Contribution of hypoglycemia to medical care expenditures and short-term disability in employees with diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
Diabetes is the third-most expensive physical health condition among US employees. We sought to evaluate the contribution of hypoglycemia to these costs.


METHODS
We studied 2664 employees using insulin for whom medical encounters and short-term disability (STD) records were available.


RESULTS
Among these employees, 442 (16.6%) had a diagnosis of hypoglycemia during an average follow-up of 2.5 years. The risk of hospitalization and emergency room visits was increased twofold in this group. Much of this excess was associated with hypoglycemia. The annualized medical cost of hypoglycemia was $3241. Patients with hypoglycemia had 77% more STD days annually. The risk of STD in the week after hypoglycemia was increased fivefold.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that hypoglycemia contributes substantially to medical care utilization and to disability-related work absence among employees using insulin.
Rhoads
George G
GG
School of Public Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA.
Orsini
Lucinda S
LS
Crown
William
W
Wang
Shoahung
S
Getahun
Darios
D
Zhang
Quanwu
Q
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents