Washington, Mar 23 (PTI) The cost of treating hepatitis Cvirus (HCV)
could be cut up to 50 per cent if mathematicalmodels are used to predict
when patients can safely stoptaking medication, according to a new
study.
An estimated 170 million people have the blood-borneinfection worldwide, which is a major cause of chronic liverdisease, researchers said.
The recent approval of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) hasled to a revolution in the treatment of HCV, but the high costof DAAs limits access to treatment in US and abroad, theysaid.
"Recent clinical trials of DAAs against HCV suggest thatcure of the infection often took place before the end oftreatment," said Harel Dahari, assistant professor at LoyolaUniversity Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.
"Treatment currently is standardised to be given for aset period of time, not tailored to the patient," said ScottCotler, hepatology division director for Loyola.
"In many cases, this may result in the prolonged use ofexpensive drugs with essentially no additional positiveeffect," said Dahari.
Using more frequent blood testing to determine HCVlevels, researchers were able to identify when a cure wasreached and predict when therapy could be discontinued.
This modelling could allow for individualised treatmentto achieve optimal results while reducing drug duration andcost.
"This is the first time this approach has been tested inhepatitis C patients undergoing DAA treatment. This initialstudy is very encouraging," Dahari said.
Researchers examined the test results of 58 chronic-HCVpatients being treated with the widely used DAA drugsofosbuvir, combined with daclatasvir, simeprevir orledipasvir, in three French referral centres.
HCV was measured before treatment (called baseline), atday two, every other week, end of treatment and then 12 weeksafter end of treatment. Mathematical modelling was used topredict the duration of treatment need to achieve a cure.
"The use of early viral-kinetic analysis has thepotential to individualise duration of DAA therapy with aprojected cost savings of 16 to 20 per cent per 100 treatedpersons and up to 50 per cent in about 40 per cent ofpatients," researchers said.
"Shorter regimens with low pill burdens, and few adverseeffects, could improve patient adherence in difficult to treatpopulations," they said. PTI SARSAR
An estimated 170 million people have the blood-borneinfection worldwide, which is a major cause of chronic liverdisease, researchers said.
The recent approval of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) hasled to a revolution in the treatment of HCV, but the high costof DAAs limits access to treatment in US and abroad, theysaid.
"Recent clinical trials of DAAs against HCV suggest thatcure of the infection often took place before the end oftreatment," said Harel Dahari, assistant professor at LoyolaUniversity Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.
"Treatment currently is standardised to be given for aset period of time, not tailored to the patient," said ScottCotler, hepatology division director for Loyola.
"In many cases, this may result in the prolonged use ofexpensive drugs with essentially no additional positiveeffect," said Dahari.
Using more frequent blood testing to determine HCVlevels, researchers were able to identify when a cure wasreached and predict when therapy could be discontinued.
This modelling could allow for individualised treatmentto achieve optimal results while reducing drug duration andcost.
"This is the first time this approach has been tested inhepatitis C patients undergoing DAA treatment. This initialstudy is very encouraging," Dahari said.
Researchers examined the test results of 58 chronic-HCVpatients being treated with the widely used DAA drugsofosbuvir, combined with daclatasvir, simeprevir orledipasvir, in three French referral centres.
HCV was measured before treatment (called baseline), atday two, every other week, end of treatment and then 12 weeksafter end of treatment. Mathematical modelling was used topredict the duration of treatment need to achieve a cure.
"The use of early viral-kinetic analysis has thepotential to individualise duration of DAA therapy with aprojected cost savings of 16 to 20 per cent per 100 treatedpersons and up to 50 per cent in about 40 per cent ofpatients," researchers said.
"Shorter regimens with low pill burdens, and few adverseeffects, could improve patient adherence in difficult to treatpopulations," they said. PTI SARSAR
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