title: Cost of chronic hepatitis B infection in China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to estimate the direct medical costs associated with the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection and its complications in China.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  CHB infection is a major health problem in China, with an estimated 112 million chronic carriers. However, the economic burden associated with CHB and its complications has not been well characterized.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of the medical records of a sample of patients with CHB from Beijing, China was conducted. The utilization and costs were estimated for four illness stages associated with CHB (CHB infection, compensated cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma). Annual utilization and costs were estimated for inpatient, outpatient, and medications for each illness stage and valued in year 2002 U.S. dollars (currency conversion was based on a 2002 exchange rate of 8.271 Chinese Yuan Renminbi = U.S. 1 dollar).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 837 patients were identified for inclusion in the study. The average annual treatment costs per person were as follows: CHB, US 142 dollars; compensated cirrhosis, US 185 dollars; decompensated cirrhosis, US 1702 dollars; and hepatocellular carcinoma, US 4741 dollars.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results from this analysis provide estimates of the costs associated with CHB and its complications in China and show that progression of the disease is associated with increasing healthcare costs. These estimates can be used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of intervention.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Social Insurance, People's Republic of China. donghue@sohu.com
authors.forename: Guan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhiqiang
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhaohui
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Qinhuan
authors.forename: Cao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dexian
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yunyun
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hongtao
authors.forename: Uchenna H
authors.initials: UH
authors.lastname: Iloeje
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002681:China; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies