Cost-Effectiveness of HCV Core Antigen versus PCR for Monitoring Treatment Response in DAAS-Treated Egyptian Patients
Nouh, M., Elhelbawy, M., Soliman, M., El-Gazzarah, A. (2020). Cost-Effectiveness of HCV Core Antigen versus PCR for Monitoring Treatment Response in DAAS-Treated Egyptian Patients. EKB Journal Management System, 10(2), 174-182. doi: 10.21608/aeji.2020.26287.1060
Mohammed Alaa EL-Din Nouh; Mohamed Gamal Elhelbawy; Mohammed Abdel Badie Mohammed Soliman; Ahmed Ragab El-Gazzarah. "Cost-Effectiveness of HCV Core Antigen versus PCR for Monitoring Treatment Response in DAAS-Treated Egyptian Patients". EKB Journal Management System, 10, 2, 2020, 174-182. doi: 10.21608/aeji.2020.26287.1060
Nouh, M., Elhelbawy, M., Soliman, M., El-Gazzarah, A. (2020). 'Cost-Effectiveness of HCV Core Antigen versus PCR for Monitoring Treatment Response in DAAS-Treated Egyptian Patients', EKB Journal Management System, 10(2), pp. 174-182. doi: 10.21608/aeji.2020.26287.1060
Nouh, M., Elhelbawy, M., Soliman, M., El-Gazzarah, A. Cost-Effectiveness of HCV Core Antigen versus PCR for Monitoring Treatment Response in DAAS-Treated Egyptian Patients. EKB Journal Management System, 2020; 10(2): 174-182. doi: 10.21608/aeji.2020.26287.1060

Cost-Effectiveness of HCV Core Antigen versus PCR for Monitoring Treatment Response in DAAS-Treated Egyptian Patients

Afro-Egyptian Journal of Infectious and Endemic Diseases
Article 17, Volume 10, Issue 2, June 2020, Page 174-182  XML PDF (799.77 K)
Document Type: Original Article
DOI: 10.21608/aeji.2020.26287.1060
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Authors
Mohammed Alaa EL-Din Nouh1; Mohamed Gamal Elhelbawy2; Mohammed Abdel Badie Mohammed Soliman3; Ahmed Ragab El-Gazzarah email orcid 1
1Tropical Medicine department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt
2Clinical Pathology Department,Faculty of Medicine ,Menoufia University,Egypt
3Elahrar Teaching Hospital, Zagazig, Sharquiya Govenorate, Egypt.
Abstract
Background and study aim: PCR is currently the non-debatable proof for diagnosis of HCV infection as well as conclusion of treatment outcomes. HCV core antigen (HCVcAg) testing is a neglected, less expensive and less time-consuming test that’s presumed to achieve the same aims. The aim of this study is to find the cost-effectiveness of HCV core antigen testing in the monitoring of treatment response as an alternative to the gold-standard PCR test.
Patients and Methods: 48 patients indicated for DAAs-therapy in the period from January- to July 2018. Pre- and post-treatment routine investigations including HCV-RNA levels as well as HCVcAg were done.
Results: There was a high statistically-significant difference (p<0.001) within the studied group as regards pre- and post-treatment results of HCV-RNA with a total SVR12 rate of 95.8% (46/48 patients). There was a high statistically-significant varaiation (p<0.001) as regards pre- and post-treatment levels of HCVcAg of the studied group. HCVcAg was detected in 89.5% of the included patients before treatment (43/48 patients). The 5 cases that tested negative for HCVcAg had HCV-RNA levels Conclusion: HCVcAg is a sensitive, specific test, less expensive (cost 0.46 that of PCR per single sample) but false negative results of HCVcAg existed with low viremia (< 2000 IU/ml).
Keywords
DAAs; SVR12; HCV core antigen
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