Diabetic Foot Ulcers Raise ESRD Patient Costs
Study reveals an association with greater use of ESAs and higher inpatient and outpatient costs.
Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD)are independently associated with higher healthcare costs, according to data presented at the National Kidney Foundation's 2014 Spring Clinical Meetings in Las Vegas.
In a study comparing 25,273 diabetic ESRD patients with DFU (case patients) and 25,273 propensity-score-matched controls (diabetic ESRD patients without DFU), researchers found that case patients required more erythropoiesis-stimulating agents than controls (56,977 vs. 51,416 units per month).
They also had higher inpatient costs ($6,209 vs. $4,668 per month) and higher outpatient costs ($1,384 vs. $1,046 per month), the study by Scott Sibbel, PhD, MPH, and colleagues at DaVita Clinical Research in Minneapolis, Minn., found.
After propensity score matching, cases and controls were similar with respect to age, sex, race, weight, comorbidity burden, and other parameters
Comments
