of CO consumption on several outcomes: BW, body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, android-to-gynoid ratio, and body lean and fat mass. In total, 25 studies were included in the systematic review. The meta-analysis revealed that CO consumption reduces BW [weighted mean difference (WMD) = -0.30 kg; 95% CI: -0.52, -0.08 kg, P = 0.007; n = 23 effect sizes], particularly in participants with type 2 diabetes (WMD = -0.63 kg; 95% CI: -1.09, -0.17 kg, P = 0.007), in studies with a parallel design (WMD = -0.49 kg; 95% CI: -0.85, -0.14 kg, P = 0.006), in nonfeeding trials (WMD = -0.32 kg; 95% CI: -0.55, -0.09 kg, P = 0.006), and when compared with saturated fat (WMD = -0.40 kg; 95% CI: -0.74, -0.06 kg, P = 0.019). CO consumption did not significantly affect any other anthropometric measures or body fat markers (P > 0.05). Although CO consumption results in a modest decrease in BW, no significant effect was observed on other adiposity indexes. Further well-constructed clinical trials that target BW and body composition as their primary outcomes are needed.

Cost-of-illness of type 2 diabetes mellitus in low and lower-middle income countries: a systematic review

Background

Diabetes is one of the world’s most prevalent and serious non-communicable diseases (NCDs). It is a leading cause of death, disability and financial loss; moreover, it is identified as a major threat to global development. The chronic nature of diabetes and its related complications make it a costly disease. Estimating the total cost of an illness is a useful aid to national and international health policy decision making. The aim of this systematic review is to summarise the impact of the cost-of-illness of type 2 diabetes mellitus in low and lower-middle income countries, and to identify methodological gaps in measuring the cost-of-illness of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods

This systematic review considers studies that reported the cost-of-illness of type 2 diabetes in subjects aged 18 years and above in low and lower-middle income countries. The search engines MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PSYCINFO and COCHRANE were used form date of their inception to September 2018. Two authors independently identified the eligible studies. Costs reported in the included studies were converted to US dollars in relation to the dates mentioned in the studies.

Results

The systematic search identified eight eligible studies conducted in low and lower-middle income countries. There was a considerable variation in the costs and method used in these studies. The annual average cost (both direct and indirect) per person for treating type 2 diabetes mellitus ranged from USD29.91 to USD237.38, direct costs ranged from USD106.53 to USD293.79, and indirect costs ranged from USD1.92 to USD73.4 per person per year. Hospitalization cost was the major contributor of direct costs followed by drug costs.

Conclusion

Type 2 diabetes mellitus imposes a considerable economic burden which most directly affects the patients in low and lower-middle income countries. There is enormous scope for adding research-based evidence that is methodologically sound to gain a more accurate estimation of cost and to facilitate comparison between studies.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-018-3772-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Healthcare Cost Development in a Type 2 Diabetes Patient Population on Glucose-Lowering Drug Treatment: A Nationwide Observational Study 2006-2014

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to describe healthcare resource use and cost development in Sweden during 2006-2014 in a type 2 diabetes (T2D) population receiving glucose-lowering drugs (GLDs).

METHODS

In- and outpatient healthcare resource use and costs were extracted from mandatory national registries: the Cause of Death Register; the National Patient Register; and the Prescribed Drug Register. Primary care data were estimated based on an observational study including patients from 84 primary care centers in Sweden. Numbers of any cause inpatient, outpatient, and primary care contacts were extracted and direct healthcare costs were estimated.

RESULTS

During 2006-2014, the number of inpatient and primary care contacts increased by approximately 70% (from 45,559 to 78,245 and from 4.9 to 8.8 million, respectively) and outpatient care contacts almost doubled (from 105,653 to 209,417). Mean annual per patient costs increased by 13%, reaching €4594. Total healthcare costs increased from €835 million to €1.684 billion. Inpatient care costs constituted 47% of total costs in 2014 (€783 million), primary care accounted for 24% (€405 million), outpatient care 18% (€303 million), non-GLD medications 6% (€109 million), and GLDs 5% (€84 million). Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) were the most costly disease group in inpatient care (26%), whereas managing unspecified factors influencing health and T2D-associated diseases were the most costly in outpatient care (16 and 11%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The healthcare costs of the GLD-treated T2D population doubled during 2006-2014, mostly driven by the increasing size of this population, of which inpatient care accounted for 47%. GLDs constituted the smallest share of costs. CVD was the most resource-requiring disease group.

Cost-effectiveness of liraglutide versus lixisenatide as add-on therapies to basal insulin in type 2 diabetes

Background

We assessed the cost-effectiveness of the glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists liraglutide 1.8 mg and lixisenatide 20 μg (both added to basal insulin) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Sweden.

Methods

The Swedish Institute for Health Economics cohort model for T2D was used to compare liraglutide and lixisenatide (both added to basal insulin), with a societal perspective and with comparative treatment effects derived by indirect treatment comparison (ITC). Drug prices were 2016 values, and all other costs 2015 values. The cost-effectiveness of IDegLira (fixed-ratio combination of insulin degludec and liraglutide) versus lixisenatide plus basal insulin was also assessed, under different sets of assumptions.

Results

From the ITC, decreases in HbA1c were –1.32% and –0.43% with liraglutide and lixisenatide, respectively; decreases in BMI were –1.29 and –0.65 kg/m², respectively. An estimated 2348 cases of retinopathy, 265 of neuropathy and 991 of nephropathy would be avoided with liraglutide compared with lixisenatide in a cohort of 10,000 patients aged over 40 years. In the base-case analysis, total direct costs were higher with liraglutide than lixisenatide, but costs associated with complications were lower. The cost/quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) for liraglutide added to basal insulin was SEK30,802. Base-case findings were robust in sensitivity analyses, except when glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) differences for liraglutide added to basal insulin were abolished, suggesting these benefits were driving the cost/QALY. With liraglutide 1.2 mg instead of liraglutide 1.8 mg (adjusted for efficacy and cost), liraglutide added to basal insulin was dominant over lixisenatide 20μg.IDegLira was dominant versus lixisenatide plus basal insulin when a defined daily dose was used in the model.

