Professor Uwe Siebert and colleagues from Austria systematically reviewed the evidence for long-term effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of antiviral treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C. 

The research team performed a systematic literature search on the long-term effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of antiviral treatment in hepatitis C.

The search included health technology assessment reports, systematic reviews, long-term clinical trials, economic studies conducted alongside clinical trials and decision-analytic modelling studies. 

All costs were converted to Euros. 

Antiviral therapy with peginterferon plus ribavirin in treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C was the most effective treatment and was reasonably cost-effective, with a cost-saving of 84 700€/quality adjusted life years when compared to interferon plus ribavirin. 

Some results also suggest cost-effectiveness of re-treatment in nonresponders/relapsers. 

Results for patients with persistently normal alanine aminotransferase levels or with special co-morbidities or risk profiles were rare. 

Professor Siebert's team concludes, "We conclude that antiviral therapy may prolong life, improve long-term health-related quality-of-life and be reasonably cost-effective in treatment-naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C as well as in former relapsers/nonresponders." 

"Further research is needed in patients with specific co-morbidities or risk profiles."