The economic impact of insulin-related hypoglycemia in Denmark: an analysis using the Local Impact of Hypoglycemia Tool

TY - JOUR

T1 - The economic impact of insulin-related hypoglycemia in Denmark

T2 - an analysis using the Local Impact of Hypoglycemia Tool

AU - Hoskins, Nicki

AU - Tikkanen, Christian Klyver

AU - Pedersen-Bjergaard, Ulrik

PY - 2017/4/3

Y1 - 2017/4/3

N2 - AIMS: To estimate the direct cost of hypoglycemia in insulin-treated adults with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in Denmark.MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Local Impact of Hypoglycemia Tool (LIHT) was used to estimate the costs associated with insulin-related hypoglycemia. Average utilization of healthcare resources, including the costs of pre-hospitalization, hospital admission, healthcare professional contact and follow-up, glucose/glucagon, and extra SMBG tests to monitor blood glucose following an episode, was used to calculate an average cost per severe and per non-severe hypoglycemic episode. The cost per episode was then applied to the rates of severe and non-severe hypoglycemia in people with T1DM and T2DM in Denmark.RESULTS: The direct cost of insulin-related hypoglycemia in Denmark is DKK 96.2 million per year, which equates to EUR 12.9 million. For people with T1DM prone to severe hypoglycemia (defined as having ≥2 severe episodes in the past year), the cost per person per year increases by DKK 4,155 compared with the T1DM population average, and for people with T2DM prone to non-severe hypoglycemia (defined as having ≥1 non-severe episode in the last 4 weeks), the cost increases by DKK 647 per person per year compared with the T2DM population average.CONCLUSIONS: The LIHT highlights the substantial economic burden of insulin-related hypoglycemia in Denmark, and provides a means to estimate the savings that could be made by lowering hypoglycemia rates. For example, the costs associated with using a new insulin or introducing a patient education program could be offset with the cost saving from reducing hypoglycemia.

AB - AIMS: To estimate the direct cost of hypoglycemia in insulin-treated adults with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in Denmark.MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Local Impact of Hypoglycemia Tool (LIHT) was used to estimate the costs associated with insulin-related hypoglycemia. Average utilization of healthcare resources, including the costs of pre-hospitalization, hospital admission, healthcare professional contact and follow-up, glucose/glucagon, and extra SMBG tests to monitor blood glucose following an episode, was used to calculate an average cost per severe and per non-severe hypoglycemic episode. The cost per episode was then applied to the rates of severe and non-severe hypoglycemia in people with T1DM and T2DM in Denmark.RESULTS: The direct cost of insulin-related hypoglycemia in Denmark is DKK 96.2 million per year, which equates to EUR 12.9 million. For people with T1DM prone to severe hypoglycemia (defined as having ≥2 severe episodes in the past year), the cost per person per year increases by DKK 4,155 compared with the T1DM population average, and for people with T2DM prone to non-severe hypoglycemia (defined as having ≥1 non-severe episode in the last 4 weeks), the cost increases by DKK 647 per person per year compared with the T2DM population average.CONCLUSIONS: The LIHT highlights the substantial economic burden of insulin-related hypoglycemia in Denmark, and provides a means to estimate the savings that could be made by lowering hypoglycemia rates. For example, the costs associated with using a new insulin or introducing a patient education program could be offset with the cost saving from reducing hypoglycemia.

KW - Blood Glucose

KW - Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring

KW - Cost-Benefit Analysis

KW - Denmark

KW - Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/drug therapy

KW - Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy

KW - Health Expenditures

KW - Health Services/economics

KW - Humans

KW - Hypoglycemia/chemically induced

KW - Insulin/adverse effects

KW - Models, Econometric

KW - Severity of Illness Index

U2 - 10.1080/13696998.2016.1269774

DO - 10.1080/13696998.2016.1269774

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 27926814

SN - 1369-6998

VL - 20

SP - 363

EP - 370

JO - Journal of Medical Economics

JF - Journal of Medical Economics

IS - 4

ER -