Conclusions

The costs/QALY for liraglutide, 1.8 or 1.2 mg, added to basal insulin, and for IDegLira (all compared with lixisenatide 20 μg added to basal insulin) were below the threshold considered low by Swedish authorities. In some scenarios, liraglutide and IDegLira were cost-saving.

Hospital comparison of stroke care in Sweden: a register-based study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to estimate the level of health outcomes and resource use at a hospital level during the first year after a stroke, and to identify any potential differences between hospitals after adjusting for patient characteristics (case mix).

METHOD

Data from several registries were linked on individual level: seven regional patient administrative systems, Swedish Stroke Register, Statistics Sweden, National Board of Health and Welfare and Swedish Social Insurance Agency. The study population consisted of 14 125 patients presenting with a stroke during 2010. Case-mix adjusted analysis of hospital differences was made on five aspects of health outcomes and resource use, 1 year post-stroke.

RESULTS

The results indicated that 26% of patients had died within a year of their stroke. Among those who survived, almost 5% had a recurrent stroke and 40% were left with a disability. On average, the patients had 22 inpatient days and 23 outpatient visits, and 13% had moved into special housing. There were significant variations between hospitals in levels of health outcomes achieved and resources used after adjusting for case mix.

CONCLUSION

Differences in health outcomes and resource use between hospitals were substantial and not entirely explained by differences in patient mix, indicating tendencies of unequal stroke care in Sweden. Healthcare organisation of regions and other structural features could potentially explain parts of the differences identified.

The cost-effectiveness of interventions targeting lifestyle change for the prevention of diabetes in a Swedish primary care and community based prevention program

BACKGROUND

Policymakers need to know the cost-effectiveness of interventions to prevent type 2 diabetes (T2D). The objective of this study was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of a T2D prevention initiative targeting weight reduction, increased physical activity and healthier diet in persons in pre-diabetic states by comparing a hypothetical intervention versus no intervention in a Swedish setting.

METHODS

A Markov model was used to study the cost-effectiveness of a T2D prevention program based on lifestyle change versus a control group where no prevention was applied. Analyses were done deterministically and probabilistically based on Monte Carlo simulation for six different scenarios defined by sex and age groups (30, 50, 70 years). Cost and quality adjusted life year (QALY) differences between no intervention and intervention and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were estimated and visualized in cost-effectiveness planes (CE planes) and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves (CEA curves).

RESULTS

All ICERs were cost-effective and ranged from 3833 €/QALY gained (women, 30 years) to 9215 €/QALY gained (men, 70 years). The CEA curves showed that the probability of the intervention being cost-effective at the threshold value of 50,000 € per QALY gained was very high for all scenarios ranging from 85.0 to 91.1%.

DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION

The prevention or the delay of the onset of T2D is feasible and cost-effective. A small investment in healthy lifestyle with change in physical activity and diet together with weight loss are very likely to be cost-effective.

Weight change patterns and healthcare costs in patients with newly-diagnosed type-2 diabetes in Sweden

AIMS

To describe weight-change pathways in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and associated healthcare costs using repeated BMI measurements and healthcare utilization data.

METHODS

Patients with newly-diagnosed T2D with body mass index (BMI, kg/m²) at diagnosis and subsequent measures at year 1-3 were identified. Based on three-year BMI change, patients were assigned to one of 27 BMI change pathways defined by annual BMI change: BMI↗ (≥1 BMI unit increase), BMI→ (<1 BMI unit change), and BMI↘ (≥1 BMI unit decrease). Mean annual and three-year cumulative healthcare costs were estimated for each pathway by combining Swedish unit costs with resource use from primary care and national patient registers.

RESULTS

Cohort consisted of 15,819 patients; 44% women, mean age of 61 years, HbA1c of 6.7% (50mmol/mol), BMI of 30.6kg/m². Most common BMI pathways (mean costs): BMI→→→ (€5,311), BMI↘→→ (€5,461), and BMI→→↘ (€6,281). General trends: BMI→→→ linked to lowest, BMI↗→↗ linked to highest costs.

CONCLUSION

In patients with newly-diagnosed T2D, weight stability was the most common BMI change pattern over 3 years and associated with lowest healthcare costs. Relationship between weight change and healthcare costs appears complex warranting further investigation.

Increased healthcare utilization costs following initiation of insulin treatment in type 2 diabetes: A long-term follow-up in clinical practice

AIMS

To compare long-term changes in healthcare utilization and costs for type 2 diabetes patients before and after insulin initiation, as well as healthcare costs after insulin versus non-insulin anti-diabetic (NIAD) initiation.

METHODS

Patients newly initiated on insulin (n=2823) were identified in primary health care records from 84 Swedish primary care centers, between 1999 to 2009. First, healthcare costs per patient were evaluated for primary care, hospitalizations and secondary outpatient care, before and up to seven years after insulin initiation. Second, patients prescribed insulin in second line were matched to patients prescribed NIAD in second line, and the healthcare costs of the matched groups were compared.

RESULTS

The total mean annual healthcare cost increased from €1656 per patient 2 years before insulin initiation to €3814 seven years after insulin initiation. The total cumulative mean healthcare cost per patient at year 5 after second-line treatment was €13,823 in the insulin group compared to €9989 in the NIAD group.

CONCLUSIONS

Initiation of insulin in type 2 diabetes patients was followed by increased healthcare costs. The increases in costs were larger than those seen in a matched patient population initiated on NIAD treatment in second-line.

Risk of mortality and recurrent cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndromes on high intensity statin treatment

Several randomized controlled trials have shown a benefit of high-dose intensive statin treatment in reducing risk of death and second cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in patients previously diagnosed with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Non-randomized studies in clinical settings support these findings, but large, long-term, observational studies addressing CVD and non-CVD endpoints are lacking. In this retrospective longitudinal study, we followed ACS patients in Sweden during 2001–2012 using national health registry and medical record data. A total of 49,857 patients were identified, of whom 10,092 (20.2%) received high dose statins and 21,174 (42.7%) received no statins. Royston-Parmar parametric time-to-event models were implemented to model hazard for second CVD events and death, stratified by gender and diabetes diagnosis. We found that risk of a second CVD event developed similarly in both treatment groups, but was much higher in the no statin group. Risk of CVD-related death remained relatively constant for the high-statin group, while it increased over time for the no-statin group. Interestingly, males had higher mortality rates in the no-statin group, but not in the high-statin group. All-cause mortality and non-CVD-related death followed similar trends to those observed for CVD-related death. This work provides additional real-world evidence for effect of statins in CVD-related mortality. The hazard functions presented here can provide a basis for future survival modeling and health economic evaluation.

