OBJECTIVES:

Data for short-term direct costs drivers is scarce in latin-America. There is an urgent need to provide local parameters to better understand the baseline impact of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1D). We aim to identify direct costs data for T1D in Latin-America to support economic evaluation development, focused on short-term costs drivers.

METHODS:

A comprehensive systematic review was conducted using the PICO strategy. The population was defined as individuals in Latin America with DM (Diabetes Mellitus). Outcomes focused on T1D complications, including data for hospitalizations and resources utilization. Publications were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, and data were collected by two investigators. The currency has been converted and inflated to 2022 US dollars.

RESULTS:

A total of 305 studies were found to be relevant. Seven studies focused on short-term cost drivers in patients with T1D with insulin-based treatments for both adults and children. In Brazil, the direct annual per capita cost was $1.687,53, with variations across regions from $1,602.69 to $1,875.85. In Mexico, one study on adults reported an annual rate of ER visits (39.0%) and hospitalizations (33.9%). Additionally, in Mexico, the direct annual cost per family caring for children with T1D was $3,265.58. Furthermore, analysis have demonstrated increased use of resources after a hypoglycemic event: hospitalizations increased 2.1% and medical visits 3.8%.

CONCLUSIONS:

Conducting local direct costs studies is critical to understand the financial impact of T1D on families and health systems in Latin America. A comprehensive regional study would be desirable to account for country differences.