Hospitalization and re-hospitalization of people with and without diabetes in La Plata, Argentina: comparison of their clinical characteristics and costs.

JUAN JOSÉ GAGLIARDINO; ANALÍA MARTELLA; GRACIELA S. ETCHEGOYEN; JOAQUÍN E. CAPORALE; MARÍA L. GUIDI; ERCILIA OLIVERA; CLAUDIO GONZÁLEZ

DIABETES RESEARCH AND CLINICAL PRACTICE

Elsevier ireland Ltd.

Lugar: Orlando; Año: 2004 vol. 65 p. 51 - 59

0168-8227

  Objective: To examine the prevalence, characteristics, and costs of hospitalization and re-hospitalization of diabetic and non-diabetic patients in La Plata, Argentina, and to compare the data with those of developed countries. Research design and methods: We studied all in-hospital registries of diabetic patients enrolled in a health maintenance organization of the Province of Buenos Aires (IOMA, November 1996). For each diabetic patient (127 persons), the characteristics of two other hospitalized non-diabetic patients matched by age and gender were simultaneously recorded. Results: Of the 2200 recorded hospitalizations, 5.8% were for diabetic patients, accounting for 10.5% of the hospitalization cost. Cardiovascular diseases were the major cause of hospitalization in both groups. The per capita hospitalization cost of diabetic patients was significantly higher: US$ 1628.5±1754.0 versus US$ 833±842;P = 0.00002. Percent re-hospitalizations were five and a half times higher in diabetic patients (P = 0.0001), and significantly associated with history of severe episodes of acute (odds ratio: 3.61;95%CI: 1.11–11.70;P = 0.03) and chronic (odds ratio: 4.26; 95% CI: 1.60–11.29; P = 0.004) complications. Conclusions: The combination of higher and longer hospitalization rates and frequent re-hospitalizations resulted in increased costs for our diabetic population. Implementation of care programs based on education (for physicians and patients) could effectively decrease current and future costs of the disease.