An updated assessment of hepatitis delta prevalence among adults in Canada: A meta-analysis.

Foreign-born (FB) persons represent a large proportion of adults with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in Canada due to higher prevalence rates in countries of birth for FB persons. Suboptimal awareness and low rates of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) testing contribute to underdiagnosis and gaps in accurate estimates of Canada HDV prevalence. We aim to provide an assessment of CHB and HDV prevalence in Canada using a comprehensive literature review and meta-analysis. A comprehensive literature review of articles reporting HBsAg seroprevalence and anti-HDV prevalence was conducted to calculate country-specific rates and pooled prevalence of CHB and HDV using meta-analyses. Country-specific CHB and HDV rate estimates were combined with number of FB persons in Canada in 2021 from Statistics Canada to estimate total numbers of FB with CHB and HDV, respectively. These estimates were combined with estimates of Canada-born persons with CHB and HDV to yield the total number of persons with CHB and HDV. In 2021, we estimated 0.550 million (M) (95% CI 0.488-0.615) persons with CHB; 0.344 M (95% CI 0.288-0.401) were FB and 0.206 M (95% CI: 0.200-0.214) were Canada-born. The weighted average HDV prevalence among FB persons in Canada was 5.19% (17,848 [95% CI 9611-26,052] persons), among whom 50% emigrated from Asia and 31% from Africa. When combined with estimates of Canada-born persons with HDV, we estimate 35,059 (95% CI: 18,744-52,083) persons with HDV in Canada. In conclusion, we estimate 0.550 M and 35,059 persons living with CHB and HDV, respectively, in Canada in 2021.

Epidemiology and assessment of Hepatitis B positive children in Western Australia.

AIM: To describe the characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) presenting to a tertiary paediatric hospital in Perth, Western Australia. Review of implementation of previous follow-up recommendations for the cohort was also undertaken. METHOD: A retrospective data analysis of all individuals aged between 0 and 17 years presenting to the tertiary children's hospital who were hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive over 8 years (2013-2020). Demographic features, clinical progress and follow up are described, including proportion transferred to adult services. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients were identified to have CHB; mean age at diagnosis 11 years; standard deviation 4 years; 41 (55%) male. Cultural and ethnolinguistic diversity was high; 74% (n = 55) were from refugee-like backgrounds. Many did not demonstrate English proficiency (23/40; 75%) and 7 (10%) Australian born including 4 patients who were Aboriginal. Most patients (58%) with CHB were in the hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic infection phase with no intervention provided. Seventeen children had undergone liver ultrasonography and one underwent liver biopsy; none received antiviral treatment. Follow up was concerning; 28 (38%) had at least one clinic non-attendance, 24 (32%) lost to follow-up and interpreter utilisation was poorly documented. Thirty-nine (53%) were transferred to adult services with only 56% attending follow-up. CONCLUSION: CHB burden is higher in those from culturally and ethnolinguistically diverse backgrounds. There is a significant loss to follow-up and suboptimal transfer to adult services. Improved recall, education and referral processes are necessary to overcome language, socioeconomic and cultural barriers. Although childhood complications are infrequent, longitudinal monitoring is crucial to prevent long-term complications and adult morbidity.

Burden, Outcome, and Comorbidities of Extrahepatic Manifestations in Hepatitis B Virus Infections.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections affect approximately 296 million people around the world, and the prevalence of any past or present HBV infection during the years 2015-2018 was as high as 4.3%. Acute HBV infection often presents with nonspecific symptoms and is usually self-limited, but 5% of patients can have persistent infections leading to chronic HBV infection and the risk of turning into chronic HBV infection is significantly higher in babies with vertical transmission (95%). Patients with chronic HBV infection are usually asymptomatic, but 15 to 40% of chronic HBV carriers develop cirrhosis and/or hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition to liver-related disorders, HBV is also associated with several extrahepatic complications, including glomerulonephritis, cryoglobulinemia, neurologic disorders, psychological manifestations, polyarthritis, and dermatologic disorders. Making the diagnosis of HBV can be challenging since patients with chronic infections can remain symptom-free for decades before developing cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma, and patients with acute HBV infection may have only mild, nonspecific symptoms. Therefore, understanding how this virus causes extrahepatic complications can help clinicians consider this possibility in patients with diverse symptom presentations. The pathophysiology of these extrahepatic disorders likely involves immune-related tissue injury following immune complex formation and inflammatory cascades. In some cases, direct viral infection of extrahepatic tissue may cause a clinical syndrome. Currently, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases recommends treatment of chronic HBV infections with interferon therapy and/or nucleos(t)ide analogs, and this treatment has been reported to improve some extrahepatic disorders in some patients with chronic HBV infection. These extrahepatic complications have a significant role in disease outcomes and increase medical costs, morbidity, and mortality. Therefore, understanding the frequency and pathogenesis of these extrahepatic complications provides important information for both specialists and nonspecialists and may help clinicians identify patients at an earlier stage of their infection.

Characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis B infection in China: A retrospective claims database study.

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection affects approximately 90 million people in China, where there are profoundly unmet clinical and public health needs. This study evaluated patient demographics, disease progression, and treatment management using national administrative claims data. This retrospective, observational study used anonymized data from the China Health Insurance Research Association claims database (January 1-December 31, 2016); data that could not be validated, or from duplicate entries, were excluded. Patients were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision diagnostic code for CHB (B18.0 and B18.1), using keyword searches for "CHB or HBV" and free-text descriptions of CHB treatments including nucleos(t)ide analogues. Primary objectives included evaluation of: demographics and clinical characteristics of patients with CHB, overall and by presence or absence of cirrhosis and hospital tier; proportion of patients prescribed CHB treatment; and healthcare costs and utilization overall and by presence or absence of cirrhosis and hospital tier. Most identified patients with CHB were male, aged 25 to 65 years, resided in East China, and had employee health insurance. Cirrhosis was common (16.20%) and associated with male preponderance, older age, hepatitis C virus coinfection, and higher hospital care demands and costs. The most frequently visited hospitals were Tier III; patients visiting Tier III generally required more hospital care compared with those visiting Tier I/II hospitals. Only two-thirds of patients were prescribed antiviral therapy for CHB (most commonly nucleos(t)ide analogues). Results from this study highlight a substantial need to improve access to appropriate CHB treatment in China.

Outcome of Infants Born to Women with Chronic Hepatitis B: A Local Risk-Based Strategy in a Low Prevalence Country.

BACKGROUND: Chronic hepatitis-B virus (HBV) infection due to mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) during the perinatal period is an important global health concern. Chile is a low-prevalence country with an increasing migratory inflow from Latin- American countries, with intermediate to high endemic rates of HBV infection, and until 2021, there is no universal maternal screening. This study aimed to evaluate infant outcomes using a risk-based strategy of maternal screening to prevent MTCT of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in a low-prevalence country. METHODS: This prospective study included infants born to HBsAg-positive women detected using a local risk-based strategy. The exposed infants received immunoprophylaxis (IP) and follow-up to evaluate their clinical outcomes and immune responses through post-serological vaccine testing (PSVT) after completing the three- dose schedule of the HBV vaccine. RESULTS: A total of 99 HBsAg-positive mothers were detected. Seventy-six (82%) infants completed the follow-up and had PSVT between 9 and 12 months of age. 55.2% female, the median gestational age was 39 weeks (25-41) and the median birth weight was 3,130g (816-4,400 g). All patients received IP with recombinant HBV vaccine plus hepatitis-B virus immunoglobulin (HBIG) and three doses of the HBV vaccine. There were no cases of HBV infection, and 96% (72) responded to immunization with HBsAg antibodies (anti-HBsAg) >10 UI/ml, with a median level of 799 IU/ml. CONCLUSIONS: A high-risk strategy can be implemented in countries with non-universal screening for VHB. Timely IP plus high-uptake VHB vaccination in infants born to HBsAg-positive mothers was associated with a high immunogenic response and absence of MTCT.

Assessing the impact of comorbid type 2 diabetes mellitus on the disease burden of chronic hepatitis B virus infection and its complications in China from 2006 to 2030: a modeling study.

