I costi del piede diabetico in Italia: dati dal progetto RECORD

Summary

Objective

To describe resource utilisation patterns among patients with diabetic foot and to estimate direct costs of diabetic foot treatment according to the Italian NHS perspective.

Design

Multicenter, retrospective observational study lasting two months.

Setting

35 centres for diabetic care in Italy.

Intervention

Questionnaire.

Patients and participants

139 patients with diabetic foot.

Results

The per patient average cost on two months of observation was estimated at Lit. 148,845 for day-hospital and outpatient care. Day-hospital — which includes diagnostic tests and medications — represented 67% of total costs, while medications and diagnostic tests performed in ambulatory setting accounted, respectively, for 21% and 12%.

The per patient average cost of the pharmaceutical therapy — included those not reimbursed by the NHS — was Lit. 101,334. Thus the total cost per patient was Lit. 250,179, 86% of which borne by the NHS.

Conclusion

This article presents some preliminary information on the economic burden of diabetic foot in Italy. It confirms that diabetic foot is a relevant complication also in terms of health care resource consumption and consequent direct costs.