Cost impact of blood glucose self-monitoring on complications of type 2 diabetes: a Swiss perspective (ROSSO study No.11).

QUESTION UNDER STUDY

despite the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes, its financial burden on the Swiss healthcare system remains unclear. Our aim was to determine the cost of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) in reducing diabetic complications by comparing the direct costs to the Swiss statutory health insurance system of diabetic complications in SMBG users vs. nonusers.

METHOD

matched pair analysis of the average annual total cost of diabetes monitoring, treatment-related services, complications and followup in the RetrOlective Study Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose and Outcome in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes (ROSSO) study cohort, updated to 2005 from the year of occurrence or diagnosis of diabetes, applying an annual inflation rate of 5%.

RESULTS

in those patients treated with oral antidiabetic drugs only, total annual costs were CHF 5,140 in SMBG users and CHF 5,654 in non - users. In those patients treated with oral antidiabetic drugs plus insulin, total annual costs were CHF 8,254 and CHF 11,776, respectively. SMBG accounted for 1.6% to 1.7% of total costs.

CONCLUSION

cost analysis indicates that SMBG provides a rapid return on initial investment.