Description
OBJECTIVES: To estimate healthcare expenditures associated with each CKM syndrome stage and to quantify incremental expenditures for each stage compared to stage 0. METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using pooled data from adults (18 years) in the 2018, 2020 and 2022 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). CKM syndrome stages were defined based on the American Heart Association (AHA) staging construct using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Adjusted mean healthcare expenditures for each CKM syndrome stage and incremental expenditures relative to stage 0 were estimated using survey-weighted two part generalized linear models. 95% confidence interval (CI) was assessed using 2,000 bootstrap replications. All costs were inflation-adjusted to 2024 U.S. dollars. RESULTS: The study included 44,880 adults, of whom 19,587 were classified as stage 0, 13,342 as stage 1, 10,436 as stage 2&3, and 1,515 as stage 4. The adjusted mean healthcare expenditure was $6,131 (95% CI: $6,086-$6,177) for stage 0, $6,311 (95% CI: $6,266-$6,358) for stage 1, $10,649 (95% CI: $10,586-$10,714) for stage 2&3, $14,746 (95% CI: $14,639-$14,858) for stage 4. Compared to stage 0, the incremental expenditures were $180 (95% CI: $179-$181) for stage 1, $4,518 (95% CI: $4,499-$4,538) for stage 2&3, $8,615 (95% CI: $8,552-$8,680) for stage 4. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare expenditures increased as individuals moved through CKM syndrome stages, with modest increases at stage 1, substantial increases at stage 2&3, and the largest increases at stage 4. These findings emphasize the value of early identification and management of CKM risk factors to reduce the economic burden associated with advanced CKM syndrome stages.
Publication Info
2026.