[Cost estimates of chronic hepatitis B virus for the Brazilian unified health system in 2005].
BACKGROUND
Chronic Hepatitis B Virus (CHBV) is a disease that places a large financial burden on healthcare systems and society.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to estimate patient management patterns, and associated medical resource utilization and expenses, for each of the four stages of chronic HBV infection in the public unified healthcare system settings, in 2005. METHODS. An expert panel comprised of ten physicians, leading specialists in hepatology and infectious diseases, was convened to obtain information regarding management of CHBV patients in Brazil. Expense inputs were mainly obtained from government fee schedules and pharmaceutical price tables. Costs were estimated under the perspective of the public health system. Data were analyzed using Windows SPSS version 12.0.


RESULTS
Estimated patient expenses were calculated for the four stages of CHBV infection. The estimated annual expenses per patient were: R$ 980.89 (US$ 392) for chronic hepatitis B with no cirrhosis and without antiviral therapy; R$ 1,243.17 (US$ 496) for compensated cirrhosis without antiviral therapy; R$ 22,022.61 (US$ 8809) for decompensated cirrhosis; R$ 4,764.95 (US$ 1,905) for hepatocellular carcinoma; and R$ 87,372.60 (US$ 34,948) for liver transplant.


CONCLUSIONS
Estimated expenses associated with drugs and procedures represented the main components of the expenses of CHBV infection. In this model, expenses increase dramatically as the disease progresses to more advanced stages, suggesting that over the long term delaying progression may reduce costs.
D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001938:Brazil; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018450:Disease Progression; D017048:Health Care Costs; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000191:economics
D000998:Antiviral Agents
Estimativas de custo da hepatite crônica B no sistema único de saúde Brasileiro em 2005.