What is (cost) effective in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection?

Abstract

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection often progresses to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and possibly hepatocellular carcinoma. Chronic hepatitis C infection is a leading cause of chronic liver disease and the most common indication for liver transplantation. Combination therapy of interferon alpha and ribavirin is currently the standard regimen for chronic hepatitis C. This combination can achieve viral clearance in approximately 40% of patients, and improve histology and prognosis. The most cost-effective approach to guide duration of combination therapy is HCV genotyping. Cost effectiveness cannot be improved further by taking other well-defined predictive factors for sustained virological response into account. Recent insights into HCV kinetics and the correlation between initial viral decline and sustained virological response will allow us to optimize and individually tailor antiviral treatment Individualized treatment according to the initial viral decline, together with further improvements in drugs (e.g. by long-acting pegylated interferons), will have new impact on antiviral efficacy and cost effectiveness.