Type 2 diabetes: The cost of secondary diseases

05.02.2018 15:30

Scientists at the Helmholtz Center Munich have analyzed health insurance data from over 300,000 people with diabetes. In the journal 'Diabetes Care', they break down the costs associated with various complications. The Helmholtz authors are members of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD).

According to estimates, around seven million people in Germany are affected by type 2 diabetes, as the Helmholtz Zentrum München reports. Damage to blood vessels and other organs can begin even in the early stages. This includes, for example, eye problems that can lead to blindness, kidney damage that can result in kidney failure, foot problems that may require amputation, or serious cardiovascular diseases such as a heart attack or chronic heart failure.

„We wanted to know how high the resulting costs are, which are borne by health insurance companies and thus by society,“ explains lead author Katharina Kähm, describing the study's approach. The doctoral candidate and her colleagues from the Institute of Health Economics and Management in Healthcare (IGM) at the Helmholtz Center Munich analyzed data from 316,220 people with type 2 diabetes from the years 2012 to 2015.

High healthcare costs due to complications in type 2 diabetes

Using this data, the researchers were able to determine the costs of the resulting complications in detail. According to their findings, type 2 diabetes typically only becomes noticeable later in life. The authors therefore present a sample calculation based on a man between 60 and 69 years old. In the quarter in which the corresponding complication develops, this alone causes [amount of costs].

• For an eye condition (retinopathy), approximately 700 euros

• For blind people, it's about 3,000 euros.

• For kidney damage, the cost is approximately 3,400 euros.

• In the case of (dialysis-dependent) kidney failure, approximately 23,000 euros

• For a diabetic foot, the cost is around 1,300 euros.

• in the case of an amputation over 14,000 euros

„Furthermore, the average costs for cardiovascular disease range from €2,700 for angina pectoris to €20,000 for fatal ischemic complications,“ adds Michael Laxy, head of a research group at the IGM. „Costs also remain elevated in the quarters following the initial onset of these secondary diseases.“

According to the authors, this study is the first of its kind in terms of size and level of detail. In the long term, it is intended to lead to improvements in preventative care programs: "The results demonstrate to clinical and health policy decision-makers the significant financial consequences of diabetes-related complications," says Prof. Dr. Rolf Holle. "The study can therefore support the planning and prioritization of new prevention and treatment programs in the management of type 2 diabetes." In the future, Michael Laxy and his team plan to investigate the economic impact of multiple coexisting diseases.

Further information

Further information on the topic of secondary diseases of diabetes can be found at [website/link]. Diabetes Information Service.