The cost of liver disease in Korea: methodology, data, and evidence

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study introduces methods for estimating the cost of liver disease and presents useful and reliable sources of data. The available evidence on the costs associated with liver disease is also discussed. METHODS: Costing methodology can be used to identify, measure, and value relevant resources incurred during the care of patients with liver diseases. It adjusts for discounting, skewed distribution, and missing or censored cost data. The human capital approach for productivity cost assumes that deceased patients would have lived to a normal expected life expectancy, and have earned a salary in line with the current age profile of wages, in order to measure potential earnings lost due to premature death or job loss. EVIDENCE: The number of deaths due to liver cancer (C22) increased from 6,384 in 1983 to 11,405 in 2013, while deaths due to other liver diseases (K70-K76) increased from 12,563 in 1983 to 13,458 in 1995, and then declined to 6,665 in 2013. According to the Global Burden of Disease study conducted by the World Health Organization, liver cancer caused 325,815 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and cirrhosis of the liver caused 206,917 DALYs in 2012. The total cost of liver disease was estimated at 1,941 billion Korean won in 2001 and 5,689 billion Korean won in 2008. Much of this cost is attributable to productivity cost, and especially that of economically active men. CONCLUSIONS: The economic burden of liver disease is immense because of the associated high mortality and morbidity, especially among the economically active population. This indicates the need to prioritize the development of appropriate health interventions.

Hepatocarcinoma en niños: 15 años de experiencia del grupo oncológico pediátrico EsSalud Rebagliati–Almenara, Lima Perú / Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Children: 15 years’ experience EsSalud Pediatric Oncology Group Almenara - Rebagliati, Lima Peru

Objetivo: describir la epidemiologia, tratamiento, evolución y análisis de costos del Hepatocarcinoma infantil y su implicancia en la salud del niño. Material y Métodos: Estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo, longitudinal, tipo serie de casos: Experiencia de 15 años en el tratamiento del Hepatocarcionoma infantil en pacientes de EsSALUD: hospitales Rebagliati-Almenara, del 1 de Enero de 1999 al 15 de Mayo del 2013. Se recolectaron datos demográficos, de laboratorio, im genes, patología, tratamiento, evolución y sobrevida. Se analizó también los costos. Resultados: De una data de 58 casos con tumor hepético maligno infantil, 20 casos (34.5%) fueron reportados como hepatocarcinoma. Siendo predominante en el sexo masculino (3/1) y de origen costeño. En todos los casos hubo hepatomegalia, vómitos y anemia. S¢lo 7 pacientes hab¡an recibido la vacuna de Hepatitis B. El gasto total para EsSalud fue de $132,265. Conclusiones: Este estudio aporta principalmente al manejo multidisciplinario de esta neoplasia, donde la quimioterapia si produce respuesta tumoral en la mayor¡a de casos donde el estado avanzado del tumor limita ser operados al debut y la terapia antiangiogónica prolonga la sobrevida evitando las recaídas. Un tercio de la población estudiada pudo haber evitado el cáncer al hígado si el paciente hubiese sido inmunizado con la vacuna anti Hepatitis B al nacer y completado a los seis meses sus tres dosis.

Objectives: to describe the epidemiology, treatment, evolution and cost analysis of child Hepatocarcinoma and its implication on their health. Material and Methods: descriptive, retrospective, longitudinal, case series study: 15-year experience in treating children with Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Children in EsSALUD in: hospitals Almenara and Rebagliati, from January 1, 1999 to May 15, 2013. Demographic, laboratory, imaging, pathology, treatment, evolution and survival data were collected and costs were analyzed Results: from a data of 58 cases with infantile malignant liver tumor, 20 cases (34.5 %) were reported as Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Children. Being predominant in males (3/1) and of coastal origin. In all cases there was hepatomegaly, vomiting and anemia. Only 7 patients had received the Hepatitis B vaccine. The total expenditure for EsSalud was $ 132.265. Conclusion: This study provides mainly the multidisciplinary management of this neoplasm, where chemotherapy response occurs in most cases where the advanced stage of the tumor limits surgical possibilities at debut and antiangiogenic therapy prolongs survival avoiding relapse. One third of the study population could have avoided liver cancer if the patient had been immunized with the Hepatitis B vaccine at birth and completed three doses at six months.

Socioeconomic costs of liver disease in Korea / 대한간학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study analyzed the scale and trends of the social and economic costs of liver disease in Korea for the past 5 years. METHODS: The social aspects of socioeconomic costs were projected for viral hepatitis (B15-B19), liver cirrhosis, malignant neoplasm of the liver (C22) and other liver diseases (K70-K76), as representative diseases by dividing costs into direct and indirect from 2004 to 2008. Direct costs include hospitalization, outpatient, and pharmacy costs in the health-care sector, and transportation and caregiver costs. Indirect costs include the future income loss due to premature death and the loss of productivity resulting from absence from work. RESULTS: The social and economic costs of liver disease were projected to be KRW 5,858 billion in 2004, KRW 5,572 billion in 2005, KRW 8,104 billion in 2006, KRW 6,095 billion in 2007, and KRW 5,689 billion in 2008. The future income loss resulting from premature death is thus greatest, from 73.9% to 86.1%, followed by the direct medical costs, from 9.0% to 18.1%. The productivity loss resulting from absence from work accounts for 3.3-5.5%, followed by the direct nonmedical costs such as transportation and caregiver costs, at 1.5-2.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Among the socioeconomic costs of liver disease in Korea, the future income loss resulting from premature death is showing a decreasing trend, whereas direct medical costs are increasing dramatically.