#5632 THE CLINICAL AND ECONOMIC BURDEN OF CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE IN GREECE

Abstract

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a progressive disorder with a substantial clinical and economic burden. This burden is expected to grow, mainly because of the ageing population, and the increasing incidence of diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension. The objective of this study is to provide insights into the clinical and economic burden of CKD in Greece.A cost of illness (COI) study has been performed to approximate the burden of CKD in Greece from the perspective of EOPYY (National Organization for Health Care Services Provision), with reference year 2022. The COI model employs a prevalence-based approach using national and international sources and approximates the annual direct cost of CKD. The direct costs included in this analysis are categorized into primary care, medication, hospitalization and renal replacement therapy (RRT) costs.It has been estimated that there about 1,115,991 patients with CKD (stages 1–5) in Greece, most of them in stage 3 (about 534,694), and about 15,337 receiving RRT or having received a kidney transplant. In 2032 this population is expected to increase to approximately 1,249,475 patients. The total annual direct cost of CKD was estimated at €845,936,094. The main cost driver was RRT, which accounted for roughly 49% (417 millions) of total cost of care, followed by hospitalizations 29% (246 millions) and medications 17% (143 millions). The progression of the disease is strongly correlated with an increase in the annual management cost. About 1.4% of the CKD population (RRT group) spent about half of the total CKD budget or more than 4% of the total public health expenditure, higher than other European countries.CKD is creating a high and growing clinical and economic burden, largely driven by the RRT cost. There is an urgent need for public health strategies aiming at early detection and management of CKD.