title: Cost-utility analysis of different peg-interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin treatment strategies as initial therapy for naïve Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Different peg-interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin treatment strategies are more effective in treating hepatitis C. However, no cost-effectiveness data have been published using the clinical data from the peg-interferon alpha-2b and ribavirin in the treatment of patients with hepatitis C in Taiwan.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the cost-effectiveness of different treatments with peg-interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin for the initial treatment of patients with different genotype chronic hepatitis C.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individual patient level data from a randomized clinical trial with peg-interferon plus ribavirin were applied to a Markov model to project lifelong clinical outcomes. Economic estimates and quality of life were based on published data and Taiwan patient data. We used a societal perspective and applied a 3% annual discount rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with different combination therapy strategies, peg-interferon alpha-2b plus weight-based dosing of ribavirin in all patients for 24 weeks is the most cost-effective treatment strategy. If the sustained virological response of peg-interferon plus ribavirin treatment for 48 weeks therapy in genotype 1 patients was higher than 67.8%, the best strategy of treating patients will be the peg-interferon plus weight-based dosing of ribavirin therapy for 48 weeks in genotype 1 patients and for 24 weeks in non-genotype 1 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peg-interferon alpha-2b plus ribavirin combination for 24 weeks therapy in all genotype patients 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: Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan ROC.
authors.forename: W-A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Y-H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Tarn
authors.forename: S-L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008390:Markov Chains; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b