Association between levels of physical activity and low handgrip strength: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2014-2019.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the association between levels of physical activity (PA) and low handgrip strength in Korean adults. METHODS: Our cross-sectional study design included 24,109 Korean adults older than 19 years of age who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2014-2019. Low handgrip strength is described as hand strength less than the cut-off value of the 20th percentile of handgrip strength from a healthy population in each gender and age group. PA was categorized into three levels (inactive, active, and highly active) according to the World Health Organization's global recommendations on PA for health. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between levels of PA and low handgrip strength. RESULTS: Odds ratios (ORs) for low handgrip strength were significantly higher in middle-aged women who were active (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15 to 1.69) and inactive (aOR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.23 to 1.76) than in those highly active in walking exercise. Most of older people had significantly higher ORs for low handgrip strength in active compared to highly active in the context of aerobic, muscle strengthening, and walking exercise. CONCLUSIONS: Walking exercise was associated with a lower risk of sarcopenia in middle-aged women and older individuals. However, further studies are necessary to confirm the causal relationship between levels of PA and low handgrip strength.

A cost-effectiveness study of universal screening for hepatitis C virus infection in South Korea: A societal perspective.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening compared to no screening in the Korean population from societal and healthcare system perspectives. METHODS: A published decision-tree plus Markov model was used to compare the expected costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALY) between one-time universal HCV screening and no screening in the population aged 40-65 years using the National Health Examination (NHE) program. Input parameters were obtained from analyses of the National Health Insurance claims data, Korean HCV cohort data, or from the literature review. The population aged 40-65 years was simulated in a model spanning a lifetime from both the healthcare system and societal perspectives, which included the cost of productivity loss due to HCV-related deaths. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) between universal screening and no screening was estimated. RESULTS: The HCV screening strategy had an ICER of $2,666/QALY and $431/QALY from the healthcare system and societal perspectives, respectively. Both ICERs were far less than the willingness-to-pay threshold of $25,000/QALY, showing that universal screening was highly cost-effective compared to no screening. In various sensitivity analyses, the most influential parameters on cost-effectiveness were the antibodies to HCV (anti-HCV) prevalence, screening costs, and treatment acceptance; however, all ICERs were consistently less than the threshold. If the anti-HCV prevalence was over 0.18%, screening could be cost-effective. CONCLUSION: One-time universal HCV screening in the Korean population aged 40-65 years using NHE program would be highly cost-effective from both healthcare system and societal perspectives.

Estimated incidence of juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis in Korea.

OBJECTIVES: Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11 and is potentially preventable through vaccination. This study estimated the incidence of juvenile-onset RRP before the implementation of the national HPV vaccination program in Korea. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study using claims data provided by a mandatory insurance program to estimate the incidence of RRP and associated healthcare use. Patients with juvenile RRP were defined as those aged ≤12 years with ≥2 admissions or ≥2 outpatient visits during which they received the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision code for benign neoplasms of the larynx (D14.1). RESULTS: During 2002-2014, 123 children (74 boys and 49 girls) were diagnosed with RRP. The patients had a mean of 6.5 person-years of follow-up. The incidence was estimated at 0.30/100,000 person-years. The median age at diagnosis was 4.0 years (mean, 4.3). Thirty-six (29.3%) patients underwent surgery, including 23 patients (18.7%) who underwent 2 or more surgical procedures. Severe disease, measured by more frequent surgical procedures and shorter time intervals between consecutive operations, was associated with a younger age at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The estimated incidence of juvenile-onset RRP in Korea was similar to that reported in other countries. The RRP burden should continue to be monitored using National Health Insurance Service claims data.

Prevalence of human papillomavirus-related diseases in the Republic of Korea: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate trends in the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related diseases in the era before the introduction of organised HPV vaccination programmes in the Republic of Korea. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used National Health Insurance Service data from 2002 to 2015 and included participants who were diagnosed with the following HPV-related diseases (codes from the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision): genital warts (A63.0); cancer in the head and neck (C00-C10), anus (C21), vulva (C51), vagina (C52), cervix uteri (C53) and penis (C60); carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the lip/oral cavity/pharynx (D00.0), anus (D01.3), cervix (D06), vulva (D07.1), vagina (D07.2) and penis (D07.4); benign neoplasms of the larynx (D14.1); and dysplasia of the cervix (N87), vagina (N89) and vulva (N90). For each diagnosis, the fraction of cases attributable to HPV in Korea was assessed based on the percentages of diseases attributable to HPV reported in some international studies. The age-standardised prevalence was estimated using the direct population-based method. RESULTS: The overall age-standardised prevalence of HPV-related diseases increased from 2002 to 2015, mainly due to increased prevalence of genital warts in men and cervical dysplasia and CIS in women. In women, genital wart prevalence increased from 2002 (24.4 per 100 000) to 2011 (57.1) and then decreased until 2015 (53.5); in men, the prevalence increased steadily from 2002 (22.9) to 2015 (109.4). The prevalence of cervical dysplasia and CIS increased (from 86.5 in 2002 to 484.5 in 2015, and from 60.3 in 2002 to 114.9 in 2015, respectively), but that of cervical cancer decreased (from 120.0 in 2002 to 106.9 in 2015). CONCLUSIONS: Non-organised HPV vaccination and organised cervical cancer screening may have contributed to the downward trend in genital wart prevalence and the upward trend in cervical abnormalities among women.