•

10,092 ACS patients on high dose and 21,174 on no statins were followed 2001–12.

•

Royston-Parmar models were implemented to model hazard for new CVD events and death.

•

Risk of a new event developed similarly, but was much higher for those not on statins.

•

Risk of death increased over time for the no-statin, but not the high statin, group.

•

High statin treatment reduced gender effects on risk of mortality and new events.

Healthcare utilization and costs following newly diagnosed type-2 diabetes in Sweden: A follow-up of 38,956 patients in a clinical practice setting

AIMS

To describe healthcare resource use patterns and estimate healthcare costs of newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in Sweden.

METHODS

Patients with a newly diagnosed T2DM between 1999 and 2009 were identified from 84 Swedish primary care centres. Healthcare resource use data, excluding pharmaceuticals, were extracted from electronic patient records and a national patient register, and reported as per patient mean number of primary care contacts, laboratory tests and hospitalizations. Per patient mean healthcare costs are reported as annual and cumulative costs.

RESULTS

During a median (maximum) of 4.6 (9.0) years follow-up; 38,956 patients (183,513 patient years) on average made 81 primary care contacts, was hospitalized 2.14 times, and took 31 laboratory tests. Mean per patient annual healthcare costs were €4128 (95% CI, 4054-4199) the first year after diagnosis, €2708 (95% CI, 2641-2776) the second year, and €3030 (95% CI, 2854-3204) in year 9 (2012 values). Mean per patient cumulative healthcare costs were €26,503 (95% CI, 26,025-26,970) at 9 years of follow-up. Hospitalizations accounted for the majority of healthcare costs.

CONCLUSIONS

Although newly diagnosed T2DM patients require a substantial amount of healthcare services in primary care, hospitalizations account for the majority of healthcare costs.

Subsequent Type 2 Diabetes in Patients with Autoimmune Disease

Immunological data show that type 2 diabetes (T2D) manifests autoimmune features. We wanted to test the association epidemiologically by assessing subsequent diagnosis of T2D following diagnosis of autoimmune disease (AId) and subsequent AId after T2D in the same individuals. Patients were identified from three Swedish health databases. A total of 32 different AId were included. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated for T2D diagnosis in patients with previously diagnosed AId and compared to those without a previous AId. Among a total of 757,368 AId patients, 15,103 were diagnosed with T2D, giving an overall SIR for T2D of 1.66. T2D risks were increased after 27 AIds; the highest SIRs were noted for chorea minor (8.00), lupoid hepatitis (5.75), and Addison disease (2.63). T2D was increased after 27 of 32 AIds but we were unable to control for factors such as obesity and smoking. However, the clearly increased risks for T2D in most types of AId patients, and in reverse order increased risks for AId after T2D, do not support an overall confounding by life-style factors. Mechanistic links shared by T2D, AId and life-style factors such as obesity, perhaps through chronic inflammation, may drive autoimmune activation of T2D and many AIds.

The Economic Costs of Type 2 Diabetes: A Global Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

There has been a widely documented and recognized increase in diabetes prevalence, not only in high-income countries (HICs) but also in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), over recent decades. The economic burden associated with diabetes, especially in LMICs, is less clear.

OBJECTIVE

We provide a systematic review of the global evidence on the costs of type 2 diabetes. Our review seeks to update and considerably expand the previous major review of the costs of diabetes by capturing the evidence on overall, direct and indirect costs of type 2 diabetes worldwide that has been published since 2001. In addition, we include a body of economic evidence that has hitherto been distinct from the cost-of-illness (COI) work, i.e. studies on the labour market impact of diabetes.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, EconLit and IBSS (without language restrictions) for studies assessing the economic burden of type 2 diabetes published from January 2001 to October 2014. Costs reported in the included studies were converted to international dollars ($) adjusted for 2011 values. Alongside the narrative synthesis and methodological review of the studies, we conduct an exploratory linear regression analysis, examining the factors behind the considerable heterogeneity in existing cost estimates between and within countries.

RESULTS

We identified 86 COI and 23 labour market studies. COI studies varied considerably both in methods and in cost estimates, with most studies not using a control group, though the use of either regression analysis or matching has increased. Direct costs were generally found to be higher than indirect costs. Direct costs ranged from $242 for a study on out-of-pocket expenditures in Mexico to $11,917 for a study on the cost of diabetes in the USA, while indirect costs ranged from $45 for Pakistan to $16,914 for the Bahamas. In LMICs-in stark contrast to HICs-a substantial part of the cost burden was attributed to patients via out-of-pocket treatment costs. Our regression analysis revealed that direct diabetes costs are closely and positively associated with a country's gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, and that the USA stood out as having particularly high costs, even after controlling for GDP per capita. Studies on the labour market impact of diabetes were almost exclusively confined to HICs and found strong adverse effects, particularly for male employment chances. Many of these studies also took into account the possible endogeneity of diabetes, which was not the case for COI studies.

CONCLUSIONS

The reviewed studies indicate a large economic burden of diabetes, most directly affecting patients in LMICs. The magnitude of the cost estimates differs considerably between and within countries, calling for the contextualization of the study results. Scope remains large for adding to the evidence base on labour market effects of diabetes in LMICs. Further, there is a need for future COI studies to incorporate more advanced statistical methods in their analysis to account for possible biases in the estimated costs.

Cost-utility analysis of glucagon-like Peptide-1 agonists compared with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors or neutral protamine hagedorn Basal insulin as add-on to metformin in type 2 diabetes in sweden

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to assess the costs and benefits of three alternative second-line treatment strategies for Swedish patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who fail to reach glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ≤ 7% with metformin treatment alone: glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, and neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) insulin.

