[Cost evaluation of therapeutic management of patients with chronic hepatitis C].
Hepatitis C now poses an important problem of public health in France. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost of care of 55 patients who were carriers of hepatitis C and treated with interferon alpha. The economic analysis included the blood testing costs, pharmaceutical costs and hospitalization costs. A questionnaire permitted the impact of the treatment on the socio-professional life of each individual to be assessed. The global cost amounted to 1155 359 francs spread among hospitalization costs (55 pour cent), pharmaceutical costs (35.8 pour cent) and blood testing costs (9.2 pour cent). Of 36 actively working patients being treated, 10 modified their activities and 4 of these 10 restarted their initial activities after stopping treatment. This evaluation has shown the disparities which exist in the clinical follow up of patients treated for chronic hepatitis C. It is thus imperative to institute a systematic screening of patients being transfused to permit an early diagnosis, to establish a rigorous standardization of blood testing, to visualise day care treatment and above all to establish a consensus of global care of these patients.
Faure
C
C
Service Pharmacie, Hôpital G et Laënnec, Nantes, France.
Gasser
P
P
Douet
M C
MC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019963:Clinical Chemistry Tests / Q000191:economics; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D016898:Interferon-alpha