Health state utility values measured using the EuroQol 5-dimensions questionnaire in adults with chronic hepatitis C a systematic literature review and meta-analysis

• Published in: Quality of life research Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 297 - 319
• Main Authors: Buchanan-Hughes, A. M., Buti, M., Hanman, K., Langford, B., Wright, M., Eddowes, L. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer Science + Business Media 01.02.2019; Springer International Publishing; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Female; Hepatitis; Hepatitis C; Hepatitis C, Chronic - pathology; Hepatitis C, Chronic - psychology; Humans; Infections; Interferon; Liver cirrhosis; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Meta-analysis; Middle Aged; Public Health; Quality of Life - psychology; Quality of Life Research; Questionnaires; REVIEW; Sociology; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Systematic review; EQ-5D; Utility; HCV; Hepatitis C; QoL; Quality of life
• ISSN: 0962-9343; 1573-2649
• DOI: 10.1007/s11136-018-1992-3

Purpose Chronic hepatitis C infection and its treatment can considerably affect patients’ health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL). This study aimed to identify and summarise the current evidence base for health state utility values (HSUVs) in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection, generated using the EuroQol 5-dimensions (EQ-5D) questionnaire. Methods MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library and EconLit were searched from database inception through 31 August 2017. Eligible studies reported HSUVs elicited using the EQ-5D questionnaire in adults with chronic hepatitis C infection. Study quality and risk of bias were assessed. Results Of 1480 records identified, 26 studies were included. The most commonly defined health states described different stages of chronic hepatitis C infection and specific liver-related disease states, including METAVIR score, compensated and decompensated cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver transplantation. Patients with higher METAVIR scores tended to have lower EQ-5D scores compared to patients with lower METAVIR scores. Patients that achieved sustained virologic responses tended to have higher EQ-5D scores compared to those that did not. A meta-analysis conducted on three studies confirmed that patients with decompensated cirrhosis have significantly lower HSUVs than patients with compensated cirrhosis [mean difference − 0.11 (95% CI − 0.19 to − 0.04)], implying worse HRQoL. However, there was not sufficient evidence to compare how different treatments for chronic hepatitis C infection affect EQ-5D scores. Conclusions This study provides a summary of EQ-5D HSUVs for patients with chronic hepatitis C infection, and demonstrates that clinically important disease stages associated with treatment decisions are associated with differences in HRQoL.