The financial costs of healthcare treatment for people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes in the UK with particular reference to differing severity of peripheral neuropathy

• Published in: Diabetic medicine 2007-02, Vol.24 (2), p.187-194
• Main Authors: Currie, C. J., Poole, C. D., Woehl, A., Morgan, C. Ll, Cawley, S., Rousculp, M. D., Covington, M. T., Peters, J. R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; complications; Cost of Illness; costs; diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - economics; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - economics; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Diabetic Neuropathies - economics; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases - economics; peripheral neuropathy; severity; Severity of Illness Index
• ISSN: 0742-3071; 1464-5491
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2006.02057.x

Aims  To characterize symptom severity of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in people with diabetes and to characterize its association with healthcare resource use. Methods  The study was undertaken in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, UK. A postal survey was posted to subjects identified as having diabetes. Demography, quality of life (EQ‐5D and SF‐36) and symptoms of neuropathy (NTSS‐6 and QOL‐DN) data were collected. These data were linked to routine healthcare data coded into healthcare resource groups (HRGs) and subsequently costed according to UK National reference costs. Results  Survey responses were received from 1298 patients, a 32% response rate. For patients with a clinically confirmed diagnosis of DPN, the mean NTSS‐6‐SA score was 6.16 vs. 3.19 (P