Costs of COVID-19 pandemic associated with diabetes in Europe: a health care cost model.

OBJECTIVE

Diabetes is associated with progression to severe COVID-19. The objective of this study was to estimate to what extent the increased risk among people with diabetes could impact the secondary care costs of COVID-19 throughout Europe during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic from January to June 2020.

METHODS

Applying a health care cost model based on inputs from data published in international peer-reviewed journals, identified via a rapid literature review this study aimed to estimate the total secondary sector costs of COVID-19. Estimates of unit costs were based on data from Denmark, France, Spain and the UK. We calculated average costs per patient without diabetes and according to four diabetes categories based on risk of hospitalization, admission to intensive care unit, ventilator support and length of hospital stay.

RESULTS

The estimated cost per hospital admission during the first wave of COVID-19 in Europe ranged between EUR 25,018 among people with type 2 diabetes in good glycaemic control to EUR 57,244 among people with type 1 diabetes in poor glycaemic control, reflecting higher risk of intensive care, ventilator support and longer hospital stay according to diabetes category, while the corresponding cost for people without diabetes was estimated at EUR 16,993. The total direct costs of secondary care of COVID-19 in Europe were estimated at EUR 13.9 billion. Thus, 23.5% of the total costs accounted for treating people with diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the importance of a greater focus on prevention and adequate treatment of diabetes and the need for special attention to avoid infection with COVID-19 to the extent possible among those already diagnosed with diabetes.