PMID: 9658620Jul 11, 1998Paper

Interferon treatment for chronic hepatitis B or C infection: costs and effectiveness

Acta Gastro-enterologica Belgica
J B Wong

Abstract

With recognition that resources are limited, health care payers and policy makers have increasingly turned toward economic analyses to determine whether particular therapies are an efficient use of economic resources. Both chronic hepatitis B and C infections can progress to cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma over time. Interferon treatment has been shown to eradicate viremia, but only does so in a proportion of treated patients. It has potential side effects, has no proven long-term benefit on complications and is relatively expensive. To determine the cost-effectiveness of interferon treatment by estimating the lifelong economic and clinical outcomes associated with interferon therapy versus standard care for patients with either chronic hepatitis B or C infection. Computer cohort Markov model simulation to project the lifelong impact of the loss of hepatitis B or C viremia resulting from interferon on cirrhosis, life expectancy, and costs. The natural history of hepatitis B and C was based on published studies. Efficacy estimates for the loss of viremia were based on meta-analysis of published data. Using a societal perspective, economic estimates were based on cost of care data for patients with hepatitis and from estima...Continue Reading

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