AUTHOR=Qiao Jingtao , Tan Zheng , Xu Xiaomao , Zhou Yan , Wang Weihao , Luo Jingyi , Fan Jingwen , Pan Qi , Guo Lixin TITLE=Medications and medical costs for diabetes patients with or without chronic respiratory disease in Beijing, China: A retrospective study JOURNAL=Frontiers in Endocrinology VOLUME=13 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2022.980982 DOI=10.3389/fendo.2022.980982 ISSN=1664-2392 ABSTRACT=Aims

The cost of drug regimens prescribed to Chinese patients has not been evaluated. This study aims to evaluate the medical costs and hypoglycemic agents for diabetes mellitus patients with or without chronic respiratory disease in Beijing, and to investigate the changes in the costs and number of antidiabetic medications used for diabetes patients with chronic respiratory disease from 2016 to 2018.

Methods

This observational, retrospective study included diabetes patients with outpatient medication records from Beijing Medical Insurance between 2016 and 2018. The medications, including hypoglycemic and nonhypoglycemic drugs, insulin dosage, comorbidities, diabetes-related complications, treatment strategies, and annual medical costs, were recorded.

Results

This study included 2,853,036 diabetes patients from 2016 to 2018. About 18.95%–20.53% of patients with chronic respiratory disease were predominantly distributed among those aged 45–84 years (88.7%–89.1%). Diabetes patients with chronic respiratory disease used more medications (4.48 ± 2.41 vs. 3.76 ± 2.33) and had higher total annual drug costs (¥12,286 ± 10,385 vs. ¥9700 ± 9202) to treat more comorbidities (2.52 ± 1.53 vs. 2.05 ± 1.85) than those without chronic respiratory disease (p <.0001, respectively). From 2016 to 2018, diabetes patients with chronic respiratory disease had a 4.2% increase in medication, a 1.9% decrease in comorbidities, and a 5.4% decrease in total annual drug costs.

Conclusions

In summary, diabetes patients with chronic respiratory disease had more comorbidities, required more hypoglycemic drugs, and had higher medical costs. During 2016–2018, diabetes patients with chronic respiratory disease used more medications and spent less money on medical care.