BACKGROUND: China bears a high burden of both hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). T2DM accelerates the progression of liver disease among individuals infected with HBV. This study aims to assess the excess disease burden caused by comorbid T2DM among HBV-infected individuals in China. METHODS: We estimated the disease burden of HBV and its complications in China from 2006 to 2030 using individual-based Markov models. The baseline population consisted of 93 million HBV-infected individuals derived from the 2006 National Serological Epidemiological Survey. We developed two models: one incorporated the impact of T2DM on the disease progression of HBV infection, while the other did not consider the impact of T2DM. By comparing the outcomes between these two models, we estimated the excess disease burden attributable to comorbid T2DM among HBV-infected individuals. RESULTS: The incidence of severe HBV complications, including cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and liver-related deaths, exhibited an increasing trend from 2006 to 2030 among the Chinese HBV-infected population. Comorbid T2DM increased the annual incidence and cumulative cases of severe HBV complications. From 2006 to 2022, comorbid T2DM caused 791,000 (11.41%), 244,000 (9.27%), 377,000 (8.78%), and 796,000 (12.19%) excess cases of compensated cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis, HCC, and liver-related deaths, respectively. From 2023 to 2030, comorbid T2DM is projected to result in an 8.69% excess in severe HBV complications and an 8.95% increase in liver-related deaths. Among individuals aged 60 and older at baseline, comorbid T2DM led to a 21.68% excess in severe HBV complications and a 28.70% increase in liver-related deaths from 2006 to 2022, with projections indicating a further 20.76% increase in severe HBV complications and an 18.31% rise in liver-related deaths over the next seven years. CONCLUSIONS: Comorbid T2DM imposes a substantial disease burden on individuals with HBV infection in China. Healthcare providers and health policymakers should develop and implement tailored strategies for the effective management and control of T2DM in individuals with HBV infection.

Analysis of primary care electronic health record data of people living with hepatitis B virus: infection and hepatocellular carcinoma risk associated with socio-economic deprivation.

OBJECTIVES: We set out to characterise chronic hepatitis B (CHB) in the primary care population in England and investigate risk factors for progression to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: We identified 8039 individuals with CHB in individuals aged ≥18 years between 1999 and 2019 in the English primary care database QResearch. HCC risk factors were investigated using Cox proportional hazards modelling. RESULTS: Most of those with a record of CHB were males (60%) of non-White ethnicity (>70%), and a high proportion were in the most deprived Townsend deprivation quintile (44%). Among 7029 individuals with longitudinal data, 161 HCC cases occurred. Increased HCC hazards were significantly associated with male sex (adjusted hazards ratio [aHR] 3.17, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.92-5.23), in the fifth deprivation quintile as compared to the third quintile (aHR 1.69, 95% CI 1.01-2.84), with older age (for age groups 56-65 and ≥66 years, compared to 26-35 years, aHRs 2.82 [95% CI 1.45-5.46] and 3.76 [95% CI 1.79-7.9], respectively), Caribbean ethnicity (aHR 3.32, 95% CI 1.43-7.71, compared to White ethnicity), ascites (aHR 3.15, 95% CI 1.30-7.67), cirrhosis (aHR 6.55, 95% CI 4.57-9.38) and peptic ulcer disease (aHR 2.26, 95% CI 1.45-3.51). CONCLUSIONS: Targeting interventions and HCC surveillance at vulnerable groups is essential to improve CHB outcomes and to support progress towards international goals for the elimination of hepatitis infection as a public health threat.

Construction of a hepatocellular carcinoma high-risk population rating scale and independent predictors' assessment.

BACKGROUND: With increasing mortality and incidence, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become a major public health problem. The early diagnosis of HCC can improve its prognosis. The aim of this study was to identify potential risk factors related to HCC development and to establish a high-risk population rating scale. METHODS: A total of 853 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) were enrolled in this study, including 403 patients with HCC as the case group and others as the control group. Their demographic and clinical characteristics were compared and the independent risk factors for HCC were assessed. Then, the optimal cutoff levels of these factors were analyzed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) method. A high-risk population rating scale was constructed based on the factors and then evaluated in the modeling population. RESULTS: The factors that presented statistically significant differences between the two groups included age, smoking, alcohol abuse, body mass index, triglyceride, high‒density lipoprotein cholesterol, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, fasting plasma glucose, creatinine and uric acid. The ROC curve showed that the cutoff score for the HCC high risk population was 5 (AUC=0.74, P<0.001) and the Hosmer‒Lemeshow analysis showed that the fitting effect of this rating scale was good (P = 0.294). CONCLUSIONS: The integration of these factors can contribute to a prognostic score for the risk of HCC development, which offered certain clinical practicability.

Cost-effectiveness of treating all hepatitis B-positive individuals in the United States.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a leading cause of liver disease and related mortality globally. However, most of the infected individuals in the United States remain undiagnosed and untreated. There is a need to understand more completely the economic and disease burden impact of removing treatment restrictions and increasing diagnosis and treatment. The PRoGReSs model, a dynamic HBV model that tracks the infected population by year, disease stage, and gender, was used to quantify the disease and economic burden of chronic HBV infection in the United States from 2020 to 2050 based on four scenarios: a status quo (base) scenario and three treat-all scenarios, in which screening, diagnosis, and treatment were maximized at different annual treatment price levels of $5382, $2000 and $750. Compared to the base scenario, the treat-all scenarios would avert 71,100 acute and 11,100 chronic incident cases of HBV, and 169,000 liver-related deaths from 2020 to 2050. At an annual treatment cost of $2000, treating all HBV infections would be highly cost-effective, and at $750 would be cost saving and would achieve a positive return on investment before 2050. Maximizing the diagnosed and treated HBV population in the United States would avert a significant number of cases of advanced liver disease and related mortality. Such interventions can also be cost-effective compared to the status quo strategy, and cost saving at a treatment price threshold of $750 annually, above the current lowest annual treatment cost of $362.

The high burden of comorbidities in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians living with chronic hepatitis B in Far North Queensland, Australia, and the implications for patient management.

BACKGROUND: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians living with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection have a significant burden of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The prevalence of comorbidities that increase the risk of HCC in this population is incompletely defined. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed in remote tropical Queensland, Australia in January 2021. All individuals living with chronic HBV in the region were identified; the prevalence of relevant comorbidities was determined by reviewing medical records. RESULTS: All 236 individuals in the cohort identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians; their median (interquartile range (IQR)) age was 48 (40-62) years; 120/236 (50.9%) were female. Of the 194/236 (82.2%) engaged in HBV care, 61 (31.4%) met criteria for HBV therapy and 38 (62.2%) were receiving it. However, 142/236 (60.2%) were obese, 73/236 (30.9%) were current smokers and 57/236 (24.2%) were drinking alcohol hazardously; 70/236 (29.7%) had ≥2 of these additional risk factors for HCC, only 43/236 (18.2%) had none. Among the 19 patients with confirmed cirrhosis, 9 (47%) were obese, 8 (42%) were currently-or had a history of-drinking alcohol hazardously and 5 (26.3%) were current smokers. Patients also had a median (IQR) of 3 (2-4) cardiovascular risk factors (cigarette smoking, hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipidaemia, renal impairment/proteinuria). Only 9/236 (3.8%) did not have one of these 5 comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians living with chronic HBV in this region of remote Australia have a high engagement with HBV care and the majority of individuals eligible for antiviral therapy are receiving it. However, a significant comorbidity burden increases their risk of cirrhosis, HCC, and premature death. It is essential to integrate chronic HBV care with management of these comorbidities-rather than focusing on HBV alone-to achieve optimal health outcomes.

Disparities in presentation and management of chronic hepatitis B among Hispanics in a diverse safety net system.

BACKGROUND: Chronic hepatitis B (HBV) prevalence is highest in foreign-born Asian and African individuals in the US, though Hispanics make up the largest proportion of the immigrant population. Differences in the diagnosis and management of chronic HBV in Hispanics might exist due to the lower awareness of risk. We aim to examine racial/ethnic disparities in the diagnosis, presentation, and immediate management of chronic HBV in a diverse safety net system enriched for Hispanics. METHODS: In a large urban safety-net hospital system, we retrospectively identified patients with chronic HBV by serological data and categorized them into mutually exclusive self-identified racial/ethnic groups: Hispanics, Asians, Blacks, and Whites. We then examined differences in screening, disease phenotype and severity, follow-up testing, and referral by race/ethnicity. RESULTS: Among 1063 patients, 302 (28%) were Hispanics, 569 (54%) Asians, 161 (15%) Blacks, and 31 (3%) Whites. More Hispanics (30%) were screened in the acute setting (defined as inpatient or emergency department encounters) than Asians (13%), Blacks (17%), or Whites (23%) (p<0.01). Hispanics also had lower rates of follow-up testing after HBV diagnosis than Asians including HBeAg status (43% vs. 60%, p<0.01) and HBV DNA levels (42% vs. 58%, p<0.01) and lower rates of linkage to specialty care (32% vs. 55%, p<0.01). Among those with available testing, however, the presence of immune-active chronic HBV was infrequent and similar across racial/ethnic groups. 25% of Hispanics had cirrhosis at initial presentation, proportionally higher than other groups (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Our results underscore the importance of raising chronic HBV awareness and increasing both screening and linkage to care among Hispanic immigrants in addition to the existing risk groups, with the goal of mitigating downstream liver-related complications.

