Combination therapy with PEG-IFN-alpha2b and ribavirin treatment was effective in children with chronic hepatitis C. Virologic status at week 12 identified future responders and nonresponders. PEG-IFN-alpha2b and ribavirin were reasonably well tolerated, with no unexpected or permanent adverse effects. Further studies are needed to identify the optimum treatment regimen for this patient population.

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SUMMARY AimTo estimate the cost-effectiveness over a 4-year duration of lamivudine and adefovir dipivoxil for patients with hepatitis B 'e' antigen-negative chronic hepatitis B.Methods A decision analysis model has been used to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis of lamivudine and adefovir dipivoxil from the perspective of the Spanish Public Health System. Data were obtained from clinical trials. ResultsFor the base-case, the total estimated cost per patient treated with lamivudine or adefovir dipivoxil for 4 years was €11 457 and €21 939 respectively. Virological response at year 4 for the lamivudine arm was 40.4% and 78.0% for the adefovir dipivoxil arm. The average costeffectiveness ratio (cost per responding patient at year 4) was €28 375 for the lamivudine arm and €28 132 for the adefovir dipivoxil arm. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of adefovir dipivoxil vs. lamivudine (cost per additional responding patient with adefovir dipivoxil) was €27 872, demonstrating that this cost was slightly lower than the average cost-effectiveness ratios of adefovir dipivoxil or lamivudine. The sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the factors that most influence the cost-effectiveness were the response to adefovir dipivoxil and lamivudine at year 4. ConclusionLong-term treatment with adefovir dipivoxil is a cost-effective strategy in patients with chronic hepatitis B 'e' antigen-negative hepatitis.

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