[The medical cost of diabetic patients with foot problems due to peripheral artery disease].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the medical cost of diabetic patients with foot problems and peripheral artery disease.


METHODS
Type 2 diabetic patients with foot problems admitted into the endocrinology departments of 14 teaching hospitals from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2004 were surveyed for their type and phase of foot ulcers, diabetic complications, medical cost and general personal characteristics.


RESULTS
The average medical cost of the hospitalization of these patients was RMB yen 14,906 +/- 7072 (about US $ 1640 +/- 873); medication and examination cost was separately 56% and 19% of the total cost. There was obviously higher medical cost for these patients with longer diabetes duration of over 20 years and with the occupation of laborer and retired worker. Patients with kidney disease had significantly higher medical cost than those without (RMB yen 11 690.7 vs yen 9493.0; P = 0.0013), even if the hospital stay was nearly the same (21 days vs 20 days). The medical cost increase with the severity of diabetic foot problems based on the classification of Wagner System or Texas System. Patients with infection, ischemic foot and gangrene foot stayed in the hospitals longer and had much higher medical cost.


CONCLUSIONS
The medical cost is higher for diabetic patients with foot problems and is related with the presence of complicating kidney disease, infection and ischemia as well as the severity of foot ulcers.
Wang
Ai-Hong
AH
Diabetes Center, 306th Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100101, China.
Zhao
Shi
S
Li
Qiang
Q
Wang
Peng-Hua
PH
Yan
Li
L
Du
Yu-Ming
YM
Bian
Rong-Wen
RW
Wang
Zhan-Jian
ZJ
Mao
Ji-Ping
JP
Xiao
Zheng-Hua
ZH
Ma
Xue-Yi
XY
Lin
Shao-da
SD
Chen
Guo-Chang
GC
Zhou
Ying-Sheng
YS
Xu
Zhang-Rong
ZR
D000368:Aged; D017719:Diabetic Foot / Q000191:economics* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005251:Fees, Medical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D011446:Prospective Studies