title: Cost effectiveness of peginterferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin versus interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin for initial treatment of chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Peginterferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin therapy in previously untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C yields the highest sustained virological response rates of any treatment strategy but is expensive.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the cost effectiveness of treatment with peginterferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin compared with interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin for initial treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individual patient level data from a randomised clinical trial with peginterferon plus ribavirin were applied to a previously published and validated Markov model to project lifelong clinical outcomes. Quality of life and economic estimates were based on German patient data. We used a societal perspective and applied a 3% annual discount rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with no antiviral therapy, peginterferon plus fixed or weight based dosing of ribavirin increased life expectancy by 4.2 and 4.7 years, respectively. Compared with standard interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin, peginterferon plus fixed or weight based dosing of ribavirin increased life expectancy by 0.5 and by 1.0 years with incremental cost effectiveness ratios of 11,800 euros and 6600 euros per quality adjusted life year (QALY), respectively. Subgroup analyses by genotype, viral load, sex, and histology showed that peginterferon plus weight based ribavirin remained cost effective compared with other well accepted medical treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peginterferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin should reduce the incidence of liver complications, prolong life, improve quality of life, and be cost effective for the initial treatment of chronic hepatitis C.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Siebert
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sroczynski
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rossol
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wasem
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ravens-Sieberer
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Kurth
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Manns
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: McHutchison
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D016527:Drug Costs; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D017048:Health Care Costs; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D008390:Markov Chains; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a