METHODS

A previously developed cohort model for T2DM was applied over a 35-year time horizon. Data on T2DM patients on metformin monotherapy with HbA1c > 7% were collected from the Swedish National Diabetes Register. Treatment effects were taken from published studies. Costs and effects were discounted at 3% per annum, and the analysis was conducted from a societal perspective. The robustness of the results was evaluated using one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses.

RESULTS

Treatment with GLP-1 agonists was associated with a discounted incremental benefit of 0.10 and 0.25 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and higher discounted costs of Swedish Krona (SEK) 34,865 and SEK 40,802 compared with DPP-4 inhibitors and NPH insulin, respectively. Assuming willingness-to-pay (WTP) of SEK 500,000 per QALY, treatment strategy with GLP-1 agonists was a cost-effective option with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of SEK 353,172 and SEK 160,618 per QALY gained versus DPP-4 inhibitors and NPH insulin, respectively. The results were most sensitive to incidence rate of moderate/major hypoglycemia and disutilities associated with insulin treatment, body mass index (BMI), and hypoglycemia.

CONCLUSION

Assuming a WTP of SEK 500,000 per QALY, treatment strategy with GLP-1 agonists is a cost-effective strategy in comparison to DPP-4 inhibitors and NPH insulin among T2DM patients inadequately controlled with metformin alone in a Swedish setting.

Cost-of-illness studies of diabetes mellitus: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is recognised as a major health problem.

OBJECTIVES

The aims of this study are two-fold: (1) to describe the methods used in the identified cost-of-illness (COI) studies of DM and (2) to summarise their study findings regarding the economic impact of DM.

METHODS

This is a systematic review of MEDLINE and Scopus journal articles reporting the cost of type 1 and/or 2 DM that were published in English from 2007 to 2011. Costs reported in the included studies were converted to US dollars.

RESULTS

The systematic search yielded 30 articles. The studies varied considerably in their study design, perspective and included cost categories. Estimates for the total annual costs of DM ranged from US$141.6 million to US$174 billion; direct costs ranged from US$150 to US$14,060 per patient per year (pppy) whereas indirect costs ranged from US$39.6 to US$7,164 pppy. Inpatient cost was the major contributor to direct cost in half of the studies that included inpatient costs, physician services and medications.

CONCLUSION

There is a considerable economic burden associated with DM. Future research should focus on improving methods of estimating costs, enhancing the interpretation of study findings and facilitating comparisons between studies.

Triggering factors of primary care costs in the years following type 2 diabetes diagnosis in Mexico

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Diabetes represents a high epidemiological and economic burden worldwide. The cost of diabetes care increases slowly during early years, but it accelerates once chronic complications set in. There is evidence that adequate control may delay the onset of complications. Management of diabetes falls almost exclusively into primary care services until chronic complications appear. Therefore, primary care is strategic for reducing the expedited growth of costs. The objective of this study was to identify predictors of primary care costs in patients without complications in the years following diabetes diagnosis.

METHODS

Direct medical costs for primary care were determined from the perspective of public health services provider. Information was obtained from medical records of 764 patients. Microcosting and average cost techniques were combined. A generalized linear regression model was developed including characteristics of patients and facilities. Primary health care costs for different patient profiles were estimated.

RESULTS

The mean annual primary care cost was USD$465.1. Gender was the most important predictor followed by weight status, insulin use, respiratoty infections, glycemic control and dyslipidemia. A gap in costs was observed between genders; women make greater use of resources (42.1% on average). Such differences are reduced with obesity (18.1%), overweight (22.8%), respiratory infection (20.8%) and age >80 years (26.8%). Improving glycemic control shows increasing costs but at decreasing rates.

CONCLUSIONS

Modifiable factors (glycemic control, weight status and comorbidities) drive primary care costs the first 10 years. Those factors had a larger effect in costs for males than in for females.

The burden of preserved ejection fraction heart failure in a real-world Swedish patient population

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate resource use and associated costs in patients with a diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HF-PEF) in Sweden.

METHODS

This retrospective study identified real-world patients with an ICD-10 diagnosis code for heart failure (I50) for the period between July 1, 2005 and December 31, 2006 from electronic medical records of primary care centers in Uppsala County Council, and in the Swedish patient registry data. Patients were categorized as having HF-PEF (left ventricle ejection fraction [LVEF] > 50%) during the index period. The study assessed medication utilization, outpatient visits, hospitalizations, and associated healthcare costs, as well as the incidence rates and time to all-cause and heart failure mortality following the index period.

RESULTS

The study included 137 HF-PEF patients with a mean age of 77.1 (SD = 9.1) years. Over 50% of HF-PEF patients were female and hypertensive. Nearly all patients received ≥ 1 medication post-index. Patients had an average of 1.5 heart failure related hospitalizations per follow-up year. The average annual per patient cost for the management of a HF-PEF patient was found in Sweden to be Swedish Krona (SEK) 108,246 (EURO [EUR] 11,344). Hospitalizations contributed to more than 80% of the total cost. All-cause mortality over the 18-month study period was 25.5%, and more than 50% of these deaths occurred within 1 year of index.

LIMITATIONS

Due to the limitations of registry data, it is not possible to confirm the HF diagnosis, and therefore the accuracy of registry records must be assumed. Other factors such as short follow-up time, the study-mandated LVEF assessment, and a lack of drug duration data may also have an impact on the study results.

CONCLUSIONS

All-cause mortality was high in the HF-PEF population, with more than half of patients dying within 1 year of study follow-up. Study results also indicate that 60% of HF-PEF patients have ≥ 1 hospitalization during follow-up. Hospitalizations, especially heart failure related admissions, represent a substantial proportion of the total healthcare burden of patients with HF-PEF in Sweden.

Risk equations for the development of worsened glucose status and type 2 diabetes mellitus in a Swedish intervention program

Background

Several studies investigated transitions and risk factors from impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). However, there is a lack of information on the probabilities to transit from normal glucose tolerance (NGT) to different pre-diabetic states and from these states to T2D. The objective of our study is to estimate these risk equations and to quantify the influence of single or combined risk factors on these transition probabilities.

