Utilization of hepatoprotectants within the National Health Insurance in Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
Although the hepatoprotectants of Western medicine have centuries of history, their utilization patterns have been seldom documented. Because the National Health Insurance program in Taiwan reimburses hepatoprotectant use, we could estimate the age- and sex-specific prevalence and utilization patterns of hepatoprotectants in Western medicine within the health insurance system in Taiwan.


METHODS
We analyzed the outpatient prescription data of 50000 randomly sampled insured patients in 2000. Only patients using drugs indicated for liver diseases and diagnostic codes related to liver diseases on the same visit were considered to be receiving hepatoprotectants. Drugs involved in Chinese medicine were not included.


RESULTS
Among the valid cohort of 46614 people, 783 (1.7%) were identified as patients with liver disease and receiving hepatoprotectants. Highest prevalence of hepatoprotectant use was 4.9% in the 60-69 years age group. Silymarin, multivitamins, methionine, ursodeoxycholic acid, and liver hydrolysate accounted for 88.8% of the 3215 prescribed items of hepatoprotectants. Patients receiving hepatoprotectants had, on average, visited the clinics more frequently than those not using hepatoprotectants (30 vs 14 times in a year, P < 0.001), and used more insurance benefits (US dollars 1352 vs US dollars 456, P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The frequency of use of major hepatoprotectants in Taiwan corresponded to the current modalities of treatment under discussion worldwide.
Chen
Tzeng-Ji
TJ
Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital and National Yang-Ming University School of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chou
Li-Fang
LF
Hwang
Shinn-Jang
SJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013624:Taiwan
D020011:Protective Agents