Patient-important benefits of clearing the hepatitis C virus through treatment: a simulation model

Hamish Innes (Lead / Corresponding author), David Goldberg, Geoffrey Dusheiko, Peter Hayes, Peter R. Mills, John F. Dillon, Esther Aspinall, Stephen T. Barclay, Sharon J. Hutchinson

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    17 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Background & Aims: Given an appreciable risk of adverse-effects, current therapies for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection pose a dilemma to patients. We explored, via simulation modelling, patient-important benefits of attaining a sustained viral response (SVR).
    Methods: We created the HCV Individualised Treatment-decision model (the HIT-model) to simulate, on a per patient basis, the lifetime course of HCV-related liver disease according to two distinct scenarios: (i) SVR attained, and (ii) SVR not attained. Then, for each model subject, the course of liver disease under these alternative scenarios was compared. The benefit of SVR was considered in terms of two patient-important outcomes: (1) the percent-probability that SVR confers additional life-years, and (2) the percent-probability that SVR confers additional healthy life-years, where "healthy" refers to years spent in compensated disease states (i.e., the avoidance of liver failure).
    Results: The benefit of SVR varied strikingly. It was lowest for patients aged 60 years with initially mild fibrosis; 1.6% (95% CI: 0.8-2.7) and 2.9% (95% CI: 1.5-4.7) probability of gaining life-years and healthy life-years, respectively. Whereas it was highest for patients with initially compensated cirrhosis aged 30 years; 57.9% (95% CI: 46.0-69.0) and 67.1% (95% CI: 54.1-78.2) probability of gaining life-years and healthy life-years, respectively.
    Conclusions: For older patients with less advanced liver fibrosis, SVR is less likely to confer benefit when measured in terms of averting liver failure and premature death. These data have important implications. Foremost, it may inform the contemporary patient dilemma of immediate treatment with existing therapies (that have poor adverse effect profiles) vs. awaiting future regimens that promise better tolerability.
    © 2014 European Association for the Study of the Liver.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)1118-1126
    Number of pages9
    JournalJournal of Hepatology
    Volume60
    Issue number6
    Early online date5 Feb 2014
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2014

    Keywords

    • Adverse effects
    • Antiviral treatment
    • Chronic hepatitis C
    • Hepatitis C
    • Markov model
    • Patient-centred
    • Patient-important outcomes
    • Risk-benefit ratio
    • Simulation model

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Hepatology

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Patient-important benefits of clearing the hepatitis C virus through treatment: a simulation model'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this