OBJECTIVES: An essential part of diabetes management is to achieve better glycemic control which is associated with reduction in diabetes complications. The ability of patients to achieve glycemic control depends on their ability to interpret and act on blood glucose results. An economic analysis was run to estimate the impact the cost-savings on long-term complications in the Greek HealthCare setting of a new SMBG meter with ColorSure Technology (CST).

METHODS: A pharmacoeconomic simulation model was used. In scope were insulin-treated T1 and T2 diabetes patients with inadequate glycemic control (HbA1c >7%, 113,061 patients (61.5% of the total insulin treated patients). The model predicted the avoided complications associated with decreased HbA1c observed with a CST meter, from published literature. The micro and macrovascular complications were studied. Conservatively, only the direct hospital costs were considered. Cost of managing diabetes in Greece were used from international publications; all calculations are in Euros. The Payer perspective was adopted over a time horizon of 4 years.

RESULTS: The HbA1c reduction by 0.69% observed with CST would help to avoid a total of 12,486 microvascular complications and 1,633 macrovascular complications.The largest reductions correspond to the episodes of retinopathy avoided, 6,233 (reduction of 32.2%); foot complications 2,673 (reduction of 27.8%), and episodes of neuropathy, 2,479 (reduction of 27.7%). The cost associated would be reduced up to 25 Millions EUR in 4 years with no cost increase for CST meters acquisition. Mainly, by decreasing numbers of foot complications 7,579,073 EUR (30.7% of total), retinopathy 4,556,476 EUR (18.5% of total) and myocardial infarction 4,278,891 EUR (17.3% of total).

CONCLUSIONS: In Greece 61.5% of T1 and T2 insulin-treated diabetes patients have inadequate glycemic control (HbA1c >7%). Improvement of metabolic control and diabetes self-management that could be achieved with CST meters has the potential to generate substantial cost savings for the Greek HealthCare system.