Three In Five Diabetics Experience At Least One High-Cost Complication Related To Disease, Study Finds

Main Category: Diabetes
Article Date: 13 Apr 2007 - 22:00 PST

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Three of every five diabetics in the U.S. experience at least one significant complication from the disease, such as heart disease, stroke, eye damage, chronic kidney disease or foot problems leading to amputation, according to research presented Tuesday at a meeting of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the Los Angeles Times reports. For the study, researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics between 1999 and 2004. The study found that one in 10 diabetics has two complications, one in 15 has three complications and one in 13 has four or more complications (Maugh, Los Angeles Times, 4/11). The study also found that complications are most prevalent among diabetic Hispanics, at a rate of about 68%. About 59% of black diabetics experience diabetes-related complications, and about 55% of white diabetics experience such complications (Manning, USA Today, 4/10). Researchers also analyzed economic data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey conducted between 1999 and 2004 (Los Angeles Times, 4/11). According to University of Chicago health economist Willard Manning, who presented the data, the cost of treating type 2 diabetes-related complications nationwide totaled $22.9 billion in 2006. Manning said people with diabetes complications have health care costs that are three times greater than people without diabetes. He added that those with diabetes complications spend an average of about $1,600 annually on out-of-pocket costs and that the average annual cost of care for people with diabetes-related complications totals about $10,000, most of which is paid for by insurance companies. The report was prepared by the endocrinology association, along with the Amputee Coalition of America, Mended Hearts, the National Federation of the Blind and the National Kidney Foundation, and funded by prescription drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline (USA Today, 4/10).

Additional Findings
The study also found:

• 7.9% of diabetics have congestive heart failure, compared with 1.1% of nondiabetics, costing an average of $7,932 per year per patient;
  
  
• 9.8% of diabetics experience heart attacks, compared with 1.8% of nondiabetics, costing patients $14,150 per year;
  
  
• 9.1% of diabetics have coronary heart disease, compared with 2.1% of people without diabetes, costing patients $6,062 per year;
  
  
• 6.8% of diabetics have strokes, compared with 1.8% of those without diabetes, costing patients $7,806 per year;
  
  
• 27.8% of diabetics develop chronic kidney disease, compared with 6.1% of people without diabetes, costing patients $9,002 per year;
  
  
• 22.8% of diabetics have foot problems -- such as amputations and numbness -- compared with 10% of nondiabetics, costing patients $4,687 per year; and
  
  
• 18.9% of diabetics have eye damage, costing patients $1,785 per year (Los Angeles Times, 4/11).

Daniel Einhorn of the Sharp Diabetes Treatment and Research Center, and a board member of the endocrinology association, said that "the report shows we are failing in the primary mission of preventing complications. The problem is that people don't recognize diabetes early enough, so by the time of diagnosis, about half of people with diabetes already have a complication that took years to develop" (USA Today, 4/10). He added, "We are using the tools (to control diabetes) too late and spending too much money on complications" (Los Angeles Times, 4/11).

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