Prevalence rates and costs of metabolic syndrome and associated risk factors using employees' integrated laboratory data and health care claims

Abstract

Objective: This study assessed the relative value of using laboratory, claims, or integrated laboratory-claims data to identify prevalence rates and costs of metabolic syndrome among Chevron Texaco Corporation, San Ramon, California, employees.

Methods: This study identified five metabolic syndrome risk factors by using three identification methods: (1) health-screening data, applying the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III and World Health Organization definitions; (2) employer-based claims data applying proxy International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision definitions; and (3) integrated laboratory-claims data. Prevalence rates and costs of metabolic syndrome and associated risk factors were estimated.

Results: Laboratory-defined and claims-defined approaches underestimated metabolic syndrome prevalence rates compared with the integrated approach by 22.9% and 87.5%, respectively. Employees with metabolic syndrome had double the costs of those without any risk factors ($4603 vs $1859; P = 0.0384).

Conclusions: Results suggest that integrating laboratory and claims data is a more balanced approach than either approach alone for identifying metabolic syndrome among Chevron employees.