Can costs of screening for hypertension and diabetes in dental care and follow-up in primary health care be predicted?

Identifying Undiagnosed Diabetes and Prediabetes in the Dental Setting in an Asian Population-A Clinical Risk Model

AIM

To assess the glycaemic status of Asian patients in a tertiary care dental setting and develop a risk model for undiagnosed diabetes mellitus (DM).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 1074 participants completed a diabetes risk test questionnaire, full-mouth periodontal examination and a point-of-care HbA1c finger-prick blood test. Univariable logistic regression was performed to assess the effect of potential factors to predict DM, with confirmed diabetes as the outcome. Subsequently, multivariable logistic regression analysis with stepwise variable selection was employed to develop the final models for predicting DM.

RESULTS

Sixty-five (6.1%) and 83 (7.7%) of the 1074 participants were medically confirmed with T2DM and prediabetes, respectively. The 'best' predictive risk model for DM included body mass index (BMI), family history of diabetes, smoking and a diagnosis of Stage III/IV or severe periodontitis with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.717 (95% confidence interval, CI [0.689-0.744]) and 0.721 (95% CI [0.693-0.748]), respectively. Including the oral health measure marginally increased the AUC.

CONCLUSIONS

Dental patients clinically diagnosed with advanced periodontitis in combination with high BMI, positive family history of DM and smoking are potentially at high risk for DM and should be screened for DM and referred for medical confirmation and management.

The cost-effectiveness of a two-step blood pressure screening programme in a dental health-care setting

Background

Hypertension is one of the largest contributors to the disease burden and a major economic challenge for health-care systems. Early detection of persons with high blood pressure can be achieved through screening and has the potential to reduce morbidity and mortality. We evaluate the cost-effectiveness of an opportunistic hypertension screening programme in a dental-care facility for individuals aged 40–75 in comparison to care as usual (the no-screening baseline scenario).

Methods

A cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) was carried out from the payer and societal perspectives, and the short-term (from screening until diagnosis has been established) cost per identified case of hypertension and long-term (20 years) cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) were reported. Data on the short-term cost were based on a real-world screening programme in which 2025 healthy individuals were screened for hypertension. Data on the long-term cost were based on the short-term outcomes combined with modelling in a Markov cohort model. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were carried out to assess uncertainty.

Results

The short-term analysis showed an additional cost of 4,800 SEK (€470) per identified case of hypertension from the payer perspective and from the societal perspective 12,800 SEK (€1,240). The long-term analysis showed a payer cost per QALY of 2.2 million SEK (€210,000) and from the societal perspective 2.8 million SEK per QALY (€270,000).

Conclusion

The long-term model results showed that the screening model is unlikely to be cost-effective in a country with a well-developed health-care system and a relatively low prevalence of hypertension.

Screening of undiagnosed hyperglycaemia in the dental setting: The DiabetRisk study. A field trial

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy of different screening protocols for undiagnosed hyperglycaemia in a Research Network of Dental Clinics coordinated by the Spanish Society of Periodontology (SEPA).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 1143 patients were included in the study. Participants filled a questionnaire considering diabetes risk factors (FINDRISC) and received a periodontal screening examination. Patients with a slightly elevated score according to the Findrisc (≥7), received a point-of-care HbA1c and were eventually referred to their physician for confirmatory diagnosis. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the performance of various predictive models with confirmed hyperglycaemia as outcome.

RESULTS

From this population, 97 (8.5%) were finally diagnosed of diabetes (n = 28; 2.5%) or prediabetes (n = 69; 6.0%). When only including the results from the FINDRISC questionnaire, the model reported an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.866 (95% confidence interval - CI [0.833; 0.900]). This model significantly improved when a basic periodontal examination (EPB Code; AUC = 0.876; 95% CI [0.845: 0.906]; p = .042) or a point-of-care HbA1c were added (AUC = 0.961; 95% CI [0.941; 0.980]; p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The tested protocol, combining the FINDRISC questionnaire and a point-of-care HbA1c, showed to be feasible when carried out in a dental clinic setting and was efficient to identify subjects with undiagnosed diabetes or prediabetes.

Association between numbers of decayed teeth and HbA1c in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND

Dental caries (DC) are more prevalent in individuals with diabetes than in healthy individuals. However, the association between glycaemic control and DC has not been well characterized in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We therefore assessed the association between glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) serum concentrations and the prevalence of DC in patients with T2DM.

METHODS

Retrospective analyses of data pertaining to 108 Japanese patients with T2DM hospitalized because of poor or worsened glycaemic control were included. We divided the patients based on HbA1c into two groups: HbA1c level ≥75 mmol/mol (9.0%) as poorly controlled T2DM, and HbA1c level <75 mmol/mol (9.0%) as a control group. We compared the association of lifestyle factors, dental caries, and periodontal health between patients with poorly controlled T2DM and controls. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association between HbA1c, the absolute number of decayed teeth (DT), the sum of decayed, missing, and filled teeth, and the Met Need Index (MNI).

RESULTS

DT was higher and MNI was lower in patients with poorly controlled T2DM as compared to that in controls (P = 0.006 and P = 0.004, respectively). Multiple regression analyses revealed a significant association between HbA1c levels and DT (adjusted β = 0.039, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.005 to 0.072, P = 0.025) and the MNI (adjusted β = -0.216, 95% CI -0.374 to -0.058, P = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

DT and MNI were associated with HbA1c in T2DM patients.

Medical screening in dental settings: a qualitative study of the views of authorities and organizations

Background

The practice of identifying individuals with undiagnosed diabetes mellitus type II or undiagnosed hypertension by medical screening in dental settings has been received positively by both patients and dentistry professionals. This identification has also shown to be cost-effective by achieving savings and health benefits, but no investigation has been made of the attitudes of authorities and organizations. The aim of this study was to describe the views of authorities and organizations.

Results

Thirteen authorities and organizations were interviewed of the sample of 20 requested. Seven approached authorities and organizations did not believe it was relevant to participate in the study. The manifest analysis resulted in four categories: medical screening ought to be established in the society; dentistry must have relevant competence to perform medical screening; medical screening requires cooperation between dentistry and health care; and dentistry is not the only context where medical screening could be performed. The latent analysis resulted in an emerging theme: positive to, but uncertain about, the concept of medical screening in dental settings. The spokespersons for the approached authorities and organizations had a positive view of medical screening but the respondents experienced a lack of facts concerning the scientific communities’ position, guidelines and procedures in the topic.

Conclusions and implications

Approached authorities and organizations generally had a positive view of medical screening in dental settings but were uncertain about the concept. Further scientific knowledge and guidelines concerning the topic are needed before it can be commonly introduced and additional research on implementation strategies and long-term follow-up of medical screening are needed.