RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Rapid assessment of avoidable blindness-based healthcare costs of diabetic retinopathy in Hungary and its projection for the year 2045
JF British Journal of Ophthalmology
JO Br J Ophthalmol
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.
SP 1116
OP 1120
DO 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-316337
VO 105
IS 8
A1 Gábor Tóth
A1 Hans Limburg
A1 Dorottya Szabó
A1 Gábor L Sándor
A1 Zoltán Z Nagy
A1 János Németh
YR 2021
UL http://bjo.bmj.com/content/105/8/1116.abstract
AB Background/aims The purpose of this study was to estimate the total healthcare cost associated with diabetic retinopathy (DR) in the population aged 18 years and older in Hungary, and its projection for the year 2045.Methods A cost model was developed based on the standardised rapid assessment of avoidable blindness with the diabetic retinopathy module (RAAB+DRM) methodology and recently reported prevalent-based cost of illness model. Projection for 2045 was made based on the estimation for increasing diabetes mellitus (DM) prevalence of the International Diabetes Federation. Costs were analysed from the perspective of the healthcare system and the patients. Our DR cost model was constructed according to the Scottish DR grading scale and based on the DR severity stadium.Results The total DR-associated healthcare cost was US$145.8 million in 2016 and will increase to US$169.0 million by 2045. The two major cost drivers were intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor injections and vitrectomies in this study (US$126.4 million in 2016 and US$146.5 million in 2045); they amounted to 86.7% of the total treatment cost of DR. The DR-related cost per patient was US$180.5 in Hungary.Conclusions The cost per patient for treating DR was lower in Hungary than in other countries. Due to the increasing socioeconomic burden of proliferative DR and diabetes-related blindness, it would be important to invest in DR screening, prevention and early treatment. Our new RAAB-based cost of DR model may facilitate comparisons of DR treatment costs across countries.