OBJECTIVES: Estimate, through cost-of-illness method, the cost of management of renal complications of diabetes or diabetic nephropathy (DN) from a societal perspective in Algeria.

METHODS: The study was conducted in a public hospital and dialysis center located in Algiers in a 3-step approach. First, clinical care data of 80 type-2 diabetic patients followed-up for at least a year from January 1st, 2019 such as characteristics, medical tests and treatment profile were collected from patients' files to record the resources used when receiving standard care. Second, the collection of the associated costs was carried out in the public center and when unavailable, at private centers in central, eastern and western Algiers to determine average costs. Following a cost-of-illness method, the data collected were combined and inserted into an economic model to estimate the cost of management of DN from a societal perspective.

RESULTS: Each stage of DN having its own clinical management, resource consumption differed in terms of imaging, biological monitoring, drugs and replacement therapy (dialysis) when necessary. The cost of illness per patient per year for a diabetic patient with stage 1 or 2 of DN was estimated at €498, stage 3 at €818, stage 4 at €931 and of a diabetic patient in terminal stage under hemodialysis at €7,552 or under peritoneal dialysis at €5,927. Most of the costs were spent on drugs for all stages except terminal stage, where hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis expenses were more important.

CONCLUSIONS: The cost associated with the renal complications of diabetes is heavy on the Algerian health system. Hence, strategies should be put in place to reduce this burden, such as a focus on prevention and awareness, and the introduction of innovative therapies for better outcomes for both patients and the health system.