Diabetes Screenings Can Be Cost-saving for High Risk Population

Five screening tests were performed on 1,573 participants with no known diabetes status. Costs of screening were measured over three years and researchers compared costs for no screening, screening everyone for diabetes or high-risk prediabetes, and screening those with risk factors based on age, BMI, blood pressure, waist circumference, lipids, or family history of diabetes. The results showed that high risk participants with BMI> 35 kg/m2, systolic blood pressure ≥ 130mmHg, or age >55 years with GCTpl would be the most cost effective from a health economics perspective. Diabetes Care 2013;36:1981-1987