Journal List > Korean Diabetes J > v.32(4) > 1002237

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Moon, Jo, Park, Kim, Jung, Kim, Kim, Chung, and Lee: Clinical Characteristics and Direct Medical Costs of Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Original Article
Korean Diabetes Journal

Korean Diabetes Journal 2008; 32(4): 358-365.

Published online: 31 August 2008

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4093/kdj.2008.32.4.358

Clinical Characteristics and Direct Medical Costs of Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Eun Joon Moon, Young Eun Jo, Tae Chin Park, Yun Kyung Kim, Sun Hye Jung1, Hae Jin Kim, Dae Jung Kim, Yoon Sok Chung, Kwan Woo Lee

Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ajou University School of Medicine, Korea.

1Department of Internal Medicine, CHA Bio Medical Center, College of Medicine, Pochon CHA University, Korea.

Received 25 October 2007       Accepted 9 July 2008

Copyright © 2008 Korean Diabetes Association

Abstract

Background

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is an expensive chronic metabolic disorder and its prevalence has been increasing rapidly in South Korea, owing to a westernized lifestyle. We analyzed the annual direct medical costs attributable to type 2 diabetes and its chronic complications in Korea retrospectively.

Methods

We randomly selected 1,051 patients with type 2 diabetes who visited Ajou University Hospital as an outpatient in 2005. Clinical characteristics, duration of diabetes, and microvascular and macrovascular complications were assessed from a medical chart review. The annual direct medical costs included insurance covered and uncovered medical costs.

Results

Of the 1,051 patients with type 2 diabetes, 48.2% had at least one microvascular complication, 5.6% had at least one macrovascular complication, and 12.4% of the patients had both microvascular and macrovascular complications. The average annual direct medical cost was found to be 3,348,488won per patient. In patients with microvascular complications, the total cost of management was increased 1.4 times compared to those without complications. Direct medical costs for patients with macrovascular complications were 2.1-fold as high as patients with no complications. Those patients with both microvascular and macrovascular complications, increased costs by 3.1-fold over those without complications.

Conclusion

Chronic complications have a substantial impact on the direct medical costs of type 2 diabetes. The prevention of chronic diabetic complications will not only influence the mortality and morbidity of patients with type 2 diabetes, but also potentially reduce medical costs.

Keywords: Direct medical cost, Macrovascular complication, Microvascular complication, Type 2 diabetes

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1
Annual average costs per patient by complication. *P < 0.05 when compared to none. †P < 0.05 when compared to patients with microvascular complication. ‡P < 0.05 when compared to patients with macrovascular complication.
kdj-32-358-g001
Fig. 2
Annual average costs per patient by glucose control method. *P < 0.05 when compared to Diet & Exercise. †P < 0.05 when compared to OHA. OHA, oral hypoglycemic agents.
kdj-32-358-g002
Fig. 3
Annual average costs per patient by diabetic duration. *P < 0.05 when compared to D < 5. †P < 0.05 when compared to 5 ≤ D < 10. D, duration.
kdj-32-358-g003
Table 1
Inclusion criteria for microvascular and macrovascular complications of type 2 diabetes
kdj-32-358-i001

CABG, coronary artery bypass graft; MI, myocardial infarction; PAOD, peripheral artery occlusive disease; PTCA, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty; TIA, transient ischemic attack.

Table 2
Characteristics of 1,051 type 2 diabetic patients
kdj-32-358-i002

GFR, glomerular filtration rate; HDL, high-density lipoproteins; LDL, low-density lipoproteins; OHA, oral hypoglycemic agents.

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