Incremental Healthcare Resource Utilization and Expenditures Associated with Cardiovascular Diseases in Patients with Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most prevalent comorbid condition among patients with diabetes. The objective of this study is to determine the incremental healthcare resource utilization and expenditures (HRUE) associated with CVD comorbidity in diabetic patients. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, patients receiving antidiabetic drugs were identified using the 2014 database of the Iran Health Insurance Organization of East Azerbaijan province (Iran). The frequency of HRUE was the main outcome. Outcome measures were compared between diabetic patients with and without CVD comorbidity during 2014-2016. The generalized regression model was used to adjust for cofounders because of a highly skewed distribution of data. Negative binomial regression and gamma distribution model were applied for the count and expenditure data, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 34,716 diabetic patients were identified, of which 21,659 (63%) had CVD comorbidity. The incremental healthcare resource utilization associated with CVD compared to non-CVD diabetic patients for physician services, prescription drugs, laboratory tests, and medical imaging was 5.9±0.34 (28% increase), 46±1.9 (46%), 12.9±0.66 (27%), and 0.16±0.40 (7%), respectively (all P<0.001). Similarly, extra health care costs associated with CVD comorbidity for physician services, prescription drugs, laboratory tests, and medical imaging were 10.6±0.67 million IRR (294.4±18.6 USD) (50% increase), 1.44±0.06 million IRR (40±1.6 USD) (32%), 8.36±0.57 million IRR (232.2±15.8 USD) (58%), 0.51±0.02 million IRR (14.1±0.5 USD) (24%), and 0.29±0.02 million IRR (8±0.5 USD) (22%), respectively (all P<0.001). CONCLUSION: CVD comorbidity substantially increases HRUE in patients with diabetes. Our findings draw the attention of healthcare decision-makers to proactively prevent CVD comorbidity in diabetic patients.