OBJECTIVES : Base on the sampled data from medical institutions, the economic burden and medical behavior of hypoglycemic patients, especially diabetic patients caused by hypoglycemia, were obtained and studied, and the factors affecting the cost of hypoglycemia were explored to provide reference for blood glucose management in diabetic patients.

METHODS : This study collected data of hypoglycemia patients from some medical institutions in Beijing, Tianjin, and Chongqing. Analyze descriptively the medical expenses of patients with hypoglycemia, and the composition of various expense types.

RESULTS : A total of 852 patients with hypoglycemia were included in the study, including 796 outpatients and 57 inpatients. According to the data of patients, the average outpatient cost was RMB 535.53 (±538.57), and the average hospitalization cost was RMB 6411.47 (±3521.95). Comparing the diabetic population with the non-diabetic population: the average cost of treating hypoglycemia for diabetic patients in the clinic was RMB 666.81 (±524.68), and the average cost for non-diabetic clinics was RMB 252.32 (±451.91) (P<0.01); The average cost of hospitalization for diabetic patients with hypoglycemia was RMB 7017.57 (±3475.86), and that for non-diabetic patients was RMB 5903.96 (±3535.95) (P=0.25). In addition, the cost of outpatients with hypoglycemia was mainly concentrated in drug expenditures (84.34%), while the highest proportion of inpatients was inspection fees (49.10%), followed by drug costs (34.18%).

CONCLUSIONS : The cost of hypoglycemia treatment for diabetic patients was significantly higher than that for non-diabetic patients. Further more, due to the importance of blood glucose management for diabetic patients, reasonable use of hypoglycemic drugs could reduce the patients burden.