Cost-effectiveness and health-related outcomes of screening for hepatitis C in Korean population.

BACKGROUND/AIM: In the era of direct-acting antivirals (DAA), active screening for hidden hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is important for HCV elimination. This study estimated the cost-effectiveness and health-related outcomes of HCV screening and DAA treatment of a targeted population in Korea, where anti-HCV prevalence was 0.6% in 2015. METHODS: A Markov model simulating the natural history of HCV infection was used to examine the cost-effectiveness of two strategies: no screening vs screening and DAA treatment. Screening was performed by integration of the anti-HCV test into the National Health Examination Program. From a healthcare system's perspective, the cost-utility and the impact on HCV-related health events of one-time anti-HCV screening and DAA treatment in Korean population aged 40-65 years was analysed with a lifetime horizon. RESULTS: The HCV screening and DAA treatment strategy increased quality-adjusted life years (QALY) by 0.0015 at a cost of $11.27 resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $7435 per QALY gained compared with no screening. The probability of the screening strategy to be cost-effective was 98.8% at a willingness-to-pay of $27 205. Deterministic sensitivity analyses revealed the ICERs were from $4602 to $12 588 and sensitive to screening costs, discount rates and treatment acceptability. Moreover, it can prevent 32 HCV-related deaths, 19 hepatocellular carcinomas and 15 decompensated cirrhosis per 100 000 screened persons. CONCLUSIONS: A one-time HCV screening and DAA treatment of a Korean population aged 40-65 years would be highly cost-effective, and significantly reduce the HCV-related morbidity and mortality compared with no screening.

Cost-effectiveness of sofosbuvir plus ribavirin therapy for hepatitis C virus genotype 2 infection in South Korea.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: For genotype 2 chronic hepatitis C (CHC), the efficacy and safety of sofosbuvir plus ribavirin therapy (SOF + RBV) was better than pegylated interferon plus ribavirin therapy (PR) at a greater drug cost. This study investigated the cost-effectiveness of SOF + RBV compared with PR for treatment-naïve genotype 2 CHC in South Korea. METHODS: Using a decision analytic Markov model, a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing SOF + RBV with PR or no treatment for treatment-naïve genotype 2 CHC was performed with probabilistic and deterministic sensitivity analyses from the payer's perspective in 2017. Three cohorts of patients aged 40-49, 50-59, and 60-69 years were simulated to progress through the fibrosis stages F0-F4 to end-stage liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma, or death. Published and calculated data on the clinical efficacy of the regimen, health-related quality of life, costs, and transition probabilities were used. RESULTS: While the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for PR was dominant over no treatment, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for SOF + RBV were $20 058 for the patients in their 40s, $19 662 for those in their 50s, and $22 278 for those in their 60s compared with PR. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis indicated an 89.0% probability for the SOF + RBV to be cost-effective at a willingness to pay of $29 754.4 (per-capita gross domestic product in 2017) for the patients in their 40s and 94.1% and 89.1% for the patients in their 50s and 60s, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The SOF + RBV is a cost-effective option for genotype 2 treatment-naïve CHC patients, especially for the patients with liver cirrhosis in Korea.

The economic burden of human papillomavirus infection-associated diseases in the Republic of Korea, 2002-2015.

BACKGROUND: This prevalence-based, cost-of-illness study estimated the health care costs of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection-associated diseases in the era before the introduction of organized HPV vaccination for 12-year-old girls in 2016, South Korea. METHODS: The claims data provided by the National Health Insurance Service was used to estimate the prevalence of HPV-associated diseases and their direct medical costs, including costs related to hospitalizations, outpatient visits, and medications. RESULTS: A total of 1.3 million men and women used medical services for HPV-attributed diseases between 2002 and 2015. Among women, the most common diseases attributable to HPV were cervical dysplasia (64.4%), anogenital warts (12.9%), cervical carcinoma in situ (10.7%) and cervical cancer (2.6%), whereas anogenital warts (80.6%), benign neoplasms of larynx (14.3%), and anal cancers (8.9%) were most common among men. In 2015, the healthcare cost attributable to HPV was 124.9 million US dollars (USD) representing 69.0% of the annual cost of all HPV-associated diseases. At a cost of 75.1 million USD, cervical cancer contributed the largest economic burden in 2015 followed by cervical dysplasia (19.4 million USD) and cervical carcinoma in situ (10.7 million USD). These three conditions represented 58.2% of the total annual cost of all HPV-associated diseases, while 84.2% of the total annual cost was attributable to HPV. Annual health care costs increased from 42.6 million USD in 2002 to 180.9 million USD in 2015. CONCLUSION: The healthcare costs associated with HPV-related diseases in Korea are substantial and increased between 2002 and 2015 mainly caused by increased number of patients. Expanding the target age for HPV vaccination of girls and introducing HPV vaccination for boys are possible ways of reducing the economic burden of HPV-associated disease and should be considered.

