Hepatitis B remains a major health priority in Western Balkans: results of a 4-year prospective Greek-Albanian collaborative study.
OBJECTIVE
To report on the results of two projects on chronic hepatitis B in Western Balkans lead by Ioannina, Northwest Greece and Tirana, Albania.


METHODS
In two prospective projects, HEPAGA I and HEPAGA II which lasted 4 years. In HEPAGA I, serum samples from 410 Albanians were tested for HBV. In HEPAGA II, health care consumption was recorded in hospitalized patients with chronic hepatitis B.


RESULTS
HEPAGA I showed that 11.89% of the Albanians was HBsAg(+) and only 21.19% had HBV immunoprotection. HEPAGA II study included 101 patients. There was a significant difference in hospitalization costs per patient between centers. The Greek patients were significantly older (p=0.027) and there was a significant correlation between age >50 years and hospitalization costs (p=0.035). In Greece, hospitalization costs, number of patients admitted and number of hospitalization days per patient were in a remarkable position compared to other causes of hospitalization.


CONCLUSIONS
The HEPAGA I study showed a decrease in the prevalence of chronic HBV infection in Albania compared to that of the previous decade. The HEPAGA II study demonstrated that health care consumption due to HBV infection is still an important determinant of the overall health consumption in Western Balkans.
Katsanos
Konstantinos H
KH
1st Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
Christodoulou
Dimitrios K
DK
Zervou
Eleftheria
E
Babameto
Adriana
A
Kraja
Bledar
B
Craja
Blendar
B
Hyphantis
Heleni
H
Karetsos
Vasileios
V
Tsonis
Gerasimos
G
Basho
Jovan
J
Resuli
Bashkim F
BF
Tsianos
Epameinondas V
EV
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000415:Albania / Q000453:epidemiology; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006292:Health Priorities; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult