Association between glycated hemoglobin and health utility for Type 1 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
Cost-effectiveness models for diabetes link glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) to diabetes-related complications. Independent of diabetes-related complications, there is little known on the association between HbA1c and health utility scores. This link can alter the cost effectiveness of interventions designed to improve HbA1c. The cross-sectional relationship between HbA1c and health utility scores in adult type 1 diabetes patients was estimated after adjusting for diabetes-related complications.


METHODS
The EuroQoL-5 dimension (EQ-5D) questionnaire and an ad hoc survey requesting demographic information and adherence to glucose monitoring therapies was administered to adult type 1 diabetes patients during a clinic visit and combined with clinical medical record data. Health utility scores were derived using the US time-tradeoff valuation of the EQ-5D. Linear regression was used to estimate the relationship between HbA1c and utility, adjusting for treatments, demographics, and diabetes-related complications.


RESULTS
Among 176 patients, mean (standard deviation [SD]) age was 38 (12.2) years, duration of disease was 22 (12.1) years, and number of chronic conditions other than type 1 diabetes was 2.7 (2.0). Unadjusted mean (SD) utility was 0.94 (0.09) for those with HbA1c levels <7 % (n = 54), 0.89 (0.15) for those with HbA1c ≥ 7 % (n = 122), and 0.91 (0.14) for all patients. After adjustment, a 1 % absolute increase in HbA1c was associated with a disutility of -0.03 (95 % confidence interval [CI] -0.049, -0.006).


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that, after adjusting for diabetes-related complications, higher HbA1c levels are associated with a significant health disutility. Pending additional data from longitudinal studies, these findings could be used in cost-effectiveness evaluations of type 1 diabetes interventions that impact HbA1c.
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Mail Stop C238, 12850 E. Montview Blvd., Aurora, CO, 80045, USA, robert.mcqueen@ucdenver.edu.
R Brett
RB
McQueen
Samuel L
SL
Ellis
David M
DM
Maahs
Heather D
HD
Anderson
Kavita V
KV
Nair
Anne M
AM
Libby
Jonathan D
JD
Campbell
D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D012107:Research Design; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin