A retrospective case-control analysis of the outpatient expenditures for western medicine and dental treatment modalities in CKD patients in Taiwan

One-Year Healthcare Utilization and Expenditures Among Patients with Clinically Significant Mitral Regurgitation in Taiwan

INTRODUCTION

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is characterized by systolic blood flow reversal from the left ventricle to the left atrium. A 2019 study indicated that in the USA, clinically significant MR (sMR) is associated with a substantial healthcare cost burden. In Taiwan, few data are available to describe the clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and economic burden of patients with sMR.

METHODS

Using the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), a national, detailed claims database of all 23 million residents of Taiwan, we conducted a retrospective cohort study to identify patients with sMR and quantify the impact of the disease on Taiwan's healthcare system. We classified patients with sMR into three cohorts based on disease etiology: functional MR (sFMR), degenerative MR (sDMR), and uncharacterized MR (sUMR).

RESULTS

We compared patient characteristics across cohorts and estimated attributable healthcare utilization and costs during the 12-month follow-up period. Our research shows that in Taiwan, patients with sFMR were older, sicker, and presented at casualty (emergency department) more frequently than those with sDMR and sUMR. Meanwhile, patients with sDMR had the highest 12-month healthcare expenditures across the cohorts.

CONCLUSION

These findings are inconsistent with what has been shown in the USA, which warrants further investigation.

Investigation of the Impact of Endodontic Therapy on Survival among Dialysis Patients in Taiwan: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study

Objectives Dental problems occur widely in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and may increase comorbidities. Root canal therapy (RCT) is a common procedure for advanced decayed caries with pulp inflammation and root canals. However, end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients are considered to have a higher risk of potentially life-threatening infections after treatment and might fail to receive satisfactory dental care such as RCT. We investigated whether appropriate intervention for dental problems had a potential impact among dialysis patients. Design Men and women who began maintenance dialysis (hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis) between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2015, in Taiwan (total 12,454 patients) were enrolled in this study. Participants were followed up from the first reported dialysis date to the date of death or end of dialysis by December 31, 2015. Setting Data collection was conducted in Taiwan. Results A total of 2633 and 9821 patients were classified into the RCT and non-RCT groups, respectively. From the data of Taiwan’s National Health Insurance, a total of 5,092,734 teeth received RCT from 2000 to 2015. Then, a total of 12,454 patients were followed within the 16 years, and 4030 patients passed away. The results showed that members of the non-RCT group (34.93%) had a higher mortality rate than those of the RCT group (22.79%; p = 0.001). The multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio for the risk of death was 0.69 (RCT vs. non-RCT; p = 0.001). Conclusions This study suggested that patients who had received RCT had a relatively lower risk of death among dialysis patients. Infectious diseases had a significant role in mortality among dialysis patients with non-RCT. Appropriate interventions for dental problems may increase survival among dialysis patients. Abbreviations: CKD = chronic kidney disease, ESRD = end-stage renal disease, RCT = root canal therapy.

Dental restorative treatment expenditure and resource utilization in patients with chronic kidney disease: A nationwide population-based study

Background/purpose

There is a variety of pathological alterations occurring in the oral cavity are strongly associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or CKD therapy. The aim of this study is to conduct a retrospective analysis to examine the possible correlation between the dental restorative treatment modalities and the progression of kidney disease in CKD population.

Materials and methods

A total of 10,457 individuals were divided into three groups: (HC) group (n = 1438), high risk (HR) group (n = 3392), and CKD group (n = 5627). HR group were defined for those with an eGFR ≥60 (mL/min/1.73 m²) in addition to fulfilling one of the following requirements: (1) being diagnosed diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, or cardiovascular disease; (2) having a family member diagnosed with CKD or receiving dialysis treatment. Demographic characteristics, dental restorative treatment utilization and expenditures, including amalgam filling, composite resin filling on anterior teeth or posterior teeth, were analyzed retrospectively (2000–2008) among these groups using a nationwide database.

Results

The utilization and expenditures for various restorative treatments were significantly different among investigated groups, and the health insurance usage exhibited an inverse relationship with CKD stages, especially at CKD stages 4 and 5. A sustained decline in utilization and expenditures for restorative treatment was associated with the deterioration of kidney function. The lowest usage of these restorative modalities was noted in the CKD group and a marked difference was noted among investigated groups.

Conclusion

The findings do, however, provide indirect evidence that if patients with progressive renal failure and receive less dental care.