Methods

Individuals who participated in the VIP program twice, having the first examination at ages 30, 40 or 50 years of age between 1990 and 1999 and the second examination 10 years later were included in the analysis. Participants were grouped into five groups: NGT, impaired fasting glucose (IFG), IGT, IFG&IGT or T2D. Fourteen potential risk factors for the development of a worse glucose state (pre-diabetes or T2D) were investigated: sex, age, education, perceived health, triglyceride, blood pressure, BMI, smoking, physical activity, snus, alcohol, nutrition and family history. Analysis was conducted in two steps. Firstly, factor analysis was used to find candidate variables; and secondly, logistic regression was employed to quantify the influence of the candidate variables. Bootstrap estimations validated the models.

Results

In total, 29 937 individuals were included in the analysis. Alcohol and perceived health were excluded due to the results of the factor analysis and the logistic regression respectively. Six risk equations indicating different impacts of different risk factors on the transition to a worse glucose state were estimated and validated. The impact of each risk factor depended on the starting or ending pre-diabetes state. High levels of triglyceride, hypertension and high BMI were the strongest risk factors to transit to a worsened glucose state.

Conclusions

The equations could be used to identify individuals with increased risk to develop any of the three pre-diabetic states or T2D and to adapt prevention strategies.

Annual Medical Costs of Swedish Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Before and After Insulin Initiation

INTRODUCTION

Although insulin is one of the most effective interventions for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, its disadvantages incur substantial medical cost. This study was designed to evaluate the medical costs of Swedish type 2 diabetic patients initiating insulin on top of metformin and/or sulfonylurea (SU), and to evaluate if costs before and after insulin initiation differ for patients where insulin is initiated above or below the recommended glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level (7.5%).

METHODS

This was a register-based retrospective cohort study in which patients were identified from the Sörmland county council diabetes register. Patients being prescribed at least one prescription of metformin and/or SU from 2003 to 2010, and later prescribed insulin, were included.

RESULTS

One hundred patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria and had at least 1 year of follow-up. The mean age was 61 years and 59% of patients were male. Mean time since diagnosis was 4.1 years, and since initiation of insulin was 2.2 years. The mean HbA1c level at index date was 8.0%. Total mean costs for the whole cohort were SEK 17,230 [standard deviation (SD) 17,228] the year before insulin initiation, and SEK 31,656 (SD 24,331) the year after insulin initiation (p < 0.0001). When stratifying by HbA1c level, patients with HbA1c <7.5% had total healthcare costs of SEK 17,678 (SD 12,946) the year before the index date and SEK 35,747 (SD 30,411) the year after (p < 0.0001). Patients with HbA1c levels ≥7.5% had total healthcare costs of SEK 16,918 (SD 19,769) the year before the index date and SEK 28,813 (SD 18,779) the year after (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Despite the small sample size, this study demonstrates that mean annual medical costs almost double the year after patients are initiated on insulin. The costs increased the year after insulin initiation, regardless of the HbA1c level at initiation of insulin, and the largest increase in costs were due to increased filled prescriptions.

Use of healthcare resources after gestational diabetes mellitus: a longitudinal case-control analysis

AIMS

To analyse whether gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) was associated with increases in healthcare utilisation after delivery.

METHODS

A longitudinal case-control registry-based study of 579 women with GDM delivered in 1995-2001. Two controls for each case were selected from the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare, matched for year of birth, year of delivery, and municipality of residence. Data regarding healthcare utilisation was provided by the Patients' Administrative System in Skåne County, Sweden, covering the period from the years of delivery up to year 2009.

RESULTS

Women with previous GDM had higher mean number of contacts and total cost in the years after delivery as compared to controls, also when excluding utilisation related to subsequent pregnancies and childbirth. By year 2009, 31% of women with prior GDM were diagnosed with diabetes, compared to 1% of controls. Women diagnosed with diabetes were more likely to use health care (odds ratio 14.22, 95% confidence interval 5.87-34.45) controlling for age and time since delivery, whereas cases not diagnosed with diabetes did not differ from controls. The average annual cost of healthcare utilisation was 101% higher (p<0.001) for women with diabetes 10 years after delivery compared to controls.

CONCLUSIONS

GDM was associated with higher healthcare utilisation postpartum for women who had a diabetes diagnosis. The results call for implementation of structured programmes to follow up women with GDM postpartum for early detection of diabetes and effective management, which may have the potential for improved health and savings in healthcare costs.

Costs for hospitalized patients with diabetes mellitus in China

AIM

To evaluate direct hospitalization costs attributable to diabetes and their determinants in a tertiary care hospital in mainland China between 2007 and 2008.

METHODS

A retrospective study of the hospitalization expenses for 489 inpatients with diabetes from June 2007 to July 2008 was conducted. All related cost components were defined and valued at the most detailed levels.

RESULTS

Median cost was 5307.8 RMB (range 3672.8-8193.2 RMB). The costs for biochemical tests (28%), pharmacy (26%), and therapies and supplies (21%) were the top 3, about 75% in total expenses. The expenses for the antihyperglycemic treatment alone accounted for 27.6% of total hospitalization expenses. Insulin treatment (P < .001), complication number (P < .001), length of hospitalization (P < .001), diabetes duration (P = .023), and hemoglobin A1C (P = .040) were the main factors affecting costs.

CONCLUSIONS

Antihyperglycemic treatment expenses represent a minority of total costs; major costs are due to treatment of complications.

Automated data extraction--a feasible way to construct patient registers of primary care utilization

INTRODUCTION

Electronic medical records (EMRs) enable analysis of health care data by using data mining techniques to build research databases. Though the reliability of the data extraction process is crucial for the credibility of the final analysis, there are few published validations of this process. In this paper we validate the performance of an automated data mining tool on EMR in a primary care setting.

METHODS

The Pygargus Customized eXtraction Program (CXP) was programmed to find and then extract data from patients meeting criteria for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) at one primary health care clinic (PHC). The ability of CXP to extract relevant cases was assessed by comparing cases extracted by an EMR integrated search engine. The concordance of extracted data with the original EMR source was manually controlled.

RESULTS

Prevalence of T2DM was 4.0%, which correspond well to previous estimations. By searching for drug prescriptions, diagnosis codes, and laboratory values, 38%, 53%, and 91% of relevant cases were found, respectively. The sensitivity of CXP regarding extraction of relevant cases was 100%. The specificity was 99.9% due to 12 non-T2DM cases extracted. The congruity at single-item level was 99.6%. The 13 incorrect data items were all located in the same structural module.

