Dataset Information

Direct medical cost associated with diabetic retinopathy severity in type 2 diabetes in Singapore.

ABSTRACT: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of vision-loss globally among type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients. Information on the economic burden of DR in Singapore is limited. We aim to identify the total annual direct medical costs of DR at different stages, and to examine factors influencing the costs. Four hundreds and seventy T2DM patients who attended the Diabetes Centre in a secondary hospital in Singapore in 2011-2014 were included. Digital color fundus photographs were assessed for DR in a masked fashion. Retinopathy severity was further categorized into non-proliferative DR (NPDR), including mild, moderate and severe NPDR, and proliferative DR (PDR). Medical costs were assessed using hospital administrative data. DR was diagnosed in 172 (39.5%) patients, including 51 mild, 62 moderate and 18 severe NPDR, and 41 PDR. The median cost in DR [2012.0 (1111.2-4192.3)] was significantly higher than that in non-DR patients [1158.1 (724.1-1838.9)] (p<0.001). The corresponding costs for mild, moderate, severe NPDR and PDR were [1167.1 (895.4-2012.0)], [2212.0 (1215.5-3825.5)], [2717.5 (1444.0-6310.7)], and [3594.8.1 (1978.4-8427.7)], respectively. After adjustment, the corresponding cost ratios for mild, moderate, severe NPDR, and PDR relative to non-DR were 1.1 (p = 0.827), 1.8 (p = 0.003), 2.0 (p = 0.031) and 2.3 (p<0.001), respectively. The other factors affecting the total cost include smoking (ratio = 1.7, p = 0.019), neuropathy (ratio = 1.9, p = 0.001) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) (ratio = 1.4, p = 0.019). The presence and severity of DR was associated with increased direct medical costs in T2DM. Our results suggest that preventing progression of DR may reduce the economic burden of DR.

SUBMITTER: Zhang X

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5507311 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Direct medical cost associated with diabetic retinopathy severity in type 2 diabetes in Singapore.

Zhang Xiao X Low Serena S Kumari Neelam N Wang Jiexun J Ang Keven K Yeo Darren D Yip Chee Chew CC Tavintharan Subramaniam S Sum Chee Fang CF Lim Su Chi SC

PloS one 20170710 7

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of vision-loss globally among type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients. Information on the economic burden of DR in Singapore is limited. We aim to identify the total annual direct medical costs of DR at different stages, and to examine factors influencing the costs. Four hundreds and seventy T2DM patients who attended the Diabetes Centre in a secondary hospital in Singapore in 2011-2014 were included. Digital color fundus photographs were assessed for DR in a ...[more]

PMID: 28700742

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Project description:ImportanceThe presence and severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR) may contribute to the risk of falling in persons with diabetes, but evidence is currently equivocal.ObjectiveTo investigate the associations of diabetes and DR severity with the likelihood of falls in a multiethnic Asian population.Design, setting, and participantsCross-sectional post hoc analysis of the Singapore Epidemiology of Eye Diseases study, a population-based study of participants from 3 ethnic groups (3280 Malay, 3400 Indian, and 3353 Chinese individuals) conducted from 2004 to 2011. Of these participants, 552 had data missing on diabetes, falls history, or other covariates or had ungradable fundus photographs and were excluded, leaving 9481 participants. These 9481 underwent a standardized clinical examination and responded to an interviewer-administered questionnaire that collected clinical and sociodemographic information. Multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for confounding fall risk factors assessed the associations of falls with diabetes, DR, and DR severity. A trend analysis was conducted in participants with diabetes to assess if risk of falling was associated with DR severity. Data were analyzed from January 1 through April 30, 2017.ExposuresDiabetes was defined as a random glucose level of at least 200 mg/dL, hemoglobin A1c concentration of at least 6.5% of total hemoglobin, self-reported use of diabetic medication, or history of physician-diagnosed diabetes. Severity of DR was graded as none, minimal, mild, moderate, and vision threatening (VT).Main outcomes and measuresA self-reported fall occurring in the previous 12 months, when the participant fell and landed on the ground.ResultsOf the 9481 participants with a mean (SD) age of 58.7 (10.3) years (4781 women [50.4%]), 6612 (69.7%) had no diabetes and 2869 (30.3%) had diabetes, of whom 857 (29.9%) had DR in at least 1 eye. A history of falls was reported in 872 (13.2%) without diabetes, 328 (16.3%) with no DR, 44 (14.2%) with minimal DR, 54 (26.2%) with mild DR, 34 (27.2%) with moderate DR, and 43 (19.9%) with VTDR (P for trend < .001). In multivariable models, those with DR were more likely to have fallen (odds ratio [OR], 1.31; 95% CI, 1.07-1.60; P = .008) compared with those with no diabetes; no associations were found for participants without DR compared with those with no diabetes. In addition, compared with participants with diabetes but without DR, those with mild (OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.23-2.67; P = .003) and moderate (OR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.16-3.07; P = .01) nonproliferative DR were more likely to have fallen. Having VTDR was not independently associated with a higher likelihood of falling.Conclusions and relevanceThe presence of mild to moderate nonproliferative DR was independently associated with an increased likelihood of falling in persons with diabetes compared with persons with diabetes but without DR. Management strategies for diabetes should incorporate fall education and prevention information, particularly in patients with early-stage DR. Longitudinal studies exploring the association between mild to moderate nonproliferative DR and falling will be required to confirm these findings.

Dataset Information

Direct medical cost associated with diabetic retinopathy severity in type 2 diabetes in Singapore.

Publications

Direct medical cost associated with diabetic retinopathy severity in type 2 diabetes in Singapore.

Similar Datasets

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