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Published on: February 1, 2017
Simplified Chronic Hepatitis B Antiviral Initiation Criteria in Thailand: An Economic Evaluation
Piyameth Dilokthornsakul1, Ratree Sawangjit2, Pisit Tangkijvanich3
1Center for Medical and Health Technology Assessment, Department of Pharmaceutical Care, Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand; Department of Pharmaceutical Care, Faculty of Pharmacy, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Objectives:
Criteria for antiviral treatment initiation in Thailand were complex and difficult to implement. This study determined the cost-effectiveness of 2 simplified antiviral treatment initiation criteria among patients with chronic hepatitis B in Thailand.
Methods:
A hybrid model of the decision tree and Markov model was developed. Two simplified antiviral treatment initiation criteria were the expanded criteria, treating patients with hepatitis B surface antigen positive and viral load (hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid) >2000 IU/mL or cirrhosis by tenofovir alafenamide (TAF), and the test-and-treat criteria, treating patients with hepatitis B surface antigen positive and viral load >10 IU/mL or cirrhosis by TAF. PubMed was searched from its inception to July 2023 to identify input parameters. Best supportive care was chosen for patients who were ineligible for TAF. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) was calculated.
Results:
The expanded criteria and the test-and-treat could reduce the occurrence of patients progressing to hepatocellular carcinoma. In particular, both criteria could reduce 4846 new cases of hepatocellular carcinoma per 100 000 patients. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for the expanded criteria and the test-and-treat criteria were 24 838 Thai baht (THB)/QALY and 163 060 THB/QALY, respectively.
Conclusions:
At the current willingness to pay of 160 000 THB/QALY, the expanded criteria were cost-effective, but the test-and-treat criteria were not cost-effective to be the simplified antiviral treatment initiation criteria for patients with chronic hepatitis B in Thailand.
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