title: Estimating the cost of complications of diabetes in Australia using administrative health-care data.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate Australian health-care costs in the year of first occurrence and subsequent years for major diabetes-related complications using administrative health-care data.
  
  
  METHODS
  The costs were estimated using administrative information on hospital services and primary health-care services financed through Australia's national health insurance system Medicare. Data were available for 70,340 patients with diabetes in Western Australia (mean duration of 4.5 years of follow-up). Multiple regression analysis was used to estimate inpatient and primary care costs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For a man aged 60 years, the average costs in the year the event first occurred were: amputation $20,416 (95% CI 18,670-22,411); nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) $11,660 (10,931-12,450); nonfatal stroke $14,012 (12,849-15,183); ischaemic heart disease $12,577 (12,026-13,123); heart failure $15,530 (13,965-17,009); renal failure $28,661 (22,989-34,202); and chronic leg ulcer $15,413 (13,089-18,123). The costs in subsequent years for a man aged 60 years range from 14% for nonfatal MI to 106% for renal failure, of event costs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Estimates of the health-care costs associated with diabetes-related complications can be used in modeling the long-term costs of diabetes and in evaluating the cost-effectiveness of improving care.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. philipc@health.usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kelman
authors.forename: Merran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Colagiuri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016208:Databases, Factual; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018803:Models, Economic; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014904:Western Australia