Model-based economic burden of diabetic retinopathy in Hungary

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy affects every third people with diabetes mellitus in the world and is the leading cause of blindness in adults of working age. The aim of this study was to analyse the economic burden associated with diabetic retinopathy in people aged 18 years and older in Hungary. Rapid assessment of avoidable blindness (RAAB) with the diabetic retinopathy module (DRM) based diabetic retinopathy cost model study was conducted in Hungary in 2018. Economic burden of diabetic retinopathy was analysed from the perspective of the National Health Insurance Fund system and the patients. Our prevalence-based diabetic retinopathy cost model was performed according to the Scottish diabetic retinopathy grading scale and based on the diabetic retinopathy severity stadium. The total diabetic retinopathy-associated economic burden was 43.66 billion HUF in 2018. The two major cost drivers were anti-VEGF injections (28.91 billion HUF) and vitrectomies (8.09 billion HUF) in Hungary; they covered to 84.7% of the total cost among people with diabetes mellitus. The diabetic retinopathy-related cost per patient was 54691 HUF in Hungary. Outpatient and inpatient eye care of people with diabetes mellitus are underfinanced in Hungary. Due to the increasing socio-economic burden of proliferative diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema, it would be important to invest in proliferative diabetic retinopathy and macular oedema prevention, screening and early treatment. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(8): 298-305.