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Cost‐effectiveness analyses of anti‐hepatitis C virus treatments using quality of life scoring among patients with chronic liver disease in Hiroshima prefecture, Japan
Author(s) -
Kaishima Terumi,
Akita Tomoyuki,
Ohisa Masayuki,
Sakamune Kazuaki,
Kurisu Akemi,
Sugiyama Aya,
Aikata Hiroshi,
Chayama Kazuaki,
Tanaka Junko
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
hepatology research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.123
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1872-034X
pISSN - 1386-6346
DOI - 10.1111/hepr.13053
Subject(s) - medicine , ribavirin , simeprevir , hepatocellular carcinoma , pegylated interferon , hepatitis c , quality of life (healthcare) , cirrhosis , cost effectiveness , liver disease , hepatitis c virus , quality adjusted life year , cost effectiveness analysis , gastroenterology , immunology , virus , risk analysis (engineering) , nursing
Aim We estimated the cost‐effectiveness of direct‐acting antiviral treatment (DAA) compared to triple therapy (simeprevir, pegylated interferon‐α [Peg‐IFN], and ribavirin [RBV]) (scenario 1), Peg‐IFN + RBV (scenario 2), and non‐antiviral therapy (scenario 3). Methods Cost‐effectiveness was evaluated as incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios (ICERs) using direct costs and indirect costs, which included loss of wages during the patient's lifetime due to early death caused by viral hepatitis infection. Quality of life (QOL) scores were determined by EQ‐5D‐3L questionnaire survey on 200 HCV patients in Hiroshima. Results The QOL scores for chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma were estimated as 0.871, 0.774, and 0.780, respectively. The follow‐up period that the ICER of scenario 1 becomes shortest (cost <¥6 million) was 25 years after treatment in men and women who started treatment at the age of 20–60. In contrast, those of scenarios 2 and 3 was 10 years after treatment in patients who started treatment at age <80 years. Based on the sensitivity analysis in scenario 1, the most significant factor affecting the value of ICER is the QOL score after sustained virologic response (SVR), followed by the SVR rate of DAA or follow‐up period. Conclusions Direct‐acting antiviral treatment was estimated to be cost‐effective from 10 to 25 years after treatment, depending on the SVR rate of the drugs and the age of onset of treatment. In order to increase the cost‐effectiveness of DAA treatment, measures or effort to improve the QOL score of patients after SVR are necessary.