CONCLUSION

The CXP is a reliable and accurate data mining tool to extract selective data from EMR.

Living with diabetes: rationale, study design and baseline characteristics for an Australian prospective cohort study

Background

Diabetes mellitus is a major global public health threat. In Australia, as elsewhere, it is responsible for a sizeable portion of the overall burden of disease, and significant costs. The psychological and social impact of diabetes on individuals with the disease can be severe, and if not adequately addressed, can lead to the worsening of the overall disease picture. The Living With Diabetes Study aims to contribute to a holistic understanding of the psychological and social aspects of diabetes mellitus.

Methods/Design

The Living With Diabetes Study is a 5-year prospective cohort study, based in Queensland, Australia. The first wave of data, which was collected via a mailed self-report survey, was gathered in 2008, with annual collections thereafter. Measurements include: demographic, lifestyle, health and disease characteristics; quality of life (EQ-5D, ADDQoL); emotional well-being (CES-D, LOT-R, ESSI); disease self-management (PAM); and health-care utilisation and patient-assessed quality of care (PACIC). 29% of the 14,439 adults who were invited to participate in the study agreed to do so, yielding a sample size of 3,951 people.

Discussion

The data collected by the Living With Diabetes Study provides a good representation of Australians with diabetes to follow over time in order to better understand the natural course of the illness. The study has potential to further illuminate, and give a comprehensive picture of the psychosocial implications of living with diabetes. Data collection is ongoing.

Long-term cost-effectiveness of insulin detemir versus NPH insulin in type 2 diabetes in Sweden

AIM

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of insulin detemir vs. NPH insulin once daily, in patients with type 2 diabetes in the Swedish setting based on clinical data from a published randomized controlled trial.

METHODS

Projections of long-term outcomes were made using the IMS CORE Diabetes Model (CDM), based on clinical data from a 26-week randomized controlled trial that compared once daily insulin detemir and NPH insulin, when used to intensify insulin treatment in 271 patients with type 2 diabetes and body mass index (BMI) 25-40 kg/m(2). Trial results showed that insulin detemir was associated with a significantly lower incidence of hypoglycemic events and significantly less weight gain in comparison with NPH insulin. The analysis was conducted from a third party payer perspective and the base case analysis was performed over a time horizon of 40 years and future costs and clinical outcomes were discounted at a rate of 3% per year.

RESULTS

Insulin detemir was associated with higher mean (SD) quality-adjusted life expectancy (5.42 [0.10] vs. 5.31 [0.10] quality-adjusted life years [QALYs]) and lower overall costs (SEK 378,539 [10,372] vs. SEK 384,216 [11,230]; EUR 33,794 and EUR 34,300, respectively, where 1 EUR=11.2015 SEK) compared with NPH insulin. Sensitivity analysis showed that the principal driver of the benefits associated with insulin detemir was the lower rate of hypoglycemic events (major and minor events) vs. NPH insulin, suggesting that detemir might also be cost-saving over a shorter time horizon. Limitations of the analysis include the use of data from a trial outside Sweden in the Swedish setting.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on clinical input data derived from a previously published randomized controlled trial, it is likely that in the Swedish setting insulin detemir would be cost-saving in comparison with NPH insulin for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes.

Resource utilization and cost of heart failure associated with reduced ejection fraction in Swedish patients

AIM

The purpose of this study was to assess healthcare utilization and costs for heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction (HF-REF) in Sweden.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This was a retrospective, population-based cohort study of patients diagnosed with HF-REF during a period of 18 months at 31 primary care centers in Uppsala County, Sweden. Data was obtained from computerized records from these centers, the Swedish Patient Registry, the Swedish Prescription Registry, the Cause of Death Registry, and a local echocardiography registry maintained by the Department of Physiology, Uppsala University Hospital. Main outcome measures were cardiovascular and heart-failure-related hospitalizations, outpatient visits, medication utilization, mortality (all-cause, cardiovascular, and heart-failure), and healthcare costs for HF-REF patients. During the index period, 252 heart failure patients had a left ventricular ejection fraction measurement ≤ 40% and were categorized as having HF-REF. More than half of the patients had ≥ 1 cardiovascular or heart failure-related hospitalization. On average, patients had >2 such hospitalizations annually. They also averaged ∼1 cardiovascular or heart-failure-related outpatient visit per year. All-cause mortality was high: 15.9% patients died within 1 year after the index date. The mean annual cost per patient for heart-failure-related hospitalizations was SEK 72,613 (EUR 7610). In contrast, annual prescription costs were low, on average 3% of total cost (SEK 3503, EUR 367 per patient)

LIMITATIONS

The main limitations of this study include a short follow-up time and small sample size. Also, certain data were missing, such as echocardiograms (available for only 28% of patients), and information on patients' New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, validity period for prescriptions or the units of medication prescribed, and medication dosing. Furthermore, the overall mortality could have been under-estimated, as only the primary cause of death was included in the analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The main burden associated with HF-REF is related to hospitalizations for heart-failure events. Effective treatment options that decrease hospitalization rates could reduce patients' suffering and potentially offer considerable cost savings.

Cost effectiveness of paliperidone palmitate versus risperidone long-acting injectable and olanzapine pamoate for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia in Sweden

OBJECTIVE

To model the cost effectiveness of paliperidone palmitate (paliperidone long-acting injectable; PLAI), a new once-monthly long-acting antipsychotic therapy, compared with risperidone long-acting injectable (RLAI) and olanzapine pamoate (OLAI), in multi-episode patients (two or more relapses) with schizophrenia in Sweden.

METHODS

A Markov decision analytic model was developed to simulate the history of a cohort of multi-episode patients transitioning through different health states on a monthly basis over a 5-year time horizon from the perspective of the Swedish healthcare system. Therapeutic strategies consisted of starting treatment with RLAI (mean dose 37.5 mg every 2 weeks), PLAI (mean dose 75 mg equivalent (eq.) every month) or OLAI (150 mg every 2 weeks or 300 mg every 4 weeks). Probability of relapse, level of adherence, side-effects (extrapyramidal symptoms, tardive dyskinesia, weight gain and diabetes) and treatment discontinuation (switch) were derived from long-term observational data when feasible. Incremental cost-effectiveness outcomes, discounted at 3% annually, included cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) and cost per relapse avoided (expressed in 2009 Swedish Krona SEK).

