Improvement of Hepatic and Extrahepatic Complications from Chronic Hepatitis C After Antiviral Treatment: A Retrospective Analysis of German Sickness Fund Data

INTRODUCTION: German data regarding the economic burden of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and potential benefits of CHC treatment are limited. To address this issue, we evaluated the role of treatment in mitigating the economic burden of hepatic and extrahepatic complications (EHCs) from CHC virus infection in Germany. METHODS: This retrospective, cross-sectional study used claims data from the Betriebskrankenkasse German sickness fund (2007–2014) to assess the medical costs of hepatic complications and EHCs, including conditions that are prevalent and behavioral factors associated with CHC. All-cause costs, medical costs related to hepatic and EHCs, and CHC-related and non-CHC-related pharmacy costs (adjusted to the 2016 euro rate) were calculated and compared between CHC patients’ treated (n = 1714) and untreated time (n = 7124) and CHC patients that initiated treatment early (i.e., without cirrhosis; n = 1552) vs. late (i.e., with cirrhosis; n = 162). RESULTS: CHC treatment was associated with an average adjusted savings of €1885 in annual all-cause medical costs per patient, with a significant proportion attributed to EHC-related cost savings (adjusted difference, €1363; P < 0.01). Although initiating CHC treatment early was economically beneficial compared with initiating treatment late, the total cost savings were not significantly different (annual average adjusted difference, €3831; P = 0.27). However, nearly 60% of these savings were EHC related (adjusted difference, €2255; P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: CHC is associated with a significant economic burden in Germany, largely due to EHCs. Antiviral treatment may reduce the burden of CHC and result in significant cost savings, even when initiated at earlier stages of liver disease. FUNDING: AbbVie Inc.