Performance of algorithms for identifying patients with chronic hepatitis B or C infection in the french health insurance claims databases using the ANRS CO22 HEPATHER cohort.

The validity of algorithms for identifying patients with chronic hepatitis B or C virus (HBV or HCV) infection in claims databases has been little explored. The performance of 15 algorithms was evaluated. Data from HBV- or HCV-infected patients enrolled between August 2012 and December 2015 in French hepatology centres (ANRS CO22 HEPATHER cohort) were individually linked to the French national health insurance system (SNDS). The SNDS covers 99% of the French population and contains healthcare reimbursement data. Performance metrics were calculated by comparing the viral status established by clinicians with those obtained with the algorithms identifying chronic HBV- and HCV-infected patients. A total of 14 751 patients (29% with chronic HBV and 63% with chronic HCV infection) followed-up until December 2018 were selected. Despite good specificity, the algorithms relying on ICD-10 codes performed poorly. By contrast, the multi-criteria algorithms combining ICD-10 codes, antiviral dispensing, laboratory diagnostic tests (HBV DNA or HCV RNA detection and quantification, HCV genotyping), examinations for the assessment of liver fibrosis and long-term disease registrations were the most effective (sensitivity 0.92, 95% CI, 0.91-0.93 and specificity 0.96, 95% CI, 0.95-0.96 for identifying chronic HBV-infected patients; sensitivity 0.94, 95% CI, 0.94-0.94 and specificity 0.85, 95% CI, 0.84-0.86 for identifying chronic HCV-infected patients). In conclusion, the multi-criteria algorithms perform well in identifying patients with chronic hepatitis B or C infection and can be used to estimate the magnitude of the public health burden associated with hepatitis B and C in France.

Impact of the national hepatitis B immunization program in China: a modeling study.

BACKGROUND: Elimination of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a striking challenge for countries with high or moderate disease burden. Therefore, using China as a practical case to share experiences for similar countries may accelerate the achievement of the WHO 2030 target of 90% reduction in HBV-related incidence. We aim to evaluate the impact of national HBV immunization strategies in China; and the feasibility to achieve WHO 2030 targets under different scenarios. METHODS: We constructed an expanded Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Recovered (SEIR) model and decision tree-Markov model to estimate the epidemic of HBV in China, assess the feasibility of 2030 Elimination Goals through the projections and conduct the economic analysis. Least square method was used to calibrate the expanded SEIR model by yearly data of laboratory-confirmed HBV cases from 1990 to 2018. Two models were separately used to evaluate the impact and cost-effectiveness of HBV vaccine by comparing prevalence of chronic HBV infections, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), incremental cost effectiveness ratio and benefit-cost ratio (BCR) under various intervention options, providing a basis for exploring new containment strategies. RESULTS: Between 1990 and 2020, the number of chronic HBV infections decreased by 33.9%. The current status quo would lead to 55.73 million infections (3.95% prevalence) in 2030, compared to 90.63 million (6.42% prevalence) of the "Without the NIP" scenario (NIP: National Immunization Program), 114.78 million (8.13% prevalence) without any interventions. The prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) strategy showed a net benefit as 12,283.50 dollars per person, with BCR as 12.66, which is higher than that of universal vaccination at 9.49. Compared with no screening and no vaccination, the PMTCT strategy could save 7726.03 dollars for each QALY increase. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings proved the HBV vaccination has demonstrated a substantial positive impact on controlling the epidemic of HBV in terms of effectiveness and economy after about 30 years of implementation of the national hepatitis B immunization program which also provided containment experience for high or medium burden countries. As for China, the next step should focus on exploring strategies to improve diagnosis and treatment coverage to reduce the burden of HBV-related deaths and ultimately eliminate HBV.