RESULTS

Relative to RLAI and OLAI, PLAI is economically dominant: more effective (additional QALYs, less relapses) and less costly treatment option over a 5-year time horizon. The results were robust when tested in sensitivity analysis.

LIMITATIONS

The impact of once-monthly treatment on adherence levels is not yet known, and not all variables that could impact on real-world outcomes and costs were included in this model.

CONCLUSION

PLAI was cost saving from a Swedish payer perspective compared with RLAI and OLAI in the long-term treatment of multi-episode (two or more relapses) schizophrenia patients.

Hospital admissions, emergency department utilisation and patient activation for self-management among people with diabetes

AIMS

To assess the relationship between patient activation for self-management and admissions to hospital or attendances at emergency departments among people with diabetes, after controlling for other known associations.

METHODS

Patients were randomly selected from Australia's National Diabetes Services Scheme and invited to participate in the Living with Diabetes Study, which is a longitudinal survey providing a comprehensive examination of health care utilisation, well-being and disease progression. Data was collected for 3951 participants.

RESULTS

Outcome events were defined as 1 or more hospitalization and 1 or more visits to an emergency department in the preceding 12 months. Logistic regression analyses showed six variables remained significantly associated with both outcomes: age, income, disease duration and severity, current depression and PAM stage. Patients at PAM stage 1 were 1.4 times more likely to be hospitalised (p=0.023) and 1.3 times more likely to have visited emergency (p=0.049) compared to those at stage 4.

CONCLUSIONS

Low levels of activation are associated with higher utilisation of hospital resources even after controlling for relevant factors such as disease severity and co-morbid depression. Most will be gained by moving patients from PAM stage 1 to a higher level of activation.

Self-reported experience of hypoglycemia among adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (Exhype)

AIMS

To evaluate the experience of hypoglycemia in patients treated with metformin in combination with sulphonylureas (SUs) and the impact on patients' quality of life (QoL) and worry about hypoglycemia.

METHODS

This was a national, cross-sectional, multicenter study. Patients with type 2 diabetes treated with metformin and SU dual therapy were recruited by 54 investigators between January 2009 and August 2009. The patients were asked to complete a QoL instrument, the EuroQol-5 Dimensions questionnaire (EQ-5D), and the Hypoglycemia Fear Survey (HFS-II). Investigators completed a web-based case report form on laboratory values, medical history and anti-diabetic treatment.

RESULTS

A total of 430 patients (60% male) were included in the study. Mean age was 69 years. Approximately one fifth of the patients experienced moderate or worse symptoms of hypoglycemia. Patients who experienced moderate or worse hypoglycemia had lower QoL as measured by the weighted EQ-5D summary score (0.81 vs. 0.88; p<0.001) than patients who experienced mild or no hypoglycemia.

CONCLUSIONS

Experience of hypoglycemia was found to be associated with lower QoL in patients with type 2 diabetes on dual treatment with metformin and sulphonylurea. This should be taken into consideration when selecting treatment for these patients in clinical practice.

Estimating the direct cost of Type 2 diabetes in Greece: the effects of blood glucose regulation on patient cost

AIMS

To estimate the annual cost of treatment for Type 2 diabetic patients in Greece and investigate the effect of blood glucose regulation on patient cost.

METHODS

A multipoint data collection procedure based on the patient records of 51 geographically distributed physicians was used in order to obtain the necessary data for the analysis and the construction of the patient cost model. Patients were classified as controlled (i.e. maintaining blood glucose regulation for the 1 year retrospective time frame of the analysis) and non-controlled (the patients failing to do so in the specified time period). Cost categories included pharmaceutical expenditure, laboratory/diagnostic tests and consultation fees. Costs attributable to hospitalizations due to diabetic complications were not included. Calculations were based on 2007 fees and prices, and costs are expressed in Euros.

RESULTS

The average annual cost of treatment for controlled patients was estimated at 981.72 euro (95% confidence interval, 940.66-1023.01 euro), whereas for non-controlled patients it was 1566.12 euro (95% confidence interval, 1485.42-1650.20 euro). Non-controlled patients had 29.7% higher annual pharmaceutical costs (340.50 vs. 441.96 euro), 70% higher costs for laboratory/diagnostic tests (422.54 vs. 718.49 euro) and 85.5% higher consultation costs (218.68 vs. 405.67 euro) compared with their controlled peers. The average cost for a Type 2 diabetic patient in Greece, regardless of blood glucose regulation, was 1297.30 euro (95% confidence interval, 1244.42-1349.61 euro).

CONCLUSIONS

Failing to control blood glucose levels within 'glycaemic goals', apart from the clinical consequences, can also have a significant financial impact, resulting in a 59.5% increase in the mean annual patient cost.

Risk of cancer following hospitalization for type 2 diabetes

The present study assessed subsequent cancer risks in type 2 diabetes patients first hospitalized for this disease at age >39 years. Twenty-four cancer types showed an elevated risk when follow-up was started after the last hospitalization for type 2 diabetes. No additional risk was found in familial diabetics.

Objectives.

Cancer and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are two common diseases that may share risk factors. We aimed at determining subsequent cancer risks in patients hospitalized for T2D in Sweden.

Methods.

T2D patients were obtained from the nationwide Hospital Discharge Register; cancers were recorded from the Swedish Cancer Registry. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated for cancer following last hospitalization for T2D. The comparison group was the general Swedish population.

Results.

The number of hospitalized T2D patients from 1964 to 2007 was 125,126, of whom 26,641 had an affected family member. Altogether 24 cancers showed an elevated risk when follow-up was started after the last hospitalization. The highest SIRs were for pancreatic (6.08) and liver (4.25) cancers. The incidences of these cancers were even elevated when follow-up was started 5 years after the last hospitalization for T2D, with primary liver cancer showing the highest SIR of 4.66. Also increased were the incidences of upper aerodigestive tract, esophageal, colon, rectal, pancreatic, lung, cervical, endometrial, ovarian, and kidney cancers. Prostate cancer showed a lower risk. Familial T2D patients showed no exceptional elevated cancer risks but their prostate cancer and melanoma risks were lower.

