Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Diabetes mellitus poses a global chronic health challenge, with Tunisia experiencing a concerning surge in type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevalence. Cardiovascular and renal complications are prominent and severe consequences associated with T2D. Evaluating the costs related to managing these complications is crucial to enhance care quality, optimize resource utilization, and ultimately reduce the growing economic and social burden of this chronic disease.

Materials and Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted to collect data on diabetic patients with chronic cardiovascular and renal complications. The study included patients hospitalized in the Endocrinology Department of Hedi Chaker University Hospital in Sfax from January 1 to December 31, 2022. We assessed the cost of managing cardiovascular and renal complications in our hospitalized patients.

Results: The study involved 114 patients, with a sex ratio of 1.28. The average age at hospitalization was 65.38±10.17 years. The average hospitalization duration in our population was 7.2±4.5 days, with a minimum stay of 2 days and a maximum stay of 26 days. The hospitalization of 37 patients with cardiovascular complications alone was the most expensive, reaching 144,955.60 TND, equivalent to 46,017.65 USD, representing 56.6% of all expenses. The average cost per patient was 3,917.72 TND, or 1,243.72 USD. The 53 patients with both cardiovascular and renal complications ranked second in terms of costs, with expenditures totaling 97,548.38 TND, equivalent to 30,967.74 USD, accounting for 38.1% of the overall cost. The average cost per patient in this group was 1,840.54 TND, or 584.30 USD. Finally, the management of 24 patients with only renal complications was less costly, representing only 5.3% of total expenses, or 13,592.19 TND, equivalent to 4,314.98 USD. The average cost per patient in this group was 566.34 TND, or 179.80 USD. The table details the expenses of various analyzed elements based on the categories of complications.

Conclusion: The comprehensive cost analysis of managing cardiovascular and renal complications in diabetic patients reveals significant economic implications. Optimizing healthcare strategies is imperative to alleviate the financial burden and enhance patient outcomes.