Effect of discounting on estimation of benefits determined by hepatitis C treatment

Table 1 Main characteristics of the Markov models¹

Authors	Modelling details (base case)	Expected outcome
		No treatment	Interferon monotherapy	Dual treatment
Bennett et al[16] 1997	Age = 35 yr; time horizon = lifetime; discount rate = 0% per year	36.2 LYs	37.7 LYs	NR
Bennett et al[16] 1997	Age = 35 yr; time horizon = lifetime; discount rate = 5% per year	16.2 LYs	16.4 LYs	NR
Bennett et al[16] 1997	Age = 35 yr; time horizon = lifetime; discount rate = 0% per year	28.0 QALYs	31.7 QALYs	NR
Shepherd et al[17] 2004	Age = 36 yr; time horizon = 30 yr; discount rate = 1.5% per year	21.464 QALYs	NR	23.417 QALYs
Shepherd et al[18] 2007	Age = 40 yr; time horizon = lifetime; discount rate = 1.5% per year	20.17 QALYs	NR	From 20.94 to 22.48 QALYs
Hartwell et al[19] 20112	Age = 40 yr; time horizon = lifetime; discount rate = 3.5% per year, dual therapy with PEG-interferon alpha-2α	NR (naïve patients), 10.74 QALYs (previously treated patients)	NR	15.68 QALYs (naïve patients), 11.05 QALYs (previously treated patients)
Hartwell et al[19] 20112	Age = 40 yr; time horizon = lifetime; discount rate = 3.5% per year, dual therapy with PEG-interferon alpha-2β	NR (naïve patients), 10.74 QALYs (previously treated patients)	NR	13.89 QALYs (naïve patients), 11.14 QALYs (previously treated patients)

LY: Life year; QALY: Quality-adjusted life year; PEG: Pegylated; NR: Not reported. ¹In a preliminary search on PubMed, we identified 47 articles describing a simulation model for hepatitis C; the complete references for these studies can be obtained from the authors upon request;

²This study assessed also the shortened duration regimen of PEG-interferon + ribavirin, the data of which have not been reported in this table.