Conclusions.

This study, covering approximately one half of Swedish T2D patients, showed an elevated risk for several cancers after hospitalization for T2D, probably indicating the profound metabolic disturbances of the underlying disease. The highest risks were found for liver and pancreatic cancers. No excess cancer risks were observed in familial diabetics. The lower risk for prostate cancer remains intriguing.

The impact of acute myocardial infarction and stroke on health care costs in patients with type 2 diabetes in Sweden

BACKGROUND

Estimates of the economic impact of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes are scarce. The aim of this study was to determine the health care costs associated with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes in Sweden.

DESIGN

Population-based open cohort study of 9941 patients with type 2 diabetes retrospectively identified in primary care records at 26 centres in Uppsala County.

METHODS

Episodes of AMI and stroke suffered by study patients were tracked in the Swedish National Inpatient Register. Annual per patient costs of health care were computed for the years 2000-2004 using register data covering inpatient care, outpatient hospital care, primary care and drugs. Panel data regression was applied to determine the impact of suffering a first or repeat AMI or stroke on health care costs during the year of the event and in subsequent years.

RESULTS

Total health care costs of patients suffering a first AMI/stroke increased by 4.1/6.5 during the year of the event [95% confidence interval (CI): 3.1-5.4/4.9-8.5] and by 1.1/1.4 during subsequent years (95% CI: 1.0-1.3/1.2-1.6), controlling for age, sex, the event of amputation and presence of renal failure, heart failure and diabetic eye disease. Total health care costs of patients suffering a first or repeat AMI/stroke increased by 4.1/6.4 during the year of an event (95% CI: 3.2-5.2/5.0-8.1) but were not significantly higher during subsequent years.

CONCLUSION

Estimates of the costs related to major cardiovascular complications of type 2 diabetes are critical input to economic evaluations.

Familial risks for type 2 diabetes in Sweden

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to characterize familial risks for type 2 diabetes by the type and number of affected family members, including half-siblings, adoptees, and spouses, to quantify risks and estimate the contribution of environmental effect.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Families were identified from the Multigeneration Register, and type 2 diabetic patients were obtained from the Hospital Discharge Register. Standardized incidence ratios were calculated for offspring with type 2 diabetes whose family members were hospitalized for type 2 diabetes at ages >39 years compared with those lacking affected family members.

RESULTS

The number of hospitalized type 2 diabetic patients was 157,549. Among 27,895 offspring, 27.9% had a parent or sibling also hospitalized for type 2 diabetes. The familial relative risk (RR) ranged from 2.0 to >30, depending on the number and type of probands. The highest RRs of type 2 diabetes were found in individuals who had at least two siblings affected by type 2 diabetes, irrespective of the parental disease. Adoptees showed no risk from adopted parents.

CONCLUSIONS

The study, the largest yet published, showed that familial RRs varied by the number and type of affected family member. However, much of the familial clustering remains yet to be genetically explained. The high risk should be recognized in clinical genetic counseling. The data from adoptees confirmed the genetic basis of the familial associations, but those from half siblings and spouses suggested that a smaller part of familial clustering may be accounted for by environmental factors.

Effects of losartan vs candesartan in reducing cardiovascular events in the primary treatment of hypertension

Although angiotensin receptor blockers have different receptor binding properties no comparative studies with cardiovascular disease (CVD) end points have been performed within this class of drugs. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that there are blood pressure independent CVD-risk differences between losartan and candesartan treatment in patients with hypertension without known CVD. Seventy-two primary care centres in Sweden were screened for patients who had been prescribed losartan or candesartan between the years 1999 and 2007. Among the 24 943 eligible patients, 14 100 patients were diagnosed with hypertension and prescribed losartan (n=6771) or candesartan (n=7329). Patients were linked to Swedish national hospitalizations and death cause register. There was no difference in blood pressure reduction when comparing the losartan and candesartan groups during follow-up. Compared with the losartan group, the candesartan group had a lower adjusted hazard ratio for total CVD (0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77–0.96, P=0.0062), heart failure (0.64, 95% CI 0.50–0.82, P=0.0004), cardiac arrhythmias (0.80, 95% CI 0.65–0.92, P=0.0330), and peripheral artery disease (0.61, 95% CI 0.41–0.91, P=0.0140). No difference in blood pressure reduction was observed suggesting that other mechanisms related to different pharmacological properties of the drugs may explain the divergent clinical outcomes.

Resource use associated with type 2 diabetes in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa: results from the International Diabetes Management Practices Study (IDMPS)

AIMS

To estimate diabetes-related resource use and investigate its predictors among individuals with type 2 diabetes in 24 countries in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.

METHODS

Cross-sectional observational data on diabetes-related resource use were collected from 15,016 individuals with type 2 diabetes within the second wave of International Diabetes Management Practices Study. Mean (SD) annual quantities were determined and predictors of diabetes-related hospitalisations, inpatient days, emergency room visits and absenteeism were investigated using negative binomial regression.

RESULTS

Patients in Asia (n = 4678), Latin America (n = 6090) and the Middle East and Africa (n = 4248) made a mean (SD) of 3.4 (6.9), 5.4 (6.7) and 2.5 (4.4) General Practitioner visits per year. The mean (SD) number of inpatient days amounted to 3.8 (18.1), 2.2 (13.9) and 2.6 (13.5) per year. Results of the regression analysis showed the major influence of diabetes-related complications and inadequate glycaemic control on resource use. The expected annual rate of hospitalisation of patients with macrovascular complications compared with those without was 4.7 times greater in Asia [incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 4.7, 95% CI: 2.8-7.8, n = 2551], 5.4 times greater in Latin America (IRR = 5.4, 95% CI: 3.0-9.8, n = 3228) and 4.4 times greater in the Middle East and Africa (IRR = 4.4, 95% CI: 2.8-6.9, n = 2630).

CONCLUSIONS

Micro- and macrovascular complications and inadequate glycaemic control are significant predictors of resource use in people with type 2 diabetes of developing countries. This knowledge confirms the health economic importance of early diagnosis of diabetes, education of patients and glycaemic control.