Stève Bénard

Estimation of the incidence of genital warts and the cost of illness in Germany: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundHuman papillomavirus (HPV) is a necessary cause of cervical cancer. HPV is also responsible for benign condylomata acuminata, also known as genital warts. We assessed the incidence of genital warts in Germany and collected information on their management to estimate the annual cost of disease.MethodsThis was a multi-centre observational (cross-sectional) study of genital warts in Germany. Data were collected from gynecologists, dermatologists, and urologists seeing patients with genital warts between February and April 2005. The number of patients with new and recurrent genital warts was used to estimate the incidence in Germany. We assessed resource use for patients with genital warts seen during a two-month period as well as retrospective resource use twelve months prior to the inclusion visit through a chart review. The mean costs of treatment of patients with genital warts from third-party payer and societal perspectives were estimated, and the total annual cost of genital warts was then calculated.ResultsFor the incidence calculation 217 specialists provided information on 848 patients and 214 specialists provided resource use data for 617 patients to assess resource consumption. The incidence of new and recurrent cases of genital warts was 113.7 and 34.7 per 100 000, respectively, for women aged 14–65 years consulting gynecologists. The highest incidence was observed in women aged 14–25 years (171.0 per 100 000) for new cases and in women aged 26–45 years (53.1 per 100 000) for recurrent cases. The sample size for males was too small to allow a meaningful estimate of the incidence. The mean direct cost per patient with new genital warts was estimated at 378 euros (95% CI: 310.8–444.9); for recurrent genital warts at 603 euros (95% CI: 436.5–814.5), and for resistant genital warts at 1,142 euros (95% CI: 639.6–1752.3). The overall cost to third-party payers was estimated at 49.0 million euros, and the total societal cost at 54.1 million euros, corresponding to an average cost per patient of 550 euros and 607 euros, respectively.ConclusionThe societal burden and costs of managing and treating genital warts in Germany are considerable. A vaccination programme using the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine could provide a substantial health benefit and reduce the costs associated with genital warts in Germany.

Adding a quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine to the UK cervical cancer screening programme: A cost-effectiveness analysis

BackgroundWe assessed the cost-effectiveness of adding a quadrivalent (6/11/16/18) human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to the current screening programme in the UK compared to screening alone.MethodsA Markov model of the natural history of HPV infection incorporating screening and vaccination was developed. A vaccine that prevents 98% of HPV 6, 11, 16 and 18-associated disease, with a lifetime duration and 85% coverage, in conjunction with current screening was considered.ResultsVaccination with screening, compared to screening alone, was associated with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of £21,059 per quality adjusted life year (QALY) and £34,687 per life year saved (LYS). More than 400 cases of cervical cancer, 6700 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and 4750 cases of genital warts could be avoided per 100,000 vaccinated girls. Results were sensitive to assumptions about the need for a booster, the duration of vaccine efficacy and discount rate.ConclusionThese analyses suggest that adding a quadrivalent HPV vaccine to current screening in the UK could be a cost-effective method for further reducing the burden of cervical cancer.

Costs of detection and treatment of cervical cancer, cervical dysplasia and genital warts in the UK.

ABSTRACT Objective: Infection with human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a necessary cause of cervical cancer (CC) and genital warts (GW). HPV vaccination studies have shown excellent efficacy against HPV-induced lesions. To assess the cost-effectiveness of a HPV quadrivalent (6, 11, 16 and 18) vaccine it is necessary to estimate the costs of managing current levels of HPV-related diseases. This study estimates the annual 2003 expenditures in the UK for CC screening, follow-up of abnormal findings, CC treatment and GW treatment. Design and methods: CC screening programmes provided the annual number of screening tests, their results and use of colposcopy procedures in women with abnormal findings. Incident CC cases and hospital admissions for CC in 2003 were used to estimate CC costs. Health Protection Agency data provided the annual number of new, recurrent or persistent cases of GW treated in Genitourinary Medicine (GUM) clinics. Treatment patterns for managing GW were estimated by GUM clinicians. The annual physician visits, tests, procedures, hospital admissions and topical genital wart medications were costed to estimate the total annual expenditures for CC and GW. Results: There were 4.8 million screening tests and 230 303 colposcopy procedures. Estimated costs for screening, management of abnormal and inadequate findings were £138.5 million. Annual management costs for incident and prevalent CC cases were £46.8 million. There were an estimated 76 457 incident and 55 657 recurrent/persistent GW cases in 2003. The costs for managing these cases were approximately £22.4 million. Total annual estimated costs for CC screening, management and treatment of GW were £208 million and ranged from £186.9 to £214 million based upon sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: The direct medical costs for the NHS associated with detection and management of CC, cervical dysplasia and treatment of GW in the UK are substantial. These medical costs are invaluable for future cost-effectiveness analyses of a quadrivalent HPV vaccine programme.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of adding a quadrivalent HPV vaccine to the cervical cancer screening programme in Switzerland

