The number of patients with chronic hepatitis C in times of new therapy options: a retrospective observational study on German health insurance funds data.

Abstract

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) virus infection is a leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality. In Germany, as in many other countries, there is a lack of comprehensive epidemiological data. Routine data from sickness funds can support the estimation of the true prevalence and incidence of CHC. In this article, the results of annual and quarterly analyses of prevalence and incidence for the years 2007-2013 are presented using data of several German sickness funds. Overall, the prevalence rate remained relatively stable at 0.2%, which is lower than the general assumption for Germany of 0.3%. We found that despite the introduction of the breakthrough designated triple therapies with telaprevir or boceprevir in 2011, there was no increase of prevalence or incidence between 2010 and 2011.