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Longitudinal analysis of health care costs in patients with childhood onset inherited retinal dystrophies compared to healthy controls.
- Source :
-
BMC ophthalmology [BMC Ophthalmol] 2022 Dec 02; Vol. 22 (1), pp. 466. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Dec 02. - Publication Year :
- 2022
-
Abstract
- Background: We evaluated health care costs in patients with childhood onset visual impairment caused by inherited retinal dystrophies (IRD).<br />Methods: The IRD cohort, identified from the Danish Registry of Blind and Partially Sighted Children, was compared to age- and sex-matched controls from the national, Danish population registry. Information on health care expenditures for somatic and psychiatric in- and outpatient services, purchase of prescription medications and paid assistance at home were obtained from national registries for the years 2002-2017.<br />Results: We included 412 in the IRD cohort (6,290 person years) and 1656 (25,088 person years) in the control cohort. Average, annual health care expenditures from age 0-48 years of age were €1,488 (SD 4,711) in the IRD cohort and €1,030 (4,639) in the control cohort. The largest difference was for out-patient eye care (13.26 times greater, 95% confidence interval 12.90-13.64). Psychiatric in-patient expenditures were 1.71 times greater (95% CI 1.66-1.76) in the IRD cohort but psychiatric out-patient health care costs were comparable between groups.<br />Conclusions: Health care costs were approximately 40% greater in the IRD cohort compared to an age- and sex-matched sample from the general Danish population. This is relevant in the current situation with a number of trials aimed at treating IRDs using genetically based therapies. Although eye care expenditures were many times greater, they made up < 10% of the total health care expenditures even in the IRD cohort. The reduced costs related to injuries in the visually impaired cohort was a surprising finding but may reflect a reduced propensity to seek medical care rather than a reduced risk of injuries.<br /> (© 2022. The Author(s).)
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1471-2415
- Volume :
- 22
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- BMC ophthalmology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 36460996
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-022-02708-0