ABSTRACT Objective: Based on positive safety and efficacy data, a quadrivalent Human PapillomaVirus (HPV) vaccine has been approved in Switzerland to prevent HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18 infections. The objective of this study was to explore the cost-effectiveness of an HPV vaccination in Switzerland. Design and methods: A Markov model of the natural history of HPV infection was adapted to the Swiss context and followed a hypothetical cohort of 41 200 girls aged 11 years over their lifetime. Main epidemiological and economic parameters were extracted from the literature. Two strategies were compared: conventional cytological screening only and HPV vaccination followed by conventional cytological screening. A coverage rate of 80% was used and the vaccine was assumed to provide a lifelong protection. Analyses were performed from the direct health care cost perspective including only direct medical costs. Results: Compared to screening only, adding a quadrivalent HPV vaccine could prevent over lifetime 62% of cervical cancers and related deaths, 19% of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN 1), 43% of CIN 2, 45% of CIN 3 and 66% of genital warts per cohort. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) were estimated to be CHF 45 008 per Life Year Gained (LYG) and CHF 26 005 per Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) gained. Sensitivity analyses demonstrated that the ICER was robust to all parameters, but was most sensitive to the need for a booster and discount rates. Conclusions: Compared to commonly accepted standard thresholds in Europe and other vaccination strategies implemented in Switzerland, adding a quadrivalent HPV vaccine alongside the current cervical cancer screening programme is likely to be cost-effective in Switzerland.

Coût du dépistage et de la prise en charge des lésions précancéreuses du col utérin en France

OBJECTIVE Oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPV) cause cervical cancer (CC). Screening prevents CC by detecting and removing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) lesions that are detected through abnormal Pap smears. This study assessed the costs of CC screening, management of abnormal Pap smears, and treatment of CIN in France. PATIENTS AND METHODS Pap smears received by laboratory Pasteur-Cerba during a 7-month period were examined. Patients with abnormal Pap smears were identified and followed for 6 months after diagnosis. The management of abnormal Pap smears was documented. These data and other published studies were used to estimate the total number of pap smears, distribution of abnormal smears requiring further examinations, and number of CIN diagnosed. Economic analyses were performed to estimate total CC screening costs from the health care payer (HCP) and societal perspective. RESULTS An estimated 6,111,787 Pap smears were performed in 2004, including 222,350 abnormal (3.9%) and 63,616 follow-up smears. In total, 58,920 cervical biopsies and 52,525 HPV tests were performed after an abnormal Pap smear. The cost associated with CC screening, including management of abnormal findings, was estimated at 174.2 million euro from the HCP perspective. Total treatment cost for all CIN was estimated at 22.3 million euro (HCP perspective). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Overall cost for screening, diagnosis and management of Pap smears was estimated at 335.7 million euro of which 196.5 million euro where funded by the HCP. An HPV vaccine that prevents pre-cancerous or cancerous lesions of the cervix will decrease the socio-economic burden associated with the screening of these lesions.

Burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis and potential benefits of a pentavalent rotavirus vaccination in Belgium

Abstract Objective and Methods: A decision analytic model was built to assess the paediatric rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) burden and potential benefits associated with the introduction of RotaTeq®† (pentavalent rotavirus vaccine) in Belgium. Results: In the absence of a rotavirus (RV) immunisation programme, paediatric RVGE was estimated to account for about 5,860 hospitalisations, 1,720 cases of nosocomial infections, 9,410 cases treated by general practitioners/paediatricians (GP/P) and 10,790 cases not seeking medical care for a birth cohort followed up to 5 years of age. Paediatric RVGE was estimated to cost about €9.0 million from the Belgian healthcare provider perspective and €15.3 million to society. Given a 90% RV vaccination coverage rate, the pentavalent RV vaccine would have a high impact on RV burden by preventing more than 4,850 hospitalisations, 995 cases of nosocomial infections, 7,145 cases treated by GP/P and 8,190 cases not seeking medical care, and reduce RVGE costs by €7.1 million from the Belgian healthcare provider perspective and €12.0 million to society.

Epidemiological and economic burden of potentially HPV-related cancers in France

Human papillomaviruses (HPV) infection is now known to be responsible for almost all cervical cancers, and for a substantial fraction of Head and Neck cancers (HNCs). However, comprehensive epidemiological and economic data is lacking in France, especially for rarer potentially HPV-related cancers, which include anal, vulvar and vaginal cancers. Using the national comprehensive database of French public and private hospital information (PMSI), we assessed prevalence and incidence of patients with in-hospital diagnosis for potentially HPV-related cancers in 2013, and estimated costs related to their management over a 3-year period after diagnosis in France. Concerning female genital cancers, 7,597, 1,491 and 748 women were hospitalized for cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancer in 2013, respectively, with 3,120, 522 and 323 of them being new cases. A total of 4,153 patients were hospitalized for anal cancer in 2013, including 1,661 new cases. For HNCs, 8,794 and 14,730 patients were hospitalized for oral and oropharyngeal cancer in 2013, respectively; 3,619 and 6,808 were new cases. Within the 3 years after cancer diagnosis, the average cost of hospital care per patient varied from €28 K for anal cancer to €41 K for oral cancer. Most expenditures were related to hospital care, before outpatient care and disability allowance; they were concentrated in the first year of care. The total economic burden associated with HPV-potentially related cancers was about €511 M for the French National Health Insurance over a 3 years period (2011 to 2013), ranging from €8 M for vaginal cancer to €222 M for oropharyngeal cancer. This study reported the most up-to-date epidemiological and economic data on potentially HPV-related cancers in France. These results may be used to evaluate the potential impact of new preventive strategies, namely the generalized organized screening of cervical cancer and the nine-valent HPV vaccine, indicated in the prevention of cervical, vaginal, vulvar and anal cancers.

Health economic evaluation in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in France

Abstract Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a specific form of chronic, progressive, fibrosing interstitial pneumonia of unknown cause. To date, there is no specific cure for IPF, and only two treatments (pirfenidone and nintedanib) have marketing authorizations and recommendations in international and French guidelines. Objectives: A cost-utility analysis (CUA) has been conducted to evaluate the efficiency of nintedanib, in comparison to all available alternatives, in a French setting using the official methodological guidelines. Methods: A previously developed lifetime Markov model was adapted to the French setting by simulating the progression of IPF patients in terms of lung function decline, incidence of acute exacerbations, and death. Considering the effect of IPF on patients’ quality-of-life, a CUA integrating quality adjusted life years (QALY) was chosen as the primary outcome measure in the main analysis. One-way, probabilistic, and scenario sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the robustness of the model. Results: Treatment with nintedanib resulted in an estimated total cost of €76,414 (vs €82,665 for pirfenidone). In comparison with all other available options, nintedanib was predicted to provide the most QALY gained (3.34 vs 3.29). This analysis suggests that nintedanib has a 59.0% chance of being more effective than pirfenidone and s 77.3% chance of being cheaper than pirfenidone. Sensitivity analyses showed the results of the CUA to be robust. Conclusions: In conclusion, this CUA has found that nintedanib appears to be a more cost-effective therapeutic option than pirfenidone in a French setting, due to fewer acute exacerbations and a better tolerability profile.