Prevalence and management of chronic hepatitis B in pemphigus and pemphigoid patients: New evidence for the safety of rituximab.

Although the treatments of pemphigus and pemphigoid patients have tended toward safer options, patients with chronic infections seem to be still at the risk of infection reactivation when they are exposed to any of immunosuppressive treatments. A retrospective study on 1646 registered pemphigus and pemphigoid patients was conducted between January 2017 and February 2019 and the prevalence of HBV, the association between the treatments, mainly prednisolone and rituximab with HBV reactivation as well as outcomes of patients after management with antiviral therapies were evaluated. From 1646 reviewed patients, 10 (0.60%) patients with chronic HBV were identified. We found a negative correlation between the ALT (p-value<0.001), AST (p-value = 0.090), and Pemphigus Disease Area Index (PDAI) (p-value = 0.034) and age of patients. At the time points that prednisolone dosage was higher, higher levels of ALT, but no difference in AST levels was noted. The portion of patients with normal ALT was significantly higher (p-value = 0.036; OR = 2.22) in those who had received rituximab within the previous 6 months (38 of 49; 77.6%) as compared to those who did not (81 of 133; 60.9%). We concluded that avoidance (high dose) systemic corticosteroids in patients with chronic HBV, and using rituximab instead in severe cases benefit this group of patients.

Health care costs related to hepatitis B in Finland are mostly due to chronic infections: a register-based study.

BACKGROUND: Finland is among the countries with low hepatitis B endemicity. We evaluate the hepatitis B-related disease and economic burden needed for evidence-based immunisation policy decision-making. METHODS: Hepatitis B-related cases in 2004-2012 were retrieved from population-based nationwide registers. We evaluated the incidence, health care resource use, health care costs, and life years lost due to hepatitis B-related outcomes. An episode of care was constructed from each individual's hepatitis B-related events retrieved from individually linkable registers. RESULTS: The mean health care costs per an acute hepatitis B case were €450 (SD 240), €2030 (SD 350), and €5400 (SD 3370) in those aged 0-14, 15-64, and ≥65 years, respectively. For chronic infection, the mean cost per case among Finnish-born individuals was €990 and among foreign-born €1360. The costs per case of liver cirrhosis were €15,350 and liver cancer €19,080. In addition, the annual antiviral medication costs per case receiving antiviral medication were €4710 to €5530. Annually <10% of the chronic and approximately 20% of liver cirrhosis cases received antiviral medication. We identified annually 21 acute, 264 chronic, three liver cirrhosis, and four liver cancer cases and 63.7 life years lost due to hepatitis B per 5.3 million inhabitants. The total annual health care costs were €1.2 million of which 60% were antiviral medication costs and 86% accounted for chronic hepatitis B. CONCLUSIONS: When planning prevention of hepatitis B infection, it is pivotal to notice that the overall disease and economic burden due to hepatitis B is mostly due to chronic infection.

Impact of expanding hepatitis B treatment guidelines: A modelling and economic impact analysis.

BACKGROUND: Antiviral treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) may decrease the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and death. However, only 2.2% of CHB patients receive antiviral treatment globally. The complexity and strictness of the current clinical practice guidelines may limit expanding the treatment coverage for CHB. AIMS: To examine the impact of expanding treatment criteria on future disease burden in Korea, a hepatitis B virus (HBV) endemic country with high diagnostic rates. MATERIALS: Dynamic country-level data were used to estimate the HCC incidence, overall mortality and economic impact of three incremental scenarios compared to the base case in Korea through 2035. RESULTS: In 2020, 1,409,000 CHB cases were estimated, with the majority born before 1995. All scenarios assumed treating 70% of eligible individuals. The first scenario removed viral load restrictions in cirrhotic patients, which would avert 13,000 cases of HCC and save 11,800 lives. The second scenario, lowering the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level restriction to the upper limit of the normal in non-cirrhotic patients, would avert 26,700 cases of HCC and save 23,300 lives. The last scenario removed the restriction by ALT and HBeAg in treating non-cirrhotic individuals with a viral load of ≥2000 IU/ml, which would avert 43,300 cases of HCC and save 37,000 lives. All scenarios were highly cost-effective. CONCLUSIONS: Simplifying and expanding treatment eligibility for CHB would save many lives and be highly cost-effective when combined with high diagnostic rates. These dynamic country-level data may provide new insights for their global application.

