Epidemiología, consumo de recursos y costos del manejo médico de la Hepatitis C en Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay y Venezuela

Objective: To describe the epidemiology, the consumption of resources and the relevant costs in the management of hepatitis C in four Latin American countries: Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Study design: Bibliographic review, study of costs and elicitation by experts METHODS: A literature search was carried out to collect epidemiological and cost data for the management of the disease. Information was additionally elicited with hepatologists from each country using the modified Delphi Panel technique. For the estimation of costs, the perspective of the health system was adopted. The direct medical costs of the different stages associated with the natural history of the disease were considered through micro-costing.

Results: Extensive epidemiological and economic information is provided for the four countries under study. The age range between 40 and 60 years was the most affected. The frequency of genotypes showed a predominance of genotype 1 (68 to 88%), genotype 1b having been reported as the most prevalent in Argentina and Colombia and 1a in Uruguay and Venezuela. The costs of drug regimens, associated health events and adverse events present important differences in the four selected countries of Latin America.

Conclusion: Hepatitis C presents a high burden of disease in the countries under study, and its management imposes significant costs on health systems.