title: Comorbidity and Health Care Resource Use Among Commercially Insured Non-Elderly Patients With Diabetic Macular Edema.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a leading cause of blindness for non-elderly adults; however, health care-associated burden data from this population is lacking. The authors describe health care-associated burden in non-elderly patients with DME compared to those with diabetes and no DME.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective, large-cohort study examines enrollment and health care claims (2007 to 2011) from a national database of insured patients aged 18 to 63 years (mean: 51). Comorbidity and health care utilization differences between patients with DME (n = 24,326) and matched controls with diabetes but no DME (n = 122,710) were analyzed over 1 and 3 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DME patients had significantly more baseline comorbidities, and generally developed them at a higher rate over the study. Health care resource utilization rates were significantly higher in DME patients for every category analyzed. Patients with DME averaged more than 10 health care visits more than those with diabetes but no DME (25.5 vs 14.9; P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Working-age patients with DME exhibit a complicated comorbidity profile and high associated burden of health care consumption. Considering this burden is critical for managing this complex population.
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wallick
authors.forename: Ryan N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: Szilárd
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kiss
authors.forename: Jonathan W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kowalski
authors.forename: Sean D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D017281:Cost of Illness; D016208:Databases, Factual; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006295:Health Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007345:Insurance Claim Review; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000601:surgery; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies