Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Meta-Analysis
. 1995 May 1;122(9):664-75.
doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-122-9-199505010-00004.

Cost-effectiveness of interferon-alpha 2b treatment for hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B

J B Wong  1 , R S Koff, F Tinè, S G Pauker
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Cost-effectiveness of interferon-alpha 2b treatment for hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B

J B Wong et al. Ann Intern Med. .

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the cost-effectiveness of interferon-alpha 2B for the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B infection who are positive for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg).

Design: Meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials and cost-effectiveness analysis, projecting the clinical and economic outcomes expected from changes in serologic markers of hepatitis B viral replication.

Data sources: MEDLINE search, expert panel opinion, hospital cost data, and adjusted physician charges.

Patients: 552 patients with confirmed chronic hepatitis B infection who were positive for HBeAg.

Intervention: Interferon-alpha 2b.

Measurements: Lifetime incidence of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma; life expectancy; quality-adjusted life expectancy; and costs and marginal cost-effectiveness ratios from a societal perspective.

Results: Interferon-alpha 2b increases the likelihood of becoming negative for HBeAg from 9.1% to 45.6% (difference, 36.5%; 95% CI, 23.7% to 49.2%) and of becoming negative for hepatitis B surface antigen from 1.7% to 7.7% (difference, 6.0%; CI, 2.8% to 9.3%) in the first year. For a 35-year-old person with chronic hepatitis B who is HBeAg positive, our analysis suggests that interferon-alpha 2b will increase life expectancy by 3.1 years or 3.4 quality-adjusted life-years and will decrease projected lifetime costs, even if future savings are discounted; thus, interferon-alpha 2b is the dominant strategy. Even with the model biased strongly in favor of standard care, the marginal cost-effectiveness ratio of interferon did not exceed $12,000 per life-year gained.

Conclusions: Interferon-alpha 2b should prolong life and lower costs for patients with chronic hepatitis B who are HBeAg positive.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

  • ACP J Club. 1995 Nov-Dec;123(3):85
  • Interferon for chronic hepatitis B.
    Evans AA, London WT. Evans AA, et al. Ann Intern Med. 1996 Jan 15;124(2):276; author reply 277. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-124-2-199601150-00025. Ann Intern Med. 1996. PMID: 8534013 No abstract available.
  • Interferon for chronic hepatitis B.
    Koretz RL. Koretz RL. Ann Intern Med. 1996 Jan 15;124(2):276-7. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-124-2-199601150-00026. Ann Intern Med. 1996. PMID: 8534014 No abstract available.

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources