Hospitalization costs associated with diabetic foot ulcers treated by a multidisciplinary team in clinical practice: a retrospective study from southern Turkey

Abstract

PURPOSE: Diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) is a common problem throughout the world and results in major economic consequences for the patients and country. We aim to describe the estimated cost of illness in patients with DFU in southern Turkey.

METHODS: A total of 148 (F=55, M=93) patients with DFU were included in this retrospective study. Patients characteristics, duration time of hospitalisations, biochemical parameters and the presence of diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, coronary artery disease and peripheral artery disease were recorded from our database. The cost of each patient was recorded from financial affairs and the billing department unit of our hospital.

RESULTS: The average unit cost of each patient was £ 730.90±664.9. The major component in the total cost were medication (£ 258.8±360.9) and hospitalisation fees (£ 76.58±56.3). One hundred and fifteen (77.7%) of the patients had peripheral arterial diseases. While we could not determine significant correlations between the patients’ demographical features (age, gender, p>0.05), biochemical parameters (plasma glucose, hemoglobin A1c % (HbA1c %)) and year of diagnoses with diabetes mellitus , the length of hospitalisation, presence of peripheral artery diseases and whether amputation (minor or major) was performed were significantly correlated with the total expenses.

CONCLUSION: The study revealed that the cost of DFU could show variability in relation to countries’ level of development. We highlighted similar studies in other countries; the major factors of total expenses were length of hospitalisation, medication prescription and use of surgery.