Population-based prevalence, incidence, and disease burden of autoimmune hepatitis in South Korea.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Little is known about population-based epidemiology and disease burden of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, incidence, comorbidity and direct medical cost of AIH in South Korea. METHODS: The data was from the nationwide, population-based National Health Insurance Service claims database and the Rare Intractable Disease registration program. Age and gender-specific prevalence rates were calculated, and data on comorbidity, diagnostic tests, prescribed drugs, and medical costs were retrieved for patients registered under the disease code K75.4 (AIH) from 2009 to 2013. RESULTS: A total of 4,085 patients with AIH were identified between 2009 and 2013 with a female-to-male ratio of 6.4. The age-adjusted prevalence rate was 4.82/100,000 persons and gender adjusted prevalence rates were 8.35 in females and 1.30 in males. The age-adjusted calculated incidence rate was 1.07/100,000 persons (gender-adjusted 1.83 in females and 0.31 in males). Ascites, variceal bleeding, and hepatocellular carcinoma were found in 1.4%, 1.3%, and 2.2% of the patients, respectively. Forty-six patients (1.1%) underwent liver transplantation during the study period. Case-fatality was 2.18%. Corticosteroid and azathioprine were prescribed in 44.1% and 38.0% of prevalent patients with AIH in 2013, respectively. The nationwide total direct medical cost was less than 4.0 million USD, and the average cost for each patient was 1,174 USD in 2013. CONCLUSION: This is the first report on the nationwide epidemiology of AIH in Korea, and it showed a lower prevalence than that of Western countries with considerable disease burden.

Healthcare Costs for Chronic Hepatitis C in South Korea from 2009 to 2013: An Analysis of the National Health Insurance Claims' Data.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The introduction of direct-acting antivirals (DAA) in 2013 revolutionized hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, offering a cure rate >90%. However, this therapy is expensive, and estimations of the number of chronic HCV-infected (CHC) patients and their treatment costs pre-2013 are therefore essential for creating policies and expanding drug access. Herein, we aimed to investigate the number of HCV-related liver disease patients, their healthcare utilization, their annual direct medical costs, and the interferon-based antiviral treatment rates and costs from 2009 to 2013 in South Korea. METHODS: The National Health Insurance database was reviewed, and patients diagnosed with CHC from 2009 to 2013 were extracted. Data regarding detailed healthcare utilization, prescribed drugs, and direct medical costs were obtained. For annual direct healthcare cost calculations, a prevalence-based approach was used. RESULTS: Overall, 181,768 CHC patients were identified. In 2013, the annual per-patient costs for chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and the first year post-liver transplant were 895, 1,873, 6,945, and 67,359 United States dollars, respectively. Interferon-based antiviral therapeutics were prescribed to 25,223 patients (13.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare costs have increased remarkably with increasing liver disease severity. Thus, efforts to stop disease progression are needed. Moreover, the low rate of interferon-based therapy indicates an unmet need for DAA.

Incidence, prevalence and complications of Budd-Chiari syndrome in South Korea: a nationwide, population-based study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The population-based epidemiology of Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS), a rare disease of hepatic venous outflow obstruction, is largely unknown. This study aimed to elucidate the nationwide population-based incidence, prevalence, complications, case fatalities and direct medical cost of BCS in South Korea from 2009 to 2013. METHODS: Using two large data sources, the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service Claims database and Rare Intractable Disease registration program database in Korea, we identified all patients with BCS who were registered under International Classification of Diseases 10 (code I82.0). The age- and sex-adjusted incidence and prevalence of BCS were calculated with analysis of complications and direct medical costs. RESULTS: A total of 424 patients with BCS were identified in 2009-2013, with a female-to-male ratio of 1.8 and a median age of 51 years old. The average age- and sex-adjusted incidence from 2011 to 2013 was 0.87 per million per year, and the average age- and sex-adjusted prevalence from 2009 to 2013 was 5.29 per million population. Among them, 10.3% accompanied liver cancer and 3.3% underwent liver transplantation. Annual case-fatality rate was 2.8%. Direct medical costs excluding uninsured services for BCS increased by year from 385 720 USD in 2009 to 765 983 USD in 2013. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first population-based study on the epidemiology of BCS in an Asian country, which presented a higher prevalence than in Western studies. It suggests early diagnosis or improved prognosis of BCS in recent years, and clinical features of BCS that differ by geography.