Global Disparities in Hepatitis B Elimination-A Focus on Africa.

In 2016, WHO member states at the World Health Assembly adopted a Global Health Sector Strategy that included a policy of eliminating viral hepatitis. Clear targets were established to assist in achieving this by 2030. The strategy, while achievable, has exposed existing global disparities in healthcare systems and their ability to implement such policies. Compounding this, the regions with most disparity are also those where the hepatitis B prevalence and disease burden are the greatest. Foundational to hepatitis B elimination is the identification of both those with chronic infection and crucially pregnant women, and primary prevention through vaccination. Vaccination, including the birth dose and full three-dose coverage, is key, but complete mother-to-child transmission prevention includes reducing the maternal hepatitis B viral load in the third trimester where appropriate. Innovations and simplified tools exist in order to achieve elimination, but what is desperately required is the will to implement these strategies through the support of appropriate investment and funding. Without this, disparities will continue.

Clinical Effect of Hepatitis B Virus on COVID-19 Infected Patients: A Nationwide Population-Based Study Using the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service Database.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have recently suggested that liver disease and cirrhosis were risk factors for poor outcomes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections. However, no large data study has reported the clinical course of COVID-19 patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections. This study investigated whether HBV infection had negative impacts on the clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients. METHODS: We performed a nationwide population-based cohort study with 19,160 COVID-19-infected patients in 2020 from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment database. The clinical outcomes of COVID-19 patients with chronic HBV infections were assessed and compared to those of non-HBV-infected patients. RESULTS: Of the 19,160 patients diagnosed with COVID-19, 675 (3.5%) patients had chronic HBV infections. The HBV-infected patients were older and had more commodities than the non-HBV infected COVID-19 patients. During the observation period, COVID-19-related mortality was seen in 1,524 (8.2%) of the non-HBV-infected 18,485 patients, whereas 91 (13.5%) in HBV-infected 675 patients died of COVID-19 infection. Compared to patients without HBV infections, a higher proportion of patients with chronic HBV infections required intensive care unit (ICU) admission and had organ failures. However, odds ratios for mortality, ICU admission, and organ failure were comparable between the two groups after adjusting for age, sex, and comorbid diseases including liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. CONCLUSION: COVID-19-infected patients with HBV infections showed worse clinical courses than non-HBV-infected COVID-19 patients. However, after adjustment, chronic HBV infection itself does not seem to affect the clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients.

Cost-Effectiveness of Hepatitis B Mass Screening and Management in High-Prevalent Rural China: A Model Study From 2020 to 2049.

BACKGROUND: Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is highly prevalent among adults in rural China and better management of those populations is of vital importance for viral hepatitis elimination. Adult immunization has been the subject of much controversy in previous studies. This study estimates the cost-effectiveness of population-based hepatitis B screening, treatment, and immunization strategy (comprehensive strategy) in rural areas with high prevalence under the national policy of sharp-drop drug prices. METHODS: We constructed a Markov model comparing 4 strategies in a 30-year horizon from the healthcare payer perspective: (1) the conventional pattern; (2) screening and treating infected (treatment); (3) screening and immunizing susceptible individuals (immunization); and (4) the comprehensive strategy. Screening intensity ranged from 50% to 100%. Outcomes were measured by costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: The costs for the conventional pattern, treatment strategy, immunization strategy, and comprehensive strategy were US$ 341, 351, 318, and 323, respectively. In addition, effects were 17.45, 17.57, 17.46, and 17.58 QALYs, respectively. The ICER of the comprehensive strategy was US$ 35/QALY gained at 50% screening intensity and 420 US$/QALY gained at 100%. The net monetary benefit increased with increasing screening intensity and declined after 90%, with the highest value of US$40 693. All new infections and 52.5% mortality could be avoided from 2020 to 2049 if all patients were properly treated and all susceptible individuals were immunized. The results were stable within a wide range of parameters. CONCLUSION: It was cost-effective to implement the mass hepatitis B screening, treatment, and immunization strategy in areas of rural China with high prevalence, and the strategy gained the most net monetary benefit at a screening intensity of 90%. Although it was impractical to fulfill 100% coverage, efforts